High praise from Justin
Justin McCarthy liked what he saw from the Wexford Under-21 hurlers.
JUSTIN McCARTHY is one of the leading coaches in the game and he has come out strongly in his praise of the Wexford Under21 hurlers and the future of the game in the county.
The small ball aristocrat has painted a promising picture for the game in the Model county after the latest chapter in Wexford's hurling year and the end of the summer campaign, having lost out to Dublin through two goals in the closing ten minutes.
McCarthy has long been talked about as one of the real stylists in the game, having won provincial and All-Ireland titles with his native Cork, while also having laid the skills foundation with the present Waterford outfit. He may have had a controversial year in Limerick, but he fashioned together a young and new-look Shannonside team to run Offaly close in the qualifiers, and he now sees the Under-21 set-up as the way forward for Wexford hurling.
Wexford's hurling, despite defeat, was not lost on McCarthy who was hugely impressed with the display. 'Having watched the game with great interest after hearing so much about Dublin following their defeat of Kilkenny, I thought this was going to be one-way traffic.
'What I liked about Wexford was their standard of hurling - great ball skills, great scores and good movement on and off the ball. The players showed an ability to get into position which enabled them to play quality hurling.'
McCarthy, one of the best coaches in the business, said: 'something struck me that this Wexford team had a higher level of skill than seen with any Wexford team for many years. They had many skilful players. They played as a team, while their pick-up on the run and clean striking was quite evident.
'This team played a different brand of hurling that I've seen with Wexford. There was passion and skill in their play, something I've always admired about Wexford hurling even as a player, having played against them so many times.
'They were more skilful than Dublin who depended more on physical strength. Wexford deserved a draw at least, as both goals were dubious. The first was steps, while the second was scored when Wexford were down to 14 and trying to get a substitute on.'
On Wexford's future, he added: 'the main thing to take out of this game is that they have some talented players going forward. One has to start somewhere. You make hurlers of them first, then you think in terms of championships. This side had a high level of skill.
'Looking in as an outsider, I liked very much what I saw of Wexford. It's very hard to win games in Parnell Park as it's worth five-six points to the Dubs.
'The quality of play, the level of skill and the way they played as a team, suggests they are the future of Wexford hurling and the way forward. We all need one another in the game of hurling so it would be great to have Wexford back up there.'
- BRENDAN FURLONG
