Football team progressing under John Hegarty's leadership, but club has concerns
Wexford Football Under John Hegarty in 2021: A Season of Challenges and Ambitions
In the 2021 season, John Hegarty took the helm as manager of the Wexford football team. The squad competed in the National Football League Division 4 and the Leinster Senior Football Championship.
The season began with a sixth successive first-round match in the Leinster championship, a consequence of the new split-season structure. Despite this, Wexford managed to stabilize for the Tailteann Cup, only to be eliminated by Limerick in the quarter-finals. It's worth noting that the Tailteann Cup was not held in 2021; it was inaugurated in 2022.
In the league, Wexford won seven straight games, which promoted them out of Division Four. However, specific standing details are limited, and the team struggled to secure promotion to a higher division.
The championship campaign ended in the Leinster SFC quarter-finals, marking the end of Wexford's run in the competition. Despite the elimination, the match against Limerick was close, with Wexford losing by a narrow margin and with genuine alibis.
Wexford's primary ambition for the season was league promotion. The championship and Tailteann Cup campaigns, while important, felt like a hangover for the team. If Wexford didn't secure promotion, John Hegarty stated that the project would be considered a failure.
Looking ahead, Division Three is considered the most stacked in a few years, posing challenges for Wexford's ambitions. However, promotion to a higher division next year is not a must for Wexford. Their age profile and ambition suggest they will continue to aim for improvement.
Prioritizing the league makes sense for any team with thoughts of upward mobility. Wexarty has expressed his intention to keep Wexford in Division Two, considering it a necessary step for sustaining progress. He will keep an eye on all grades to look for new talent, but radical overhauls won't be on his agenda due to a settled team.
Wexford sees their current position in the league as an opportunity they have worked hard to achieve and aim to build upon from here. The county is aware that other teams may see them as a banker and are determined to maximize their impact in the league. Maintaining the league position is crucial for Wexford, as it is necessary to sustain what they did last year.
John Hegarty has also expressed concerns about the new alternate-weeks model for football and hurling, stating that it will negatively impact football in Wexford, a county with high dual involvement. In the new model, football may not receive extra training due to resources being diverted towards hurling.
For precise match results, points tallied, and more detailed analysis, official GAA archives or Wexford GAA communications from 2021 would be the best reference.
In the challenging 2021 season, Wexford's focus on sports-analysis – specifically, their ambitions for league promotion in football – is evident, as John Hegarty aimed to secure a position in a higher division, seeing it as a crucial step for sustaining progress. Despite their elimination in the Leinster SFC quarter-finals, Wexford strived to maintain their division position in football, acknowledging the competitive nature of Division Three for the upcoming season.
