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Davy Fitzgerald admits Moran goal was a killer for Wexford

Wexford v Waterford - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final

Wexford v Waterford - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final

By John Harrington

Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald believes the turning point in today’s All-Ireland SHC Quarter-Final against Waterford was the Kevin Moran goal they conceded just before half-time.

He agreed it was a self-inflicted wound, citing two separate defensive mistakes that led to the goal, but overall he was hugely proud of how his team played despite the defeat.

“The honest changing factor in the whole game was the goal we gave away before half-time,” said Fitzgerald.

“I felt we'd got our way back into the game. If I'm right on the possession stats unless my stats men are completely wrong. We'd a lot more possession in the first-half than Waterford did.

“That's fact. We gave away a few easy scores I thought, just bit naive. I can't remember this off hand but of their first 7 or 8 points, most of them were from frees without a shadow of doubt.

“I'm not blaming the ref for that, I think that could be down to us just being a small bit over enthusiastic. We had a plan which was to let the man in possession shoot if we want to which I think we should have more than give him a free puck.

“That was tough but we clawed our way right back and I think we played, them guys played some unbelievable hurling as regards their moves.

“You've seen that with the scores we got and when we worked the ball short. I thought it was A1. We got our scores and that was A1. Just the goal before half-time without a shadow of a doubt, it just kind of knocked us. I felt that just got us a small bit.”

With both Waterford and Wexford employing sweepers in defense, space was at a premium for forwards and the contest had a claustrophobic feel for much of the game, but Fitzgerald wasn’t in the mood to apologise for that after the match.

Wexford v Waterford - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final

Wexford v Waterford - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final

He was adamant there’s far too much negativity commentary about tactics in hurling and insisted teams have to cut their cloth to suit if they want to challenge for major honours.

“Man, you have had games where in the last two weeks playing orthodox, it’s the most open game you could go to and you could get scores from any place,” he said.

“If you want to play a game like that, that’s completely open, that’s fine.

“But you look at the last ten All-Irelands, or 15 All-Irelands, there’s nearly been the same two teams in the whole lot of them.

“I don’t know how ye feel but I’d like a change, I’d like to see other teams in it, other teams competing.

“So whatever it takes to get a team to be competitive and get there, fair play to them. It shouldn’t just be that we’ve done something for 40 years and we keep doing it, that’s just my philosophy and I’m strong on it.

“I mean this, I think Derek (McGrath) has taken stick that has been totally unfair, so I do. I said fair play to him and the job they done. They were the better team today and we hold no gripes.

“But this messing has to stop; it’s nothing but negativity, negativity, all the time. This championship has been great and Waterford have played a part in it, we’ve played a part in it, Galway are still playing a part in it.

“Cork have brought a game where they’re using short and long ball all the time, they’re moving like anything, they’re hitting spaces. I hear one analyst last week describe that Cork are allowed to go out and play with freedom, (but) Cork are thinking they’re way around, Cork know what they’re about, they’re working hard on it.

“So I expect others teams who are trying stuff and fair play to them, I love that about the GAA. Will I get slammed for saying what I do, I do but I don’t care, I don’t care.”