LISTEN: Davy Fitzgerald can do whatever he likes with the Wexford hurlers right now

A manager can have a huge impact in their first season in charge.

Damien Hayes believes Davy Fitzgerald who is in his first year in charge over the Wexford hurlers will have a huge influence over his squad this year. “Davy will have these Wexford lads absolutely wired.” This is a massive year for Wexford, and their National League quarter final against Kilkenny on Sunday is a key game for them as they build towards a likely Leinster SHC meeting with their powerful neighbours.

“You often get the best out of them the first year. No matter what he says, it's gospel, the second year he might do the same things and you as a player might start going, 'this is absolute rubbish'. "But the first year, no matter what… he could start telling you to eat turnips for your breakfast and you’d just start eating them.”

Hayes went on to speak about how he, as a relatively small hurler at 5ft 7in competed with the taller lads such as Seán Óg O’Hailpin.

“I was never going to compete with Seán Óg under the high ball… I kept standing to Seán Ógs catching hand which was his left hand, and every time the ball came up, and every time the ball came in on top of Seán Óg and clipped his hand, with my hand, not with the hurl, so that wasn’t illegal.”

Hayes was in top form during ‘The GAA Hour’ on Thursday with Conal Keaney and Colm Parkinson, and spoke of how Padraig Walsh has slotted into the Kilkenny full back line so seamlessly under advice from his brother Tommy.

“Padraig would be cute enough, he’ll do the job, and he’ll be getting good advice there from Tommy of how to do it and how to give the clip and how not to give the clip and how to get caught and how not to get caught.”

Hayes when discussing Galway and Waterford’s weekend clash in the NHL quarter final recalled a fine story about Waterford legend John Mullanne from the 2011/2012 season.

“John Mullanne took the whole winter off, and he came back for that game and he scored 1-3 against us…I remember chatting to him at the All Stars that year and he told me he was over at the Barcelona game the weekend before it and he told me he had a couple of the finest pints over there and then he came back and he played against Galway…showed us up he did."

Listen to this and more in the GAA hour with Colm Parkinson, Conal Keaney and Damian Hayes below or subscribe here. 0' 50'' Richie Hogan and Seamie Callanan not allowed to promote the game or their own business because of manager's media restrictions. 8'50" Versatility of players being abused by managers. 17'25" Damian Hayes on his hatred of dummy teams 25'00" NHL structure totally wrong, how to fix this. 31'40" Davy Fitz bringing life back to Wexford hurlers. 39'00" Damian Hayes and Conal Keaney on how to catch a high ball. 52'30" Galway v Waterford preview. 1'03"30 Limerick need a "good kick up the backside". https://soundcloud.com/sportsjoe-gaa-hour/ruthless-michael-ryan-wexfords-acid-test-and-outfielding-sean-og-ohalpin