INTERVIEW: Wexford's R贸is铆n Murphy Speaks to Daragh Small
INTERVIEW: Wexford's R贸is铆n Murphy Speaks to Daragh Small
May 13, 2022
"We just have our heads down and we鈥檙e working very hard"
By DARAGH SMALL
Wexford captain R贸is铆n Murphy knows her side are more than capable of finally ending their final hoodoo and claiming a provincial title this weekend.
The Model County take on Kildare in Sunday鈥檚 TG4 Leinster Intermediate Final looking to banish the memories of some recent heartbreaks in showpiece events.
Wexford were well-beaten in last year鈥檚 All-Ireland Intermediate decider while they also succumbed to defeat in the Lidl NFL Division 3 final last month.
But the 30-year-old defender knows her side is learning all the time with a few incremental improvements during the Leinster championship potentially set to make the difference.
The manner with which Wexford dug deep to see off Laois in extra-time last weekend, was a huge boost for the squad and further evidence that they are heading in the right direction under Lizzy Kent and John Nolan.
鈥淒isappointing is the best way to describe the league final,鈥 said Murphy.
鈥淲e felt we had a lot more to give and we just didn鈥檛 perform on the day. So yeah, it was quite a disappointing finish.
鈥淲e were very very close, and that鈥檚 the way a lot of our games have gone this year, they have been close. It鈥檚 very hard to tell between the intermediate teams. There is always just a point or two in it.
鈥淚鈥檇 think we would look at that league final as an opportunity that we very much left behind. Our Leinster campaign so far, we have been just going out every day trying to learn and improve at every opportunity. And I think last weekend鈥檚 game, we didn鈥檛 start well but we finished very very strong. We proved to ourselves that we have the capability to do it, so there is a hunger there.
鈥淲e just have our heads down and we鈥檙e working very hard, training has been going well. The strength of the whole squad really showed particularly in extra-time against Laois, the substitutes that came on throughout the game really had a big impact. I think you can see progression all over the field so it鈥檚 very important for us.
鈥淚t was a big turnaround from how the game started and the fact that we were able to regroup and just work our way back into it first, and then to push on and finish strongly, it is very positive.鈥
But Wexford now face a Kildare side buoyed by a really strong showing against Offaly last weekend. The Lilywhites were 5-14 to 3-6 winners in their final four tie.
And even though that was against Lidl NFL Division 4 opponents from this year, Murphy knows they were another tough opponent in a competitive championship.
鈥淥ffaly are a good team and I don鈥檛 think there is very much between any of the intermediate teams this year,鈥 said Murphy.
鈥淲e know what Kildare are going to bring. We have played them in the league and in the opening rounds of the Leinster as well. They are a very good team, very strong, great players.鈥