Any sense that the 2019 Allianz Hurling League is somehow a watered-down product given the lack of top-flight relegation or promotion will likely evaporate in Ennis on Sunday.
Davy Fitzgerald returning to his native county has a tendency to put extra meaning on even the most ordinary games.
It’s now six years since Fitzgerald managed Clare to All-Ireland glory, but the intimate connection remains.
The Wexford manager will also face a Clare team eager to keep their league season alive. Despite being fancied as league contenders, Clare remain bottom of Division 1A, last weekend’s narrow defeat to Cork not helping matters.
Wexford produced the classic late, late winner over Tipperary at home last Sunday, and joint-captain Matthew O’Hanlon has also rejected any suggestion the 2019 league lacks some proper purpose or meaning, his return to form after an injury-plagued 2018 also giving additional reason to keep pressing on.
“The league is all about building,” says O’Hanlon, joint Wexford captain along with Lee Chin.
“Without relegation, some managers are talking it differently to others and that allows them to experiment with new players and give other guys a chance. But we always knew we were trying to build and build for later in the year, so to get another four or five debuts and get a result as well is absolutely brilliant for Wexford.
“And we have two tough games to go. Clare in Ennis next weekend, then Kilkenny (in Wexford) the following weekend. Hopefully we can get a couple of results in those and get into the knockout stages and see where we go from there.”
Wexford haven’t won a hurling league title since 1972/1973, and boast only four in all. Fitzgerald has made no secret of his desire to progress as far as possible, even if only for the financial benefits.
O’Hanlon is also eyeing an extended run, his 2018 curtailed by medial collateral ligament damage in his knee, plus calf and hamstring injuries.
“If you look at the last few years, it was probably the same 19 or 20 players in the league. This year there has been a bit of a change with some guys coming out and some other young guys getting promoted to it. So it’s a great opportunity for those guys to get game time.
“Ultimately if you are not going to try them in the league, you are not going to play them in the championship, and that’s the way it is at this level. So it’s great to give as many guys as we can experience at this level to get them up to that level.”
