There'll be no room for friendships this evening as Wexford chase a historic Leinster treble.
Having already won provincial titles at senior and minor level, Wexford are looking for a clean sweep for the first time since 1970 by beating Kilkenny in the Bord Gais Energy Leinster under-20 final at Wexford Park.
Kilkenny’s chief attacking threat will be senior player Adrian Mullen who, like Wexford defender Eoin O’Leary, is studying business at DCU.
“I would have hurled freshers with him,” says O’Leary. “I don't think I've actually marked him.
“I'd say there'll be a tight auld contest between Eoin Molloy maybe and Adrian Mullen there.
“Ah look, Adrian is a savage player. But he's definitely not alone. The likes of Eoin Cody and Mikey Carey and Evan Shefflin.”
On the prospect of emulating the seniors and minors, O’Leary says: “It’s important for us to not jump on the brigade but at the same time use the Wexford crowd and the home venue to our advantage, our 16th man.
“I think since playing them in minor two years ago, obviously they bet us fairly comfortably, but there’s a good few players after coming into the panel that have progressed over the two years.”
O’Leary says that the under-20 team have been somewhat detached from the recent celebrations and they didn’t attend the homecoming for the senior team in Wexford Park the night after their win over Kilkenny.
“We were actually training on the Monday night. We were supposed to be training in Wexford Park that night but sure the homecoming was obviously on.
“So we were up in Ferns that night, doing our own thing, not getting involved really.”
He believes that a feisty semi-final win over Offaly will stand to Wexford ahead of tonight’s decider, with a huge home crowd expected.
“It was hectic enough alright. We got there early enough, we were waiting around for a while. It was delayed them from the crowds coming in.
“Yeah, definitely it was good preparation. A semi-final that's putting you to the pin of your collar, it's always good to get into the next stage with a good match like that behind you.”
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