Old Wexford Star Denis Asple Fondly remembers the Railway Cup Competition Video may have killed the radio star but nobody has yet to fathom out who killed the Railway Cup star. We know who killed J.R. too, but what of the glorified Ulster kingpin or the star representing the deep south? All have gone, in the eyes of the general public, the same way as the Do-Do and more's the pity. Those that remember the Railway Cup at it's height will tell you that only the final stages of the All-Ireland series exceeded the sort of thrill and honour of being part of the once hugely popular Railway Cup competition. One former Railway Cup star who fondly remembers the rare 'oul times is Wexford old boy Denis Asple. A Senior County footballer with Yellowbellies for close on ten years, the Wexford town native is an accountant by profession and hails from the bountiful loins of the famed Ballyhogue club. The self-same Asple retains a vivid memory of times past with club, county and province and despite the fact that he's very much a man who lives for today and has only eyes for things to come, he's nevertheless very much at home in rewinding the tape and reviewing the past. Denis has no problem remembering his advent on to the Wexford Senior team and when one ascertains the backdrop to his arrival on the intercounty stage, it's easily understood why he can recall with some clarity the football shenanigans of some thirty years past. "Kerry had just lost the All-Ireland final to Galway and we played them in Enniscorthy in the National League. We played very well on the day but unfortunately lost by something like four points, principally because they were that much fitter. I remember playing at left half forward that day and Phil Wilson, my club colleague, was on the other wing. We had a good side but were a wee bit short of being a very good side". 1964 was a year never to be forgotten by the Ballyhogue battler. Playing in the National League against the likes of Cork, Kerry and Carlow represented a real baptism of fire for the man from the Model County. Being part of a workmanlike Wexford side then cushioned the shock he could have expected to feel in moving upwards from club to county football standard. Still, Wexford's fine run in the same League series demonstrated to him that given the right circumstances and proper preparation the Slaneysiders footballers then and now possess the talent to rock a few boats. During his playing career, Denis enjoyed good tidings, the best of times on the club front with Ballyhogue, the aforementioned. Wilson et al. Between them, Ballyhogue and Castletown dominated affairs in Wexford and before 1964 Denis's club had notched a hat-trick of title successes. Denis, in fact, was to win three Senior county Championship football medals with his home club, in 1964, '72 and '73. There was a downside to the football equation at Ballyhogue too however and all told Denis was to suffer the misfortune of losing five titles to arch rivals Castletown. "Probably the worst memory I have of that time is when we played them in 1965 when I was a corner forward with Ballyhogue. I remember they beat us after two drawn matches but I had the chance to seal the match for us in one of the ties when I drew on the ball first time near the goal. Unfortunately the ball ricocheted off the crossbar and ended up halfway down the field and that was that as far as our hopes of winning was concerned", recalled Denis who was later to be accompanied on the Leinster Railway Cup sides of 1969 and '70 by Wexford team mate Pat Lacey and the late Andy Merrigan. A Junior and Intermediate hurling Championship winner with Ballyhogue in his time, the former Wexford Under 21 county hurler is as bemused as most about the reasons behind the decline and decline of the popularity of the Railway Cup series. "It was a competition for a very select band of players and afforded the players a special preparation put into the games but there were certain individuals, legends like Mick O'Connell and Christy Ring who captivated audiences in the Railway Cup who might not ordinarily have got a chance to see them play". Now resident in Piercetown county Wexford and head of the Wexford town (cresent) based accountancy firm of Denis Asple and company, Denis was fated to be a good 'un at the 'oul football. Sure wasn't his uncle Denis as renowned football himself with Ballyhogue in the early part of the century and a man who would later gain further honour by becoming a selector of the Wexford teams that won six Leinster Senior titles and four All-Irelands (1915/'16 /'17 /'18) back in the days when men were men. The fact that Denis was always going to enter the realm of the self-employed left a cloud of uncertainty hanging over his football career from the time he reached his mid-twenties. "I quit the game when I was twenty-seven basically because I couldn't afford to get any serious injuries. I was a practicing accountant with no staff to assist me. Unfortunately when you work for yourself there are other pressures affecting your life other than playing football for your county. I had a great time, enjoyed every moment of my career and really had great fun", Denis acknowledged. Reflecting back on his career, Denis reckons that the most satisfying game he has ever participated in was the Wexford versus Offaly Leinster Senior semi final clash back in 1969. Then dynamic Denis starred in the centre half back role and put none other than John Cooney in the shade. On the overall evolution of the big ball game he acknowledges that glaring changes have developed over the last couple of decades. "Football has changed quite a bit. The full backs, for instance, are a lot fasters now because of the way the game is played. Players are much fitter now and the game generally is a lot quicker. From my own point of view though, I've never been a good spectator. I find it difficult to watch matches when you know you can't actually get togged out and play in them. It's not the same. Being a spectator is no compensation for getting out there and being part of the action". Currently a member of the Board of Management at the famed Saint Peter's College in Wexford, Denis believes that the likes of Father Jim Butler is presently following in the footsteps of men like Ned Power and Father Paddy Curtis in doing great work at the College to promote the cause of Wexford hurling. More help is needed for the College, Denis claims however. "Boards of Management and Colleges need to know and be made aware of the support of County Boards in their attempts to nurture talent. There'll always be hurling in the traditional hurling counties but a £1,500 grant to a school or college would mean a lot to the mentors there in promoting the game further". Written by the Hogan Stand Magazine 1st July '94 Tweet

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