THERE WAS A decision to be made by St Martin’s in Wexford.
But in the end, the decision was made for them.
Chasing glory in the Leinster senior hurling championship, they have been patching themselves up from last year, and week to week in 2025.
The quarter-final win over All-Ireland champions Na Fianna a fortnight ago took another huge toll. And then they had Tubberclair in the Leinster intermediate football championship last Saturday.
With the game set for a Westmeath venue, believed to be The Downs, it was instead switched, due to an unplayable pittch, to the 3G pitch at St Loman’s.
An artificial pitch? For a provincial championship game?
“A provincial game on a 3G pitch is a joke,” says St Martin’s chairman Kevin Waters.
“We played some of our dual players but the decision was made to rest some of the other players. We decided that as a club between players, management and the executive committee.
“We are not happy that the team was weakened to the extent that it was. That it wasn’t a proper contest, that’s the aspect we wouldn’t be happy about.”
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As he explains, they still fielded. It wasn’t a blanket ban of dual players. Some played. But they weren’t going to risk their chances in the hurling either.
They sent up 18 players to face Tubberclair. At half-time, the Westmeath champions were up by 2-16 to 0-0. By full-time it was 2-27 to 0-1. Neither side were happy with it and St Martin’s feel bad that they didn’t give a proper challenge.
But they’ll get over it too.
This Sunday, they are in Chadwicks Wexford Park for the Leinster hurling semi final against Naas (throw-in 1.30pm, live on TG4).
“At the minute, we have a very strong team. We are a mature team presently, at the height of our powers and this is our golden chance,” says Waters.
Everything, but everything is being thrown at this.
They have one of the most unusual situations in Gaelic Games whereby Barry O’Connor – the former Sydney Swans and Greater Wester Sydney Giants AFL player and son of the redoubtable George of the Wexford 1996 team – returns home to play championship every autumn.
Barry O'Connor in the yellow helmet celebrates victory over Na Fianna. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Since his AFL career ended, he took a job in tech sales and found he loved Sydney so much he wanted to remain there. So he comes home for a couple of months and flakes away with St Martin’s, winning the last two Wexford hurling titles.
He’s worth his place too, notching 1-2 against Na Fianna the last day out. Any man of six foot four inches is handy to have around the place and he pulled his weight with getting the footballers back up to senior as well, while he continues to work remotely for his Australian employer.
“He is a huge addition to the team. Not alone for his physical fitness and his stature, but he has a great influence on the team. He brings a calmness,” says Waters.
“I remember talking to him one day and complimenting him on his great discipline. He said, ‘Look it, if you can’t do anything good for the team, you don’t do anything.’
“He’s brought back this great sense of ‘team.’”
Waters outlines the horrendous injury list they are carrying.
“We have a great bunch of players, a panel of players backing up the main team. We have 30 players well able to play senior hurling.
“We have a bunch of injuries at the minute. A long-standing injury with Joe O’Connor. Joe was playing his best hurling this year at centre-back, sweeper or full-back.
“We are also missing Luke Kavanagh who has a back injury from the championship. Conor Firman had a back injury last year. Paddy O’Connor is another one who is recovering from an ankle injury. We have a few other players who are carrying niggles.”
Fortunately enough, the players who have come in have done the job. They are up to it.
They also have a diligent and popular management team, headed up by Dáithí Hayes, Willie Cleary and John O’Connor. Very experienced hands. Clubmen. Those who, Jimmy Sloyan will no doubt agree, have worn the jersey.
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Dáithí Hayes celebrates with his backroom team. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Beating Na Fianna isn’t just a Wexford club beating a Dublin club. This was the All-Ireland champions.
Referee Seamus McGrath decided to please Hurling Man and let the game flow. It suited both teams who were set on hurling the life out of the afternoon. Nary a dirty stroke in the game and it went right down to the wire with a final puckout being caught by St Martin’s to secure their one-point win.
“All of our players stood up to the plate. The players are performing to the best of their ability and we were put to the pin of our collar by Na Fianna. It was a close call, only a point in it at the end,” said Waters.
They won’t be treating Naas lightly. They recognise they are up against a determined outfit here.
If they were, last weekend might have been different on the 3G surface in Mullingar.
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'A provincial game on a 3G pitch is a joke' - How St Martin's cut their Leinster club cloth
THERE WAS A decision to be made by St Martin’s in Wexford.
But in the end, the decision was made for them.
Chasing glory in the Leinster senior hurling championship, they have been patching themselves up from last year, and week to week in 2025.
The quarter-final win over All-Ireland champions Na Fianna a fortnight ago took another huge toll. And then they had Tubberclair in the Leinster intermediate football championship last Saturday.
With the game set for a Westmeath venue, believed to be The Downs, it was instead switched, due to an unplayable pittch, to the 3G pitch at St Loman’s.
An artificial pitch? For a provincial championship game?
“A provincial game on a 3G pitch is a joke,” says St Martin’s chairman Kevin Waters.
“We are not happy that the team was weakened to the extent that it was. That it wasn’t a proper contest, that’s the aspect we wouldn’t be happy about.”
As he explains, they still fielded. It wasn’t a blanket ban of dual players. Some played. But they weren’t going to risk their chances in the hurling either.
They sent up 18 players to face Tubberclair. At half-time, the Westmeath champions were up by 2-16 to 0-0. By full-time it was 2-27 to 0-1. Neither side were happy with it and St Martin’s feel bad that they didn’t give a proper challenge.
But they’ll get over it too.
This Sunday, they are in Chadwicks Wexford Park for the Leinster hurling semi final against Naas (throw-in 1.30pm, live on TG4).
“At the minute, we have a very strong team. We are a mature team presently, at the height of our powers and this is our golden chance,” says Waters.
Everything, but everything is being thrown at this.
They have one of the most unusual situations in Gaelic Games whereby Barry O’Connor – the former Sydney Swans and Greater Wester Sydney Giants AFL player and son of the redoubtable George of the Wexford 1996 team – returns home to play championship every autumn.
Since his AFL career ended, he took a job in tech sales and found he loved Sydney so much he wanted to remain there. So he comes home for a couple of months and flakes away with St Martin’s, winning the last two Wexford hurling titles.
He’s worth his place too, notching 1-2 against Na Fianna the last day out. Any man of six foot four inches is handy to have around the place and he pulled his weight with getting the footballers back up to senior as well, while he continues to work remotely for his Australian employer.
“He is a huge addition to the team. Not alone for his physical fitness and his stature, but he has a great influence on the team. He brings a calmness,” says Waters.
“I remember talking to him one day and complimenting him on his great discipline. He said, ‘Look it, if you can’t do anything good for the team, you don’t do anything.’
“He’s brought back this great sense of ‘team.’”
Waters outlines the horrendous injury list they are carrying.
“We have a great bunch of players, a panel of players backing up the main team. We have 30 players well able to play senior hurling.
“We have a bunch of injuries at the minute. A long-standing injury with Joe O’Connor. Joe was playing his best hurling this year at centre-back, sweeper or full-back.
“We are also missing Luke Kavanagh who has a back injury from the championship. Conor Firman had a back injury last year. Paddy O’Connor is another one who is recovering from an ankle injury. We have a few other players who are carrying niggles.”
Fortunately enough, the players who have come in have done the job. They are up to it.
They also have a diligent and popular management team, headed up by Dáithí Hayes, Willie Cleary and John O’Connor. Very experienced hands. Clubmen. Those who, Jimmy Sloyan will no doubt agree, have worn the jersey.
Beating Na Fianna isn’t just a Wexford club beating a Dublin club. This was the All-Ireland champions.
Referee Seamus McGrath decided to please Hurling Man and let the game flow. It suited both teams who were set on hurling the life out of the afternoon. Nary a dirty stroke in the game and it went right down to the wire with a final puckout being caught by St Martin’s to secure their one-point win.
“All of our players stood up to the plate. The players are performing to the best of their ability and we were put to the pin of our collar by Na Fianna. It was a close call, only a point in it at the end,” said Waters.
They won’t be treating Naas lightly. They recognise they are up against a determined outfit here.
If they were, last weekend might have been different on the 3G surface in Mullingar.
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GAA Gaelic Football Hurling Leinster Club