Kilkenny and Wexford scrap it out in Nowlan Park today, with the visitors struggling at half-time. They currently trail 3-7 to 0-10.
Jack Guiney, Wexford's talented inside forward, was dropped last week for what is officially termed a 'breach of discipline.'
Guiney hit 4-5 in a club match during the week, of which 4-4 came from play.
Tomas Mulcahy and Ger Loughnane were asked about the decision to banish Guiney. Mulcahy was inclined to feel sorry for the player.
I feel sorry for the lad being honest with you. He's 22 years of age. He's a college student. If it was consistent and you're out on a weekly basis then you'd say, maybe yeah, there's a right to drop him off the panel. I hate that this is the way the game is going. Are we to lock fellas inside in their pyjamas and their slippers inside door and they can't go out and have a night on the town? I know there's discipline but I just feel sorry for the lad.
But Loughnane insisted that Dunne wouldn't have made the call unless there was a compelling reason and chose to focus on Guiney's current deficiencies as an inter-county hurler.
Liam wouldn't do this unless there was a good reason. Jack has to realise his left hand-side is still very weak, his pace isn't good enough for inter-county hurling. He needs to improve that. And his consistency within games and from game to game needs to improve as well.
