One of the nice things about being in Galway was being able to watch a Galway game in Galway…Of course apart from the Tipp fella on the barstool beside me, noone else cared, it being a hurling match and me being in North Galway (where football is religion and hurling an irrelevance). Still I enjoy few things better than championship action and spent a few most enjoyable afternoons watching a green screen from the comfort of Tí Mhaille or Tí Burca down in Cór Na Mona or An Fhairce respectively.

Who fears to speak of 96?

We’ve had some good moments this year, was great see Kildare do so well in Leinster, and of course still in the series, last night fairly convincing over Wicklow. Kerry appear to have vanished last I checked they were losing to Antrim and whilst a second half comeback seems inevitable, it does open the championship this year to see them struggle so.

Hurling I fancy Tipp to make an impact, perhaps not knock off the Cats but probably go closer than anyone else. Galway are doing very well but I’d still rank them third after KK and Tipp, at this moment anyhow. Limerick held their own against Dublin and it was great to see the Dub hurlers (as opposed to the footballers grrr) doing so well.

Not much else to look at, everyone else gone, Waterford just about alive, Clare gone to the dogs, Offaly, Antrim obviously awful..

I save special mention for my own Wexford. What has happened to the spirit of 98? How the mighty have fallen again and again. I was brought up to know a team that could challenge every year, and as my father-in-law is very fond of saying, the last team ever to win a ‘proper’ all-Ireland (in 1996 just before the backdoor introduced). Even up till quite recently we were a force to be reckoned with. In 2003 I finally persuade my wife to attend a hurling match with me and she was rewarded with the “game of the century” as some commentators in their more hyperbolic moments after described it, 2003 hurling semi-final Wexford v. Cork, absolute cracker of a game, Wexford ahead at half time and a replay sealed by a goal ball in the last puck of the game.

So how the hell are they not able to win a game to save themselves now? Offaly doesn’t count, sorry. We want to see Wexford challenging the best of them and able on any given Sunday, to thrill and spill and pull off the upset because that’s what they always did.

The relegation finals are now in sway and it is Wexford against Antrim next weekend to see one team go down to the Christy Ring next season. From a hurling point of view I want to see as much hurling as possible and encourage as much play as possible so I would say Carlow, Antrim, Westmeath, Laois bring them on, let them play and let them stay and lets make a contest out of it.

But Wexford I reserve opprobrium. I remember once during the election I was canvassing out a country road by Punchestown and I met a man walking. He opened by telling me he was a “raving Fianna Fáiler – and always would be” .. but no way would he vote for me or any the others in this election because he just despaired. What has happened to the mighty party he agonised. It pained him but he was going to punish the thing he loved this time around. He left with the words “Sometimes the animal needs to lose a limb to save the life”…

I feel that way perhaps now about Wexford hurlers. Other teams I can humour, forgive, even encourage on an off day. But Wexford deserve more and can give more and are capable of more. If relegation is the kick needed so be it. But I am sick of watching half-hearted miserable attempts and want the real Loch Garman back – whatever it takes to get there.