D-day for young guns
HOPES ARE high that Wexford can build on weeks of extensive preparation when they take on Louth in the Leinster Under-21 football championship first round at Dowdallshill on Saturday next (2.30 p.m.).
The backroom team finalised their side after two games last week, losing to Carlow in the four-county tournament shield final by 1-7 to 0-7 in Tinryland on Tuesday, while going down to Gorey District after extratime in the Joe Bradley Memorial Cup final three nights later.
Apart from qualifying for the provincial final under then manager, Aidan O'Brien, in 2008, Wexford's recent record in this grade has been particularly poor, losing their opening round game heavily last year to Kildare in Bunclody.
Paul Carty, in charge for a second successive season, will hope to have learned from that dismal performance as they face the Wee county who reached the Leinster Minor semi-final three years ago and lost to Carlow.
Defenders James Breen, Michael Furlong and P.J. Carroll, all from Adamstown, will be seeking to tie down the Louth attack, while Andrew Shore and John Leacy should form a formidable midfield partnership.
Glynn-Barntown's Michael O'Regan gives the side a real physical presence in attack, while Conor Carty also has a lot of Senior club experience.
The first round in this grade is always difficult as it's the unknown quality of the opposition that poses more problems than anything else.
Wexford must play off their own strengths which they hope will be sufficient to bring them a victory and a place in the second round at home to Dublin on March 6.
