WexfordGAA.ie recently caught up with one of the warriors of Wexford hurling, Wexford vice-captain, Faythe Harriers clubman and soldier Richie Kehoe. Richie spoke to us about the year to date, the ups and downs, the team’s preparations for the visit of Dublin and what 
they have learned from their previous meetings this year with Anthony Daly’s men.
Our thanks to Richie for taking the time to speak with us.
Q: Wexford play their opening championship game against Dublin in June. We’ve played Dublin twice this year and they have come out on top each time. Will these previous encounters have any bearing come championship time?
A: Dublin beat us well on both the occasions we met them this year , in the league and in the Walsh Cup, but that will mean nothing on June 8th! We have learned a lot from both those games and I can assure you that Wexford will be a more organised and competitive team on June 8th.
Q: Wexford’s year to date has been a mixed one, with some early wins in the Walsh Cup and then good wins over Limerick, Antrim and Carlow but the Dublin game was a setback. What’s your sense of the year so far and what you and the team a whole have learned?
A: The Walsh Cup at the start of the year benefitted us hugely, getting competitive games and blooding new players in for the league campaign. The league was a disappointment for us; we trained hard with the goal being promotion. Our performances were up and down with no consistency, we learned an awful lot though from the Offaly Dublin and Limerick games. We have to be organised and have a plan, which incorporated with a huge work rate will I believe pay dividends! Those are the thing we failed on throughout the league, these are the things we learned about ourselves and these are the thing we need to bring to Wexford Park on June 8th.
Q: You a member of the army, I wonder how your army career and you’re hurling mix? They share commitment, discipline, and fitness and of course a fighting spirit. Are they difficult to juggle or do they complement each other?
A: Definitely my career in the army and the hurling complement each other! The army instil all of the above, it takes a little bit of organisation and communication to meet both commitments, but the army are very fair and look after me with time off and time to train during my working day. The army have a great interest in GAA and it’s a great job!
Q: Recently John Mullane spoke about the how Kilkenny had changed the game of hurling with their physicality and that teams had to match this. I know Wexford really focused on this part of their preparations this year – how important is this to the modern game in your experience?
A: Kilkenny have huge work rate as a team and it all comes from strength and condition training, teams are hitting and tackling with huge intensity and Kilkenny are the best team at it at the moment! We haven’t been near that level over the last couple of years and this year we focused on it, you can see the difference in our body shape, we are fit and strong and now we need to start using it. It’s a huge part of the modern game and if you’re not physically prepared you have no chance against the top teams.
Q: Wexford have its fair to say been underperforming over the last decade or so. Do you think we can turn this around and what do we need to do to change?
A: We have underperformed in recent years but we have been trying to get a solid team together with a mixture of youth and more seasoned players, the younger players need time to settle into the Senior set up and I’ve no doubt they will and will play an important part getting Wexford back competing at the top again, starting from this year! Our underage structures are very good and there’s a lot of work going on in Wexford. Our minors have a good group of fine hurlers and I think the future is bright for Wexford and I’ve no doubt we will be back at the top. I do think though that we need to make hurling more attractive for the young boys and girls in the county and try get more kids involved.
Q: The club championship started again this month, the Harriers had a good opening win. How do you think the club will do in 2013?
A: The club championship is under way in Wexford which is great; we had a good win over Oylgate in our opening game but the disappointingly lost to Ferns! Our goal for the year is to try top the group and get back to the county final and hopefully win it, which would be great.
Q: As the 9th of June meeting with Dublin comes into focus how are preparations coming along?
A: Well we are just back from club duty and are now back at it again full belt, things are going well and everyone is pushing hard, driving each other on for a place on the team on June 8.
Q: What are your aims for 2013, what will you see as a successful year?
A: I think this year would be a great success if we could beat Dublin and be a very competitive team all the way through the championship every day we take the field, and then anything could happen. Of course from a club perspective if the Harriers could win the club championship this year it would be a great year.
Q: How are you in the run up to a big game, do you get nervous, what’s your routine like?
A: I enjoy the run up to the big matches to be honest, I love listening to everyone’s opinions on what way they see it going and who they think will be on the team! I only get nervous on the day of the match but I think that’s a good thing. I don’t really have a routine; I just take it as it comes!
Q: Do you think the defeats like Wexford have suffered over the years to Kilkenny take a psychological toll?
A: I don’t think it has an effect on us, every year is different and what’s gone before is in the past. This Wexford team plays in the here and now, and that’s the way we work it.
Q: In addition to physical preparation is mental/psychological preparation important?
A: Mental preparation is just as important as the physical side of things. Your head has to be in the right place leading in to the big games, and you have to be clear as to what your job is on the day, we work on visualisation also. It’s now a very big part of our preparation.
Q: What do you do when you have down time to relax?
A: To relax, I like to play snooker, listen to music, spend time with friends and family.
Q: Who was your hurling hero growing up?
A: My hurling hero growing up was Larry O’ (Gorman).
