Wexford native John Meyler reckons their failure to secure promotion to Division 1A is a big set-back to the team's development prospects.

This weekend the Model County travel to Meyler's adopted county to take on Cork in a Division 1 quarter-final.

"I would have expected Wexford to get out of 1B," the former Carlow and Kerry manager revealed to The Irish Independent. "Losing to Waterford at home was a big disappointment.

"There's a massive gap between 1A and 1B. You're still looking at Kilkenny, Cork and Tipperary for the All-Ireland because of their tradition and their numbers. After that you have Clare and maybe Limerick and a bit of a gap.

"You get punished for mistakes in 1A that you won't in 1B. The games in 1A are ultra-competitive and that means the gap is widening to the rest."

Meyler, who is currently coaching the Rebel County's U-15 development squad, believes Jimmy Barry-Murphy and his players are heading in the right direction.

"If you were at the Kilkenny game in the first round, people were writing Cork's obituary. But they responded really well to that and I think they are building nicely.

"There's a good atmosphere there and I think they are going well enough for this time of year. The Tipp game just saw them lose concentration."

He concluded: "They'll already be looking ahead to the Munster and All-Ireland championship and I suppose it's a sort of a free shot for Wexford to come down to Cork and play. Liam (Dunne) will have them well up for it.

"There is a chance to redeem themselves straight away and that's what you want as a player after a disappointing loss."

Tweet

Most Read Stories