MUCH IS made of the uncertainty of the Allianz Football League, the constant fluctuations between the various divisions, so that it doesn’t take much for one county to rise and another to fall.
Right now Wexford must feel stuck smack bang in the middle – their value stubbornly stable in an otherwise volatile market. There’s no great harm in consistency, and yet their 2012 campaign must really be about getting out of Division Three.
At the end of the last year’s league, Wexford just missed out on promotion to Division Two – with Westmeath and Louth going up while they were denied by scoring difference. There’s no shame in that, except exactly the same thing happened the previous year. Indeed Wexford had been relegated from Division Two at the end of the 2009 league, which further explains both their desire and expectations to go up in 2012.
Easier said that done however, as manager Jason Ryan has admitted. After a difficult 2010 championship, Wexford demonstrated an explosive return to form last year when beating Offaly, Westmeath and Carlow (and scoring 7-52 in the process) to set up a Leinster final showdown against Dublin .
That was a game they could and probably should have won, but an own goal by defender Graeme Molloy didn’t help, and Wexford eventually bowed out in the qualifiers at the hands of Limerick, not helped by a dubious point.
Typical of Ryan that’s all put in the past – and instead his sole focus is Sunday’s opening game against Cavan, which is sure to draw an eager crowd to Wexford Park. “Everybody wants to finish in the top two,” said Ryan. “It’s an obvious target, and no secret. And I would imagine that it will be similar to last year, and go down to the last two games.
“We’ll be looking to win our home matches, while the opening two games will also be important, home to Cavan, and away to Sligo. Win two games and one is set up for promotion, lose two and one has a relegation battle. It’s a real mindset,” he added.
True, an opening victory is sometimes half the battle in the Allianz League, at least when avoiding relegation – and yet all the bookmakers have made Wexford firm favourites to top Division Three and finally haul themselves over that stubborn divide.
Rumours that Ryan might be tempted to jump ship and take over the hurling reigns of his native Waterford proved unfounded, and instead he recommitted to a fifth season with the Wexford footballers.
They’ll be close to full strength for Sunday, with defender Joey Wadding among the few injured absentees, although Ryan has warned of a tough challenge from Cavan, given the very public airing of Seánie Johnston’s proposed transfer from Cavan to Kildare. Cavan also enjoyed a decent McKenna Cup, defeating Donegal, and losing narrowly to Derry.
Two of the rival counties in Division Three feature new managers – Offaly’s Gerry Cooney and Roscommon’s Des Newton – and they’ll be under particular pressure to at least avoid relegation. Tipperary and Longford are two counties on the rise, and Antrim and Sligo will harbour their own ambitions of promotion.
“Division Three is highly competitive, as it always has been,” agreed Ryan. “The more competitive the better, for it is ideal preparation for the championship. We have two successive games, then a break, so hopefully we’ll have two victories under our belt.”
The problem is every other manager in Division Three will be hoping for the same.
