Twenty things that have happened in Wexford since 1996 All-Ireland triumph

Saturday night in Croke Park the Wexford hurlers begin their Championship campaign with a Leinster SHC quarter-final against Dublin (7.45pm).

The county footballers are also in action at Headquarters, against Kildare (5.15pm), but it is a particularly poignant anniversary for the hurlers. This marks the 20th anniversary of Wexford's epic 1996 All-Ireland victory. Bar a couple of brief highs, it has been two decades of disappointment in the Model County. Twenty years is a long time, to give you an idea how long, here are 20 events to have occurred since Martin Storey raised Liam MacCarthy aloft. 1. Gordon D'Arcy made Brian O'Driscoll look good for a decade and a half The Ferns native couldn't be in Croker that fateful day as he was working in one of Liam Griffin's hotels. Then a schoolboy in Clongowes, D'Arcy would make a career of backing up a messianic figure with hard work. 2. Billy Walsh emigrates This is recent but seismic news. Olympian, boxing coach and all around sound skin, the mastermind behind the Irish High Performance Unit has upped sticks and moved to Colorado to work his magic on those struggling Americans. 3. County goes off gold We were led to believe it was a beauty to behold,  but the gold is slowly being removed from the purple and gold. Not near enough moustaches either. For that matter. 4. Leinster minor finalists are born Get your calculators out. Not one of these scamps was born in 1996. Best of luck lads. https://twitter.com/OfficialWexGAA/status/731642924988043264 5. Conor McDonald learned to walk Nowadays the Naomh Eanna forward is chasing a fourth straight Under-21 title and getting on the end of wonder goals, but 20 years ago he was stuck in a buggy: “I was watching it and there’s a small little clip of me in a buggy, at the homecoming in Gorey. Wild Swans playing music up on top of a pub, crazy scenes now." https://twitter.com/jamespdoyle79/status/613794635870248960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw 6. 'Dancing at the Crossroads' made it on to CD Speaking of Wild Swans... "Damien Fitzhenry, Ger Cushe, Sean Flood, Rod Guiney, Liam Dunne..." You'll be amazed how many of the Wexford team you'll be able to name once you hear a few bars of that number one hit, which was only released on cassette at the time (a plastic ribbon filled thing that used to fit into stereos). The frequency with which it is blasted out at weddings is proof of its longevity and owes much to it finally being committed to CD three years ago. https://youtu.be/Z0B-Nf4kahA 7. Kevin Doyle played for Ireland Wexford native makes his debut in 3-0 friendly win over Sweden at Lansdowne Road. 8. Kevin Doyle scored for Ireland His first goal came against San Marino in November of the same year, but this is a thunder-bastard he prepared against Slovakia a year later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vVu9Q2EgHc 9. Border folk gritted their teeth as Kilkenny won the All-Ireland... ELEVEN times Tensions can run high around New Ross in September when the Cats (infuriatingly classy winners) come to town to buy brasso for their latest batch of Celtic Crosses. 10. Minor footballers got some modicum of revenge Hitting them where it hurts, their industrial football project. https://twitter.com/ciaramc21/status/721366027238567936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw 11. Gizzy Lyng came and went A non-playing substitute when Wexford won their last major title in 2004, Diarmuid Lyng emerged as one of the most talented hurlers in Ireland and retired during the fallow period that followed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWg_XVyW2x4 12. Mattie Forde While we're on the subject of sidelines... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgPyCObxuV8 13. Bertram Allen conquers the equestrian world Who needs hurling when you have horses? This young lad could win a gold medal in Rio. Then we'll be dancing at the Crossroads. https://twitter.com/HUFGEFLUESTER/status/729788331278635008 14. 2008, or was that a dream? Down and Armagh were left in Wexford's wake as they made it to the All-Ireland semi-final against Tyrone, losing to the eventual champions by 0-13 to 1-14. That was a hell of a ride. 15. The Arklow bypass opened In 1997 Wexford fans on their way to Croke Park were freed from the notorious south Wicklow traffic black spot. Burger Hill was missed, but it was worth it. 16. The Gorey Bypass opened A decade later the trip up the N11 to Croker skelpings got even quicker. 17. Wexford hurlers stop playing at Croke Park Good thing they built all those motorways. When the hurlers lost the 2008 Leinster final to Kilkenny, nobody could have imagined it would be EIGHT years before they played Championship hurling at Headquarters again but, amazingly, Saturday's quarter-final clash with Dublin is the first return for summer hurling. 18. Gráinne Murphy swims her way into nation's heart and out of Wexford Ballinaboola teenager wins loads of medals, gets scholarship to University of Limerick and commits full time to her sport. Has lousy luck with illness and injury and retires earlier this year. 19. Wexford Youths are formed and flourishing Thanks to Mick Wallace TD, the county now has a Airtricity League team. Not only that, they are Premier League, yes they are Premier League. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehjxD3CpAXM 20. Larry O'Gorman became a vigilante Last St Stephen's Day one of the heroes of 1996 was driving down Wexford's Main Street when he saw a man throw a brick at a shop window. The Faythe Harriers man sprung to action, apprehending the vandal and keeping hism apprehended until the Gardaí arrived. And one for good luck... That goal Yep. Michael Jacob. The only man to make Brian Cody kneel in the last two decades. That 2004 Leinster triumph (following on from Bob O'Keeffe wins in 1996 and 1997) remains the county's last title. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDzEUXJ4BPc