Ronan Fagan Ahead of Sunday’s Roinn 1 Quarter Final Clash against current All Ireland Hurling Champions talks to recently retired David Redmond
David Redmond has no qualms about declaring confidence for Wexford’s prospects this afternoon against Galway, the defending Allianz National Hurling League Division 1 together with Leinster and All-Ireland champions.
“We took their scalp last year, and we’ve beaten All-Ireland champions before,” the Oulart-The Ballagh ace notes with reference to Wexford’s crucial Division 1B league win over the Tribesmen in February last year, as well as the 2014 dethroning of Davy Fitzgerald’s then-defending All-Ireland champions, Clare.
“So why not this time?” he asserts, enthusing: “It’s something to really look forward to.
“It is huge having the game in Wexford Park, and Galway will know that they’ll be in for a real fight.
“Being at home adds so much to this Wexford team. You can see the impact it has on the players when the crowd gets behind them, because it looks fantastic when Wexford get going and start attacking from the half-back line and midfield.
“There is no reason to feel why we can’t beat them.”
David will again be in the rather unusual position of tracking matters from the Stands having earlier this year retired from an inter-county arena which he adorned with a multitude of distinguished contributions for a decade. Indeed, even as a 30-year-old last year, his ongoing worth to the team was reflected in the fact that he was one of only seven players who were used by Davy Fitzgerald’s management in all 15 of Wexford’s competitive fixtures in 2017, when Wexford achieved a considerable bounce under their new manager.
That included the championship victory over Kilkenny at Innovate Wexford Park where David poached a crucial goal.
While silverware wasn’t secured, Wexford did achieve promotion in the league and a first appearance in the Leinster championship final since 2008. It all contributed towards a keener appreciation of what they could achieve.
“There mightn’t have been any silverware in 2017, but I still think we were successful because we brought Wexford back to the big-time – playing in and winning big-games, and getting back to Croke Park in a Leinster final.
“Getting the supporters back behind Wexford hurling was huge too, and even other people around the country started to appreciate Wexford hurling again,” he observed.
“The big thing I noticed was that during the summer-time, when we were playing the big games, it was fantastic seeing the kids out supporting us at games and training, which was a huge turnaround compared to the last number of years.”
While some are obsessed with what Davy ‘Fitz’ might be able to achieve with the senior hurlers, his former charge is adamant that the Clare-man’s influence is going to be more far reaching, sensing that Fitzgerald is engaging the hearts and minds of the youth while offering guidance to a multitude of coaches at all levels within the county.
“I feel there are a lot of other players and coaching staff from Wexford who have been directly influenced by Davy in terms of his coaching capabilities, and that’s going to be good for us down the road as well through improving everything as regards coaching and management and everything within our own clubs in Wexford,” David suggests.
“If he is only going to be here for one, two or three years, I think he will leave a lasting legacy. And it’s about Wexford building on top of that too.”
Towards that specific ends, David isn’t allowing any moss to grow under his feet as only a month after ending his inter-county playing days he accepted an invitation from James Sheil (St. Mary’s-Rosslare) and Eddie Cullen (Ferns St. Aidan’s) to join the Wexford minor hurling backroom team.
“James and Eddie were on to me a few times trying to get me involved, and sure I said, ‘Why not try to add something to it?’, he explains. “I have been involved for the last number of weeks and I am enjoying every minute of it. They are a great bunch of young lads.”
When David first heard that Fitzgerald was coming to Wexford, he felt it was “huge news”.
“Then, my immediate thought after that was, ‘Wow! This is going to be tough going’, because we had seen him on TV and various video-clips plenty of times and during matches, and it was obvious that there were going to be no excuses.
“I found Davy was nearly everything I was looking for in a coach. Everybody knew their jobs. Everything was completely clear. He is very straight with you, which I liked; it can be good and bad, but at least you know where you stand with him, which is what players are looking for.
“Another thing is he would do absolutely anything for players both on and off the field; even away from the pitch altogether, with people’s personal lives, he is very good that way. People don’t see that side of him. I found that very refreshing from a manager.”
David does miss influencing matters on the pitch.
“But I had my time, and I enjoyed it,” he smiles.
Given Oulart-The Ballagh’s prominence, David was among a group of club colleagues with Wexford who had been competing almost all year round every year for much of the last decade. And while inter-county retirement has robbed a certain routine from his life, he reasons that the break is needed.
“Being in a routine was something I liked. That has changed a massive amount alright. Normally at this time of the year I would be flat-out in the middle of training, but I haven’t been on a hurling-field now since October – the day we played the county final,” he reveals.
“It is refreshing stepping away from Wexford because I was on the go for a long-time with the club and the county-team, and I think the head and body needed a bit of a break after all that time.”
In all his years with Wexford, David had only picked up one piece of silverware, namely the Division 2 league title in 2010. So when Wexford won the Walsh Cup this past January, only a couple of weeks after David had retired, he allowed himself a chuckle.
“But that was actually fantastic,” he says of that title-victory over Kilkenny.
“Whatever we think about the Walsh Cup, it was still great to get some silverware. It was a great start to the year, and to see Shaun Murphy (his club-mate) up there collecting the Cup was brilliant too.”
He isn’t surprised by how Wexford have stepped things up this year, and points to their attitude to today’s game against Galway as being representative of their overall attitude to the season.
“I don’t think there’s going to be any fear in the Wexford camp whatsoever,” David assures.
