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Davy Fitzgerald: 'I have to apologise to the Wexford people'

Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald pictured during the Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Galway and Wexford at Croke Park in Dublin.

Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald pictured during the Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Galway and Wexford at Croke Park in Dublin.

By John Harrington

A hugely disappointed Wexford manager, Davy Fitzgerald, spoke from the heart when addressing his team’s heavy defeat to Galway in this evening’s Leinster SHC semi-final at Croke Park.

What upset him most was that he fact he felt his team threw in the towel rather than fight all the way to the finish.

“I suppose for the first time in three and a bit years I’ve been with Wexford we didn’t fight,” said Fitzgerald.

“We threw in the towel and that’s the bottom line. I have to apologise to the Wexford people because we’re not like that.

“We let them down today, we didn’t perform and we hold our hands up ‘cause we were absolutely terrible. We were shocking. Any team you are over you want them to fight and do whatever. We didn’t do that today and that’s not good enough as far as I’m concerned.

“I don’t know why that was. The first 20 minutes we were in it, we probably had two or three goal chances. We retaliated when we shouldn’t have retaliated but they’re small things.

“As the game went on, they won the 50-50 battles more and the thing that annoys me more was we didn’t push in the last 15 or 20 minutes. We just up the white flag and saw the game out and that is very disappointing.

“There is no point hiding when you have a performance like that; you man up and you say it as it is and that’s how we were and that’s the end of story.”

Wexford must re-launch their Championship challenge through the All-Ireland Qualifiers, with the draw taking place next Monday morning at 8.30am on RTE Radio 1.

“Whatever draw we get, it’s going to be a tough one,” said Fitzgerald. “You’re either going to get Clare or Cork or Tipp or Limerick. Whatever you do from here on in you’re meeting a top quality side so that’s where we’re at.

“Look, other teams have got the same thing. I think Tipperary got beaten in a Munster final last year pretty well. I’m not really worried what the result is the next day; what I’m worried about is will we come out and will we f**king fight. That’s the f**king name of the game.

“I’m involved in hurling to compete; I’m not involved in f**king hurling to go out there and put up the white flag and hand Galway a game like we did tonight. It’s absolutely horrendous and I’m not happy with it.

I’m disappointed for the lads because they actually worked hard. I absolutely adore them lads, I have unbelievable time for them but that’s not acceptable what we did tonight. They’re a great bunch but it’s not acceptable. You feel like that sick in your stomach, it’s incredible. I can get over being beaten but we’re a lot better than that.”