Anthony Daly: 'You'll have the apes who'll say we'd have been better off to have lost'

Liam Dunne: ‘I’ll do an Arsene Wenger here – I didn’t actually see it. If I moved down that part of the field I’d get fined’.

ANTHONY DALY SAW his Dublin charges get over the line on Saturday night in their Leinster championship replay against Wexford.

But after that victory in Parnell Park, his focus quickly switches to next Sunday’s semi-final showdown with Kilkenny.

Here’s his thoughts on his sides performance in Parnell Park and the challenge that lies ahead.

Claiming victory

“It’s an eight-point win in the quarter-final of the Leinster championship, our fourth time playing Wexford this year and we haven’t lost once. If someone had told me that four years ago I’d have said they were gone off the rails.

“You’ll have the apes who’ll say we’d have been better off to have lost and gone the other way (qualifiers) but I don’t think like that. Championship hurling is about trying to get a win and that’s the way we went at it.”

Improvements in the replay

“I’d say we were a lot more solid mentally. The sending-off had a big bearing on it, they obviously had to change formation. I’d be reasonably happy.

“Everyone kept their heads but we didn’t get intimidated either. We had been told by everyone how terrible we were last week and there was probably a natural reaction to be more physical and the danger of that is that you’d lose a man. We kept our heads.”

The challenge of Kilkenny

“I know Kilkenny mentors won’t be shaking in their boots going home. We have the week now to get our heads around it. Kilkenny at their best, we know how great they can be.

“We must hope they have an off-day and we have a right good day, that’s the best we can hope for. They conceded four goals (against Offaly) and got no goal – that’s a 12-point start for Offaly, and they still won by five. It will suit Brian, he’ll have a few things to say to them in the two weeks. It’s a daunting task.”

The return of Stephen Hiney

“He had a long road with injuries but he’s a hard man. We thought after last week we needed to put him in there, we felt we were pushed around a bit and you won’t get that with Stephen.

“He has worked so hard, a lot of cycling to build up that leg, and he has a very demanding job as well – delighted with him in there now. A tough road to get back, a lot of cycling to build up that leg.”

Wexford boss Liam Dunne.
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer

LIAM DUNNE had to contend with defeat and must plot Wexford’s comeback now on the qualifier route, starting next Saturday against Antrim.

Andrew Shore’s sending off

“I’ll do an Arsene Wenger here – I didn’t actually see it. If I moved down that part of the field I’d get fined. I’m sure it will be shown quite a bit tomorrow night.

“Andrew said that the sun caught him and he pulled and caught your man. He’s accepting it. It was Brian (Gavin)’s decision and we get on with it. I know how Andrew feels, by the way!”

Keith Rossiter injury

“He just came over to me and said I can’t sprint. It was like last week – Paul was sick and Jack came in.

“I’m not sure whether Keith Rossiter would have hurled any better than Bobby Kenny tonight. Our full back line played really well in fairness to them.

All-Ireland qualifiers

“We’ll dust ourselves down – we have Antrim next week in Wexford Park. We’ve had two seriously good games against a top four or five team in Ireland.

“That’s where we want to be and they’re the teams we want to play. I’d prefer to be going to Nowlan Park next week but we’ll take Wexford Park as well.”