Wexford's Liam Coleman pictured at the launch of the Tailteann Cup. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
There is something stirring in Wexford football again. John Hegarty's evolving team earned promotion into Division Three of the Allianz Football League.
A Leinster SFC loss to Laois hurt, but now Wexford want to make an impact in the Tailteann Cup. An opening round triumph over Longford bodes well.
Next Sunday's away game against neighbours Carlow, who beat Fermanagh, promises to be another revealing test. Captain Liam Coleman has thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Wexford revival under Hegarty.
Following a busy start to the year, Wexford are firmly focused on all matters Tailteann Cup. "I think, yeah definitely a good league that didn't finish how he wanted to finish and very difficult to turn around six days later and play the first round of the Leinster championship.
"That was difficult to refocus for and we didn't, we didn't get it right. But I think afterwards the lads straight away bought in and we look at this competition as a competition we'd like to take very seriously.
"When we set out with the start of the year it's definitely up there with the top of our objectives so it is easy enough to focus and get training."
Having enjoyed such a productive stint in the league, it was disappointing for Wexford to lose the Division Four decider against Limerick.
Then, Laois overcame Wexford in Leinster. "It's hard yeah because you go from winning seven games in a row to losing two games in a row," Coleman reflects.
Liam Coleman remains a key performer for Wexford. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
"It's a cliche but you're going to learn more from them last two matches than you did from like our first five league games, which were very competitive.
"You know when we got promoted the way it was, the last, the teams we were playing against in the last games were playing for nothing, we were playing for nothing.
"Not that we didn't take the game seriously, we really wanted to get seven wins and do that. But probably weren't learning enough from them matches and then we came up against the best opposition we played all year in Laois and they showed it like.
"You know out on the pitch their energy was much better. I think, when you're flat you're flat and we were very flat that day. The way the rules are like they got, I think they got three two points in the first half and all of a sudden you were eight points down and it's very difficult to get back then.
"So, what do we put it down to? Probably poor preparation, a few injuries, tired bodies and probably not as focused as we should have been."
Coleman is relishing the new rules brought in for the 2025 campaign. "I'd be for all of them," Coleman says. "I think change had to happen. From an inter-country perspective and a club perspective, you're going out and playing matches, and sometimes you actually come off the pitch thinking I actually don't know if I enjoyed that.
"You spend half your time, especially in the middle third, running. You weren't able to affect the game going forward because you were getting the ball facing 15 players and then spend half your time at the back running around.
"It was all about trying to move space and you're doing so much running for very little involvement in the game and now you kick the ball, there's so much more space, there's more incentive to take shots, take risks. So, I think the game is just far more exciting. And then it seemed to have levelled the playing field as well."
