Many clubs. One county. One cause.

Our senior football squad features players from 18 clubs, as seen in the photo here, where all wore club colours at a training session in the Halo Tiles Centre of Excellence. However, they are joined together in one common cause – to do themselves and Wexford proud in the Championship campaign ahead.

That campaign begins next Sunday (April 7) in Chadwicks Wexford Park, with a home tie v Carlow at 2.30 p.m.  The winners there will progress to play Louth in a provincial quarter-final a week later, with Portlaoise to be the venue if Wexford end up being the ones to take on the Wee County.

Manager John Hegarty is eagerly looking forward to Sunday’s tie, hopeful that his side can maintain the momentum that saw them finish the League with four good wins  a row: v Waterford (11 points), Carlow (10 points), Tipperary (15 points) and Longford (9 points).

‘The way the League finished for us was frustrating in one way, because of how we missed out on promotion, but there was also huge satisfaction in how things were starting to come together,’ he says.

‘The lads were playing with confidence and were looking forward to each game, just as they’re looking forward to the Championship now. There’s a really good buzz about the squad, and they’re doing all the things you could ask of them as regards work rate, etc. The fact that we’ll be at home on Sunday is a bonus, and with all these lads proud to represent Wexford, we’ll be hoping to do what it takes again in Chadwicks Wexford Park.’

While disappointed at missing out on promotion in the League, Hegarty is happy with another aspect of it, and that’s with how so many played their part during the campaign.

‘People may not realise it, but we actually used 28 players during the League, and we have cover in every line of the field,’ he says.

Another noticeable statistic from the League was the wide range of scorers – at least eight each day, and as many as eleven in the victory over Carlow.

‘It’s maybe a measure of how football has gone, that a wing back could end up with as many scoring chances now as a wing forward – Glen Malone, for example, scored 1-13 during the League. It’s great to see scores coming from so many places.

‘Of course, every team would love a David Clifford type, putting up big individual scores every day – but the danger then is that an opposing team could find a way to shut him down, and leave you in trouble looking for scores. It has to be an advantage when so many of your players are capable of scoring, and confident in shooting.’

Looking at Carlow in particular, Hegarty says the convincing League victory over the same opposition (1-14 to 0-7 in Netwatch Cullen Park on March 2) is no indication that Wexford can expect to have things all their own way on Sunday.

‘That match was still level after 55 minutes, and it had been a very tight and cagey affair up to that,’ he says. ‘Carlow are a very well-organised side, and we just did well to push on and close out the game well in the final 15 minutes or so. But nobody should be looking at it and thinking a ten-point win then means we can expect to have it handy.

‘I expect it’ll come down to the last 10 to 15 minutes again, and that it’ll still be up for grabs then. But hopefully we’ll finish the stronger again,’ he says.

A big crowd and lots of support at Sunday’s match would be greatly appreciated. Tickets can be bought online here, and are also available in the usual SuperValu & Centra outlets (list of Co. Wexford locations available here). Join Zurich in proudly supporting our team!

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Meet our Senior Football Squad