Kinsella realises Griffin will be a hard act to follow

RORY KINSELLA'S appointment as manager of the Wexford hurling team in succession to Liam Griffin falls into line with a pattern that is part of a great tradition in the county.

Like the Rackards and Quigleys, Kinsella (42) is one of three brothers who played for the county team who has been given the responsibility of team boss. So also was Nicky Rackard in the 1960s and Martin Quigley in the 80s. Kinsella's brothers are Michael and Sean.

"I would never purport to know everything about the game. I am always learning but I feel really honoured to be put in charge of such a great squad and especially so since I have the confidence of Liam Griffin to do a good job," said Kinsella.

"The first thing that comes into my mind is that Liam will be a very hard act to follow as they say. I learned a lot from him and it will be difficult to match what he has achieved.

"The significance and effect of the All-Ireland win is still visible wherever you go in Wexford, seven weeks after we achieved it. The enthusiasm of the game among the kids is the most striking thing of all. Everybody seems to have a hurley no matter where you go around the county," said Kinsella.

Kinsella is reminded daily of the renewed interest in the game in the county in his capacity as sports coach at the Bunclody school where he teaches.

His knowledge of sport and potential to organise groups and motivate them was first recognised at St Aidan's CBS in Whitehall in Dublin where he taught for six years.

He talks warmly about those days where he "learned the ropes" from Brother Coffey. The Coffey-Kinsella duo provided players of the quality of Paul Clarke and the Crowley brothers to boost Dublin's All-Ireland minor successes of the 1980s.

In 1986 he guided Bunclody to what was the first All-Ireland Colleges senior football title in the `B' series ever won by a Wexford school.

Kinsella describes his own senior inter-county career as "playing in far more National League matches than championships". He won under-21 honours and clearly remembers his National League debut on the senior team in 1974. "That was the day Phil Wilson was sent off," he recalled.

Kinsella's tenure as Wextord manager is for one year with an option to carry on for a second term. He will name his own two selectors within the next couple of days and it is hardly surprising that George O'Connor's name crops up as a likely co-selector.

O'Connor has never been shy in expressing his total dislike of winter hurling and is understood to have played his last match in the Wexford jersey. The new calendar year format for League hurling - starting in February - is seen as a factor that would hasten any decision by O'Connor to quit the game at top level.

Kinsella is noncommittal in this respect and said that he would never pre-empt any player's decision by talking of retirals. "Suffice to say there is a lot of room in the panel for new players and we intend to work hard to unearth fresh talent."

Kinsella gained invaluable knowledge of the game from being a keen listener and then contributor to the Griffin era. "I aim to put that sort of knowledge into practice and keep Wexford at the top," he said. "It's not going to be easy.

"Liam (Griffin) and Seamus (Barron) had genuine reasons to resign. Still I could have opted out as well and be remembered for my involvement with the 1996 win, but once I saw a man of Liam's stature nominate me it put a whole new complexion on the matter. I am honoured to be held in such esteem by Liam. I am glad it happened that way.

am not one to shirk responsibility. I relish the challenge ahead and look forward to my first meeting with the players in my new role. I am confident that I will earn their respect, which is one of the most important aspects about any manager's job."

Kinsella's first hours as manager are not without a little controversy arising from the mixup concerning an Oireachtas tie that is not to take place.

Wexford appear on the official list of fixtures from Croke Park as Waterford's opponents in the competition at the weekend. But the Wexford PRO, Pat Murphy, says that Wexford did not enter for the competition and this was confirmed at Monday's meeting of the County Board.

Waterford were primed to fulfil the fixture on Saturday although the match had been officially listed for Sunday. Now Waterford have to accept that there will be no match, something they are not too pleased about according to County Board secretary Seamus Grant.

However, the teams could meet over the next few weeks in the Watertord Crystal Five Counties tournament. Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny are also involved.