*Brendan Bugler. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Two time All Star and 2013 All-Ireland winner Brendan Bugler has left his role on the Wexford management.
Whitegate’s Bugler began his inter-county coaching career with the Davy Fitzgerald managed Wexford hurlers earlier this year. Following their exit from the championship at the hands of Clare, the secondary school teacher has called time on his involvement with the Model County.
Bugler told The Clare Echo his decision to leave is based on family reasons and the lengthy commute to Wexford. He outlined that the nine to ten hour round trip two to three times week was “just too much” when factoring in a young family, coaching roles with St Flannan’s College and his club career with Whitegate.
Family reasons and the lengthy commute to Wexford are said to be key factors behind the decision of the secondary school teacher to depart the set-up, of which he was the attacking coach.
Alongside Beagh native Kevin O’Grady, Mike Kelly of Newmarket-on-Fergus and Inagh/Kilnamona’s Shane McCarthy, Bugler guided St Flannan’s College to their twenty second Dr Harty Cup title earlier this year and their first since 2005. Since his arrival at the Ennis school, the Mountshannon resident has been a pivotal figure in the re-emergence of the former powerhouse as a force on the hurling field once again.
Speaking recently on ‘A Hurler’s Life’, the podcast presented by ex Offaly hurler Brian Carroll, Bugler admitted that he regretted leaving the Clare panel on foot of the 2017 season. The experienced defender was given limited game-times by then managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor in their first year in charge which included a Munster Final loss to Cork and All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Tipperary.
Clarecastle native Noel Considine is also to leave the Wexford backroom team. He had been goalkeeper coach for Davy Fitzgerald’s four seasons in charge of the 2019 Leinster champions. It remains to be seen if the former Clare goalkeeper will continue to be involved with Fitzgerald and the Sixmilebridge hurlers.
