GAELIC GAMES NEWS:THE GLORIOUS unpredictability of Wexford hurling continues. As if on cue, they defied most predictions by securing league division one status next year, beating a fancied Clare team in Thurles on Sunday.

Straightaway that has been stored away as a sort of bonus prize, as all thoughts shift to their Leinster Championship opener against Galway in just under four weeks.

No surprise then that none of the team was in a hurry to leave Thurles, more than happy to stick around for a sneak preview of their championship opponents Galway, who methodically and fairly ruthlessly dismantled Cork to claim the division one title.

Wexford take on Galway at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, on May 29th, and no prizes for guessing the predicted outcome there. Perfect for Wexford.

That shift in focus was reflected in the Wexford camp yesterday when manager Colm Bonnar promptly handed the championship captaincy to Diarmuid Lyng, the experienced and highly influential half forward who chipped in with 0-7 on Sunday, including one typically sublime sideline cut. Lyng reflected their four-point win over Clare from two perspectives; the peace of mind it brought for next season, and the proper mindset it has cultivated for their showdown against Galway.

“That made our win over Clare even more vital,” said Lyng, the 28-year-old from the renowned St Martin’s club. “It was huge for us because we needed a good game under our belts, to give the whole team a lift and put some real confidence into the squad, because there is nothing like a title and a bit of silverware to get everyone going and motivated for the games ahead.

“So there was an awful lot riding on the outcome, for both Wexford and Clare, and winning promotion to division one next year was also a massive boost for the game in the county among the players and management.

“We made a few mistakes and shot too many wides, which will need to be improved upon if we hope to beat Galway. This is going to be a real challenge for us and we have to raise our sights still more if we are to overcome Galway. Everyone saw on Sunday evening what a fine team they are.”

Wexford will go into that Galway clash in the right mindset: nothing to lose, perhaps, but certainly with it all to gain – as the winners face either Antrim or Offaly in the Leinster semi-final in Croke Park on June 20th.

“A victory like this at this time of the year is precious,” added Lyng.

“I remember how I felt after we lost to Offaly in the same division two final last year, and I think it knocked the stuffing out of the team for the championship season. I know that defeat last year by Offaly was a killer blow to us and it was very hard to pick it up again and get ready for the championship.

“We played Offaly three times around that period and it became a bit monotonous and we did not pick up the gears that we needed to show our true potential in the championship.

“But next year we will be in division one and it will make an massive difference for us, because there will be so much more riding on every match and we will be in serious competitive situations every time we go out.”

Galway manager John McIntyre obviously had his mind on other matters on Sunday, but once he heard Wexford had defeated Clare he too later shifted thoughts towards May 29th.

“If we get ahead of ourselves we could be in trouble, because Wexford got a great psychological boost by beating Clare,” McIntyre said. “They have been in division two for a couple of years, so they are going to be going into the championship on the front foot and we are not looking beyond that game because I think there is danger written all over it.”

There was much about Galway’s performance on Sunday to satisfy McIntyre, but he isolated the unquenchable team spirit – which lasted the 70 minutes and which no doubt has been lacking in Galway in recent years.

“We knew coming into the final that we would have to throw everything into the battle if we hoped to come out on top. And I’m very proud of the way the lads performed and the quality of the hurling they produced here.

“I’ll admit, I’m thrilled with the performance, and more often than not when you give a performance you get a victory. And the fact that it was a National League final makes it even more special.

“I felt we laid the foundation in the opening half when we played against the wind and turned over leading by four points.

“But we challenged the players at half-time for Galway to bury this myth that they are not a second-half team. And it was a great team performance.

“We talked to some individuals in the team during the week and we pointed out that it was no good having the most beautiful stick-men in the world. We need Galway to be more aggressive and we need Galway to stand up against the big counties and the big teams.

“We all know over the years, before my time, Galway had great stick-men, but we need them too to lay their bodies on the line for the maroon jersey, and that is what they did on Sunday.

“The last time we were in Thurles we fell away, against Tipperary, and the second-last time we were here we were caught by Waterford. So we had to banish a few demons, and what better way to do it that in a league final against Cork.”

For Clare manager Ger O’Loughlin, losing out on promotion is being handled in the old, philosophical way, probably because there is no other way.

“We had banked on gaining promotion from this league,” he said, “and we are fiercely disappointed. But now we have to gather ourselves, make our challenge in the championship, and what I hope is that Clare will show our great pride in the Munster Championship against Waterford on June 7th.

“The squad are young and I would be confident that in two or three years Clare will be strong contenders for the Munster title.

“It’s about building on your experiences, and we did not come away from Thurles on Sunday evening with our heads down.

“This team is young with plenty of ambition and I’m right behind them. I would not write our obit just yet.”