NINETEEN PLAYERS were used in Wexford’s successful campaign in 1996, with the following dozen starting all five games: Damien Fitzhenry, Colm Kehe, Ger Cushe, Rod Guiney, Liam Dunne, Larry O’Gorman, Adrian Fenlon, Rory McCarthy, Martin Storey, Larry Murphy, Garry Laffan and Eamonn Scallan,
hree more players were involved at some stage in all five matches: Tom Dempsey started four and came on as a substitute once, George O’Connor started three and came on twice, while Billy Byrne was sprung from the bench in all five encounters – super-sub indeed!
Seán Flood played four games, while Paul Finn came on as substitute on four occasions. Paul Codd started against Kilkenny and appeared near the end of the All-Ireland final, while Dave Guiney made his sole appearance off the bench against Dublin.
PATH TO GLORY
Leinster quarter-final, June 2: Wexford 1-14 Kilkenny 0-14
Wexford: Damien Fitzhenry; Colm Kehoe, Ger Cushe, Seán Flood; Rod Guiney, Liam Dunne (0-1 ’65), Larry O’Gorman (0-1); Adrian Fenlon (0-2), Rory McCarthy (0-1); Martin Storey (capt., 0-5), George O’Connor, Larry Murphy; Paul Codd (0-1), Garry Laffan, Eamonn Scallan (0-3, 2 frees). Subs. – Billy Byrne (1-0) for Laffan, Tom Dempsey for McCarthy, inj., Paul Finn for Codd.
Kilkenny: Michael Walsh; John Costelloe, Pat Dwyer, Willie O’Connor; Liam Keoghan, Pat O’Neill, Philip Larkin (0-1); Aidan Lawlor (0-3), Canice Brennan (0-3); Michael Phelan (capt., 0-2), Bríain Ryan, Derek Gaffney; Charlie Carter, D.J. Carey (0-1 free), P.J. Delaney (0-1). Subs. – Seán Ryan (0-1) for Gaffney, John Power (0-2) for B. Ryan, Damien Cleere for Carey.
Referee: Aodán Mac Suibhne (Dublin).
Leinster semi-final, June 23: Wexford 2-12 Dublin 1-9
Wexford: Damien Fitzhenry (1-0 pen.); Colm Kehoe, Ger Cushe, Seán Flood (0-1); Rod Guiney, Liam Dunne, Larry O’Gorman; Adrian Fenlon (0-1), Rory McCarthy; Martin Storey (capt., 0-2), George O’Connor, Larry Murphy (0-1); Tom Dempsey (0-1), Garry Laffan (1-2), Eamonn Scallan (0-4, 3 frees). Subs. – Dave Guiney for Scallan, Billy Byrne for Murphy, Paul Finn for O’Connor.
Dublin: Eamonn Burke; Derek McCormack, Seán Power, John Finnegan; Seán Deignan, Paddy Brady, Andy O’Callaghan; James Brennan (0-1), Liam Walsh; John Twomey (capt., 0-5 frees), Stephen Perkins, Gerry Ennis; Eamonn Morrissey (1-0 pen.), Conor McCann (0-1), Kevin Flynn (0-2). Subs. – Shane Cooke for Perkins, Brian McMahon for Ennis.
Referee: Pat Horan (Offaly).
Leinster final, July 14: Wexford 2-23 Offaly 2-15
Wexford: Damien Fitzhenry (1-0 pen.); Colm Kehoe, Ger Cushe, John O’Connor; Rod Guiney, Liam Dunne, Seán Flood; Adrian Fenlon, Larry O’Gorman (0-2); Rory McCarthy (0-3), Martin Storey (capt., 0-5), Larry Murphy (0-4); Eamonn Scallan (0-4, 3 frees), Garry Laffan, Tom Dempsey (1-5). Subs. – Billy Byrne for Laffan, George O’Connor for McCarthy.
Offaly: Liam Coughlan; Shane McGuckin (capt.), Kevin Kinahan, Martin Hanamy; Brian Whelahan, Hubert Rigney, Kevin Martin; Johnny Pilkington (0-4), Michael Duignan (1-1); Johnny Dooley (0-4, 2 frees), John Troy, Joe Dooley (0-3); Billy Dooley (1-2), Joe Erritty, Declan Pilkington (0-1). Subs. – Daithí Regan for D. Pilkington, Pat O’Connor for Joe Dooley, inj., Paudie Mulhare for Regan.
Referee: Aodán Mac Suibhne (Dublin).
All-Ireland semi-final, August 4: Wexford 2-13 Galway 3-7
Wexford: Damien Fitzhenry; Colm Kehoe, Ger Cushe, Seán Flood; Rod Guiney, Liam Dunne, John O’Connor; Adrian Fenlon, Larry O’Gorman; Rory McCarthy (1-1), Martin Storey (capt., 0-3), Larry Murphy (0-1); Tom Dempsey (0-6, 3 frees), Garry Laffan, Eamonn Scallan (0-1 free). Subs. – Paul Finn for Scallan, George O’Connor for J. O’Connor, inj., Billy Byrne (1-0) for Laffan.
Galway: Morgan Darcy; Tom Helebert, Brian Feeney, Gerry McInerney; Conor O’Donovan, Nigel Shaughnessy, Micheál Donoghue; Michael Coleman (capt.), Brendan Keogh (0-1); Joe Rabbitte, Cathal Moore (1-3), Liam Burke (0-1); Kevin Broderick (1-0), Joe Cooney (1-0), Francis Forde (0-2, 1 free). Subs. – Ollie Fahy for Rabbitte, inj., Peter Kelly for Forde, Ollie Canning for Cooney, inj.
Referee: Joe O’Leary (Cork).
All-Ireland final, September 1: Wexford 1-13 Limerick 0-14
Wexford: Damien Fitzhenry; Colm Kehoe, Ger Cushe, John O’Connor (0-1 free); Rod Guiney, Liam Dunne, Larry O’Gorman (0-2); Adrian Fenlon, George O’Connor; Rory McCarthy, Martin Storey (capt., 0-2), Larry Murphy (0-1); Tom Dempsey (1-3, 0-2 frees), Garry Laffan (0-3), Eamonn Scallan (0-1 free). Subs. – Billy Byrne for Murphy, Paul Finn for Guiney, Paul Codd for Laffan, also Seamus Kavanagh, Shane Carley, Jim Byrne, Declan Ruth, Tommy Kehoe, Dave Guiney, Seán Flood. Extended panel: M.J. Reck, Tomás Codd, Micheál Jordan, Joe Kearns, Liam Turley.
Limerick: Joe Quaid; Stephen McDonagh, Mike Nash, Declan Nash; David Clarke (0-1), Ciarán Carey (capt., 0-3), Mark Foley; Mike Houlihan, Seán O’Neill; Frankie Carroll (0-1), Gary Kirby (0-2 frees), Barry Foley (0-4); Owen O’Neill (0-1), Damien Quigley (0-1), T.J. Ryan (0-1). Subs. – Pádraig Tobin for O. O’Neill, Brian Tobin for Ryan, Turlough Herbert for B. Foley.
Referee: Pat Horan (Offaly).
WEXFORD SQUAD
(with clubs and age on All-Ireland final day in brackets)
DAMIEN FITZHENRY (Duffry Rovers, 22)
COLM KEHOE (Half Way House-Bunclody, 23)
GER CUSHE (Naomh Eanna, Gorey, 29)
JOHN O’CONNOR (St. Martin’s, 33)
ROD GUINEY (Rathnure St. Anne’s, 26)
LIAM DUNNE (Oulart-The Ballagh, 28)
LARRY O’GORMAN (Faythe Harriers, 28)
ADRIAN FENLON (Rapparees, 23)
GEORGE O’CONNOR (St. Martin’s, 36)
RORY McCARTHY (St. Martin’s, 20)
MARTIN STOREY (Oulart-The Ballagh, 32)
LARRY MURPHY (Cloughbawn, 23)
TOM DEMPSEY (Buffers Alley, 31)
GARRY LAFFAN (Glynn-Barntown, 21)
EAMONN SCALLAN (Liam Mellows, Coolgreany, 23)
BILLY BYRNE (Naomh Eanna, Gorey, 36)
PAUL FINN (Oulart-The Ballagh, 23)
PAUL CODD (Rathnure St. Anne’s, 19)
SEAMUS KAVANAGH (Buffers Alley, 23)
SHANE CARLEY (Glynn-Barntown, 22)
JIM BYRNE (St. Mogue’s, Fethard, 23)
DECLAN RUTH (Shamrocks, 20)
TOMMY KEHOE (Glynn-Barntown, 23)
DAVE GUINEY (Rathnure St. Anne’s, 26)
SEAN FLOOD (Cloughbawn, 28)
M.J. RECK (Oylegate-Glenbrien, 26)
TOMAS CODD (St. Martin’s, 25)
MICHEAL JORDAN (Marshalstown, 20)
JOE KEARNS (Faythe Harriers, 25)
LIAM TURLEY (St. Martin’s, 25)
BACKROOM TEAM
One of the most remarkable aspects about Wexford in 1996 was the very small backroom team, in marked contrast to the situation in modern times. The victory was masterminded by the following dedicated crew:
MANAGER: Liam Griffin (St. Mary’s, Rosslare); SELECTOR: Rory Kinsella (Half Way House-Bunclody); SELECTOR: Seamus Barron (Rathnure St. Anne’s); TRAINER: Seán Collier (St. Martin’s); SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST: Niamh Fitzpatrick (Dublin); STATISTICIAN: John O’Leary (Naomh Eanna, Gorey); LIAISON OFFICER: Pat Murphy (Oylegate-Glenbrien); MEDIC: Dr. Stephen Bowe.
COUNTY BOARD
These 16 people comprised the County Board management committee in 1996, and five have sadly passed to their eternal reward:
CHAIRMAN: Paddy Wickham, R.I.P. (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy); SECRETARY: Mick Kinsella (Buffers Alley); TREASURER: Jim Ferguson, R.I.P. (Bannow-Ballymitty); VICE-CHAIRMAN AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER: Fergie Duff, R.I.P. (Kilmore); ASST. SECRETARY: Alan Aherne (Sarsfields); PRO: Pat Murphy (Oylegate-Glenbrien); CENTRAL COUNCIL: Tony Dempsey (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy); LEINSTER COUNCIL: Sheamus Howlin, R.I.P. (St. Martin’s) and Pat Doyle (Half Way House-Bunclody); IRISH OFFICER: Judy Heffernan (Oylegate-Glenbrien); YOUTH OFFICER: Paul Kehoe (Ballyhogue); HURLING OFFICER: Breda Flood (Oulart-The Ballagh); FOOTBALL OFFICER: Seamus Keevans, R.I.P. (Gusserane O’Rahillys); CHAIRMAN’S NOMINEE: Seán Quirke (Oylegate-Glenbrien); BORD NA nOG CHAIRMAN: Dermot Howlin (Bannow-Ballymitty); BORD NA nOG SECRETARY: Margaret Doyle (St. Mary’s, Rosslare).
