Latest news with #Rossiter
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Mid-year financial check for SMEs: Tips to prepare for the next six months
'A thorough financial audit can now identify areas of strength to leverage and weaknesses to address, ensuring businesses are optimally positioned to thrive.' It is essential for businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to conduct a comprehensive financial health check as the year reaches its midpoint. This financial health check is important for navigating the current economic climate and ensuring sustained growth in the second half of the year. Garth Rossiter, Chief Risk Officer at Lula, said the economic landscape continues to present a mix of challenges and opportunities for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ALSO READ: Political events happening in June expected to affect South African SMEs Macroeconomic outlook for SMEs Rossiter said that the macroeconomic outlook in which SMEs operate is improving. 'The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index hit a five-year high in Q4 2024, while consumer confidence rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. Annual inflation has dipped below 3%, and the consensus appears to be that inflation will remain at lower levels for 2025; this will support the argument for lower interest rates,' he added. He highlights that the power supply is more stable than it was in the previous year, and consumer spending is showing signs of recovery. 'Despite lingering higher operating costs for businesses, the significant drop in inflation and declining interest rates make the future look brighter than it's been in recent times.' Access to finance for SMEs Rossiter notes that access to finance remains a significant hurdle for many SMEs, as traditional lending models often fail to meet the needs of smaller and early-stage enterprises. The global geopolitical events and domestic logistical challenges continue to impact supply chains and overall confidence. 'The agility and resilience of South African SMEs are consistently put to the test,' he added. Tips to check if your business is ready 'The halfway mark of the year is not just a calendar event; it is a critical juncture for self-assessment. A thorough financial audit can now identify areas of strength to leverage and weaknesses to address, ensuring businesses are optimally positioned to thrive,' said Rossiter. ALSO READ: Challenges and opportunities for SMEs in 2025 To measure SMEs' financial health and strategies for the second half of 2025, Rossiter recommends the following: 1. Revisit budget vs actuals: Compare your year-to-date income and expenses against your initial budget. Identify significant variances. Are revenues lower than projected? Are costs, particularly those influenced by inflation like fuel and utilities, higher than anticipated? 'Adjust your budget to reflect current realities and future projections.' 2. Assess cash flow: Analyse your cash inflow and outflow patterns. Are customer payments timely? Are you managing supplier payments efficiently? Calculate your cash flow runway – how many months can your business operate with its current cash reserves? 'In South Africa's environment, where payment delays can be common, robust debtor management is crucial. Consider offering early payment discounts or implementing digital invoicing to accelerate receivables.' 3. Review key financial statements: A. Income statement: Examine your gross and net profit margins. Are they shrinking? This could indicate rising input costs or ineffective pricing strategies. B. Balance sheet: Understand your assets versus liabilities. Are your debt levels manageable, especially with current interest rates? C. Cash flow statement: Provides a clear picture of how cash is generated and used within your business. Look for trends and potential bottlenecks. 4. Evaluate debtor days and working capital: A. Debtor days: How long does it take for your customers to settle their accounts? High debtor days can severely impact liquidity. B. Working capital ratio: Do you have enough short-term assets to cover short-term liabilities? This ratio is vital for operational liquidity. Adjust for any seasonality in your business. 5. External conditions: A. Interest rates: With current prime lending rates, assess the impact on existing loans and any plans for new credit. Explore fixed-rate options if suitable. B. Load shedding contingencies: Although greatly improved, consider any residual costs associated with power backup solutions (e.g., generators, UPS maintenance) and potential productivity losses that still impact your operational expenses and break-even point. C. Inflation and rand volatility: How are these impacting your procurement costs, pricing, and profitability? 6. Re-evaluate goals and forecast: Based on your financial review, are your initial business goals for the year still realistic? 'Adjust your targets and create a rolling forecast for the next six months, incorporating anticipated revenue, expenses, and capital needs. This foresight allows for proactive decision-making.' NOW READ: Entrepreneurship a solution to youth unemployment – but there are challenges
Business Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Fitch warns of rising mortgage-bond risk due to extreme weather
[BERN] For analysts at Fitch Ratings, the recent demolition of a Swiss village by a glacier is fresh proof that climate change is altering the laws of mortgage risk. The world looked on in shock last month as 3 million cubic meters of rock and mud buried the Swiss village of Blatten. The Alps are already about 2 degree C hotter than they were at the time of the industrial revolution, meaning glaciers are continuing to thaw at a dangerous pace. And with global warming currently on track to be roughly double the critical threshold of 1.5, scientists warn that the risk of property damage caused by floods, mudslides, fires and storms is growing by the day. 'We expect physical climate events to happen more frequently and with more intensity,' Will Rossiter, a director of enhanced analytics at Fitch, said in an interview. And 'the impact that they're having on a greater number of assets within a portfolio could increase.' Against that backdrop, Fitch is now in the process of integrating physical climate risks into credit assessments. The move reflects an evolving concern among ratings firms and regulators alike that climate change is hitting the mortgage market – and the bonds that finance it – in ways that have yet to be adequately reflected in valuations. What happened in Switzerland should serve as a reminder that when climate shocks hit, their impact can be devastating, Rossiter said. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up 'The value of those properties has gone from whatever it was to nothing essentially overnight,' he said. The physical fallout of climate change has implications for corners of fixed-income markets traditionally viewed as among the safest in the world. That includes the US$3.4 trillion covered bond market, according to the European Banking Authority (EBA). The EBA has just unveiled a proposal to have banks issuing covered bonds disclose the climate-related risks of the underlying assets, with a particular focus on energy consumption. The idea behind the disclosures is 'to understand the potential risks' with regard to how environmental threats 'impact the solvency of the institutions and the liquidity of institutions,' Pilar Gutierrez Rodriguez, head of reporting at the EBA, said in an interview. Mathias Pleissner, deputy head of covered bonds at Scope Ratings, says 'additional disclosure will help to better understand and isolate climate risks allowing for a better discrimination amongst issuers.' He also says 'disclosure is only the beginning.' At the same time, Pleissner says banks that can show they're taking such risks seriously stand to be rewarded by investors and regulators. For example, covered bonds with solid climate metrics may get preferential treatment in the European Central Bank's assessments of the collateral that it accepts as part of its credit operations, he said. Covered bonds have long been considered among the safest of securities, because of what's known as dual recourse. If an issuer fails, bondholders have a direct and preferential claim to the underlying collateral as well as an ordinary claim against the lender. The bonds' unique legal structure has resulted in consistently high credit ratings. However, there are currently no requirements under the Covered Bond Directive to disclose climate-related data. The EBA says the time has come for 'increased transparency' around climate risk, as part of a larger consultation targeting expanded environmental, social and governance metrics in general disclosure requirements. A separate EBA report is due to be published in the coming weeks with recommendations to the European Commission on rewriting the covered bond directive. Europe, which is the world's fastest warming continent, has been at the forefront of regulations to address climate change and biodiversity loss. But the war in Ukraine and economic uncertainty have led the European Commission to propose rolling back some requirements, in response to protests from businesses and politicians. European lawmakers are expected to respond to the commission as early as this week. The industry, meanwhile, says there's a growing awareness around climate risks. Luca Bertalot, general secretary of the European Mortgage Federation-European Covered Bond Council, says some banks made 'a huge investment' in recent years to allow a 'proper analysis' of mortgage portfolios. And the head of the ESG programme at Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, Andreas Wuermeling, says there's an awareness that higher ESG risks 'lead to higher spreads,' so the bank's 'business strategy is based on ambitious green portfolio levels,' combined with 'ongoing identification of ESG risks in the lending portfolio and consistent selection of deals to minimize ESG risks.' Pleissner of Scope Ratings says he expects European regulators and other stakeholders 'will ensure' there's growing focus on such risks. BLOOMBERG
The Advertiser
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Global stocks rise as trade hopes feed risk appetite
World stocks have hovered around their highest prices in six weeks after a US trade deal with Britain fuelled guarded optimism for progress in tariff talks with other countries. MSCI's broadest index of world shares gained 0.1 per cent on Friday after jumping about 0.8 per cent the previous day to levels seen just before Trump's "Liberation Day" global tariff announcements. "The deal between the US and UK was more style over substance," said Kyle Rodda, a senior financial markets analyst at The "general terms" agreement leaves in place a 10 per cent tariff on goods imported from the UK but lowers prohibitive US duties on UK car exports. Britain agreed to lower its tariffs to 1.8 per cent from 5.1 per cent and provide greater access to US goods. "However, it feeds the narrative that the US is looking to bang out rapid-fire trade deals and reduce tariffs - at the margins - and other trade barriers," Rodda said. Last week, Trump said he has "potential" trade deals with India, South Korea and Japan. Trump pushed back against seeing the UK deal as a template for other negotiations, perhaps, including those due Saturday when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer will meet China's economic tsar He Lifeng in Switzerland. European stock markets opened higher on Friday. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.4 per cent, with all regional bourses trading higher. An investor rush from safe assets such as government bonds into riskier ones such as stocks might meant markets are getting ahead of themselves on optimism, said James Rossiter, head of global macro strategy at TD Securities. "The trade deal isn't really a trade deal. It's an agreement on a few narrow topics. Still, it shows there is a degree of movement and that some tariffs could be mitigated," Rossiter said. Even so, "tariffs are not going away". Reaction to the UK trade agreement yesterday and the optimistic trade figures that emerged yesterday from China have pushed markets higher temporarily, but "the fundamentals behind what markets are seeing are not as robust", Rossiter said. Safe-haven German Bund prices fell on Friday, driving yields 5.2 basis points higher as investors dropped their bonds for assets with higher returns. Bitcoin soared to the highest since January and US crude ticked up after a more than three per cent surge on Thursday. Brent crude added 85 cents to $US63.70 a barrel following Thursday's 2.8 per cent rally. NYMEX US crude skipped up 84 cents to $US60.76 a barrel on Friday, building on the previous day's surge. The US dollar index, which measures the currency against six major peers, edged away from Thursday's one-month peak to be down 0.3 per cent. The euro rose from its one-month trough at $US1.1257, and sterling ticked up 0.2 per cent to $US1.3270. Mainland China blue chips closed down 0.2 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.4 per cent higher. Japan's Nikkei soared 1.6 per cent and Taiwan's equity benchmark advanced 1.8 per cent, with technology shares the strongest performing sector. World stocks have hovered around their highest prices in six weeks after a US trade deal with Britain fuelled guarded optimism for progress in tariff talks with other countries. MSCI's broadest index of world shares gained 0.1 per cent on Friday after jumping about 0.8 per cent the previous day to levels seen just before Trump's "Liberation Day" global tariff announcements. "The deal between the US and UK was more style over substance," said Kyle Rodda, a senior financial markets analyst at The "general terms" agreement leaves in place a 10 per cent tariff on goods imported from the UK but lowers prohibitive US duties on UK car exports. Britain agreed to lower its tariffs to 1.8 per cent from 5.1 per cent and provide greater access to US goods. "However, it feeds the narrative that the US is looking to bang out rapid-fire trade deals and reduce tariffs - at the margins - and other trade barriers," Rodda said. Last week, Trump said he has "potential" trade deals with India, South Korea and Japan. Trump pushed back against seeing the UK deal as a template for other negotiations, perhaps, including those due Saturday when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer will meet China's economic tsar He Lifeng in Switzerland. European stock markets opened higher on Friday. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.4 per cent, with all regional bourses trading higher. An investor rush from safe assets such as government bonds into riskier ones such as stocks might meant markets are getting ahead of themselves on optimism, said James Rossiter, head of global macro strategy at TD Securities. "The trade deal isn't really a trade deal. It's an agreement on a few narrow topics. Still, it shows there is a degree of movement and that some tariffs could be mitigated," Rossiter said. Even so, "tariffs are not going away". Reaction to the UK trade agreement yesterday and the optimistic trade figures that emerged yesterday from China have pushed markets higher temporarily, but "the fundamentals behind what markets are seeing are not as robust", Rossiter said. Safe-haven German Bund prices fell on Friday, driving yields 5.2 basis points higher as investors dropped their bonds for assets with higher returns. Bitcoin soared to the highest since January and US crude ticked up after a more than three per cent surge on Thursday. Brent crude added 85 cents to $US63.70 a barrel following Thursday's 2.8 per cent rally. NYMEX US crude skipped up 84 cents to $US60.76 a barrel on Friday, building on the previous day's surge. The US dollar index, which measures the currency against six major peers, edged away from Thursday's one-month peak to be down 0.3 per cent. The euro rose from its one-month trough at $US1.1257, and sterling ticked up 0.2 per cent to $US1.3270. Mainland China blue chips closed down 0.2 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.4 per cent higher. Japan's Nikkei soared 1.6 per cent and Taiwan's equity benchmark advanced 1.8 per cent, with technology shares the strongest performing sector. World stocks have hovered around their highest prices in six weeks after a US trade deal with Britain fuelled guarded optimism for progress in tariff talks with other countries. MSCI's broadest index of world shares gained 0.1 per cent on Friday after jumping about 0.8 per cent the previous day to levels seen just before Trump's "Liberation Day" global tariff announcements. "The deal between the US and UK was more style over substance," said Kyle Rodda, a senior financial markets analyst at The "general terms" agreement leaves in place a 10 per cent tariff on goods imported from the UK but lowers prohibitive US duties on UK car exports. Britain agreed to lower its tariffs to 1.8 per cent from 5.1 per cent and provide greater access to US goods. "However, it feeds the narrative that the US is looking to bang out rapid-fire trade deals and reduce tariffs - at the margins - and other trade barriers," Rodda said. Last week, Trump said he has "potential" trade deals with India, South Korea and Japan. Trump pushed back against seeing the UK deal as a template for other negotiations, perhaps, including those due Saturday when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer will meet China's economic tsar He Lifeng in Switzerland. European stock markets opened higher on Friday. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.4 per cent, with all regional bourses trading higher. An investor rush from safe assets such as government bonds into riskier ones such as stocks might meant markets are getting ahead of themselves on optimism, said James Rossiter, head of global macro strategy at TD Securities. "The trade deal isn't really a trade deal. It's an agreement on a few narrow topics. Still, it shows there is a degree of movement and that some tariffs could be mitigated," Rossiter said. Even so, "tariffs are not going away". Reaction to the UK trade agreement yesterday and the optimistic trade figures that emerged yesterday from China have pushed markets higher temporarily, but "the fundamentals behind what markets are seeing are not as robust", Rossiter said. Safe-haven German Bund prices fell on Friday, driving yields 5.2 basis points higher as investors dropped their bonds for assets with higher returns. Bitcoin soared to the highest since January and US crude ticked up after a more than three per cent surge on Thursday. Brent crude added 85 cents to $US63.70 a barrel following Thursday's 2.8 per cent rally. NYMEX US crude skipped up 84 cents to $US60.76 a barrel on Friday, building on the previous day's surge. The US dollar index, which measures the currency against six major peers, edged away from Thursday's one-month peak to be down 0.3 per cent. The euro rose from its one-month trough at $US1.1257, and sterling ticked up 0.2 per cent to $US1.3270. Mainland China blue chips closed down 0.2 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.4 per cent higher. Japan's Nikkei soared 1.6 per cent and Taiwan's equity benchmark advanced 1.8 per cent, with technology shares the strongest performing sector. World stocks have hovered around their highest prices in six weeks after a US trade deal with Britain fuelled guarded optimism for progress in tariff talks with other countries. MSCI's broadest index of world shares gained 0.1 per cent on Friday after jumping about 0.8 per cent the previous day to levels seen just before Trump's "Liberation Day" global tariff announcements. "The deal between the US and UK was more style over substance," said Kyle Rodda, a senior financial markets analyst at The "general terms" agreement leaves in place a 10 per cent tariff on goods imported from the UK but lowers prohibitive US duties on UK car exports. Britain agreed to lower its tariffs to 1.8 per cent from 5.1 per cent and provide greater access to US goods. "However, it feeds the narrative that the US is looking to bang out rapid-fire trade deals and reduce tariffs - at the margins - and other trade barriers," Rodda said. Last week, Trump said he has "potential" trade deals with India, South Korea and Japan. Trump pushed back against seeing the UK deal as a template for other negotiations, perhaps, including those due Saturday when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer will meet China's economic tsar He Lifeng in Switzerland. European stock markets opened higher on Friday. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.4 per cent, with all regional bourses trading higher. An investor rush from safe assets such as government bonds into riskier ones such as stocks might meant markets are getting ahead of themselves on optimism, said James Rossiter, head of global macro strategy at TD Securities. "The trade deal isn't really a trade deal. It's an agreement on a few narrow topics. Still, it shows there is a degree of movement and that some tariffs could be mitigated," Rossiter said. Even so, "tariffs are not going away". Reaction to the UK trade agreement yesterday and the optimistic trade figures that emerged yesterday from China have pushed markets higher temporarily, but "the fundamentals behind what markets are seeing are not as robust", Rossiter said. Safe-haven German Bund prices fell on Friday, driving yields 5.2 basis points higher as investors dropped their bonds for assets with higher returns. Bitcoin soared to the highest since January and US crude ticked up after a more than three per cent surge on Thursday. Brent crude added 85 cents to $US63.70 a barrel following Thursday's 2.8 per cent rally. NYMEX US crude skipped up 84 cents to $US60.76 a barrel on Friday, building on the previous day's surge. The US dollar index, which measures the currency against six major peers, edged away from Thursday's one-month peak to be down 0.3 per cent. The euro rose from its one-month trough at $US1.1257, and sterling ticked up 0.2 per cent to $US1.3270. Mainland China blue chips closed down 0.2 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.4 per cent higher. Japan's Nikkei soared 1.6 per cent and Taiwan's equity benchmark advanced 1.8 per cent, with technology shares the strongest performing sector.
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'I was compared to Steven Gerrard at Liverpool - now I'm without a club at 28'
Jordan Rossiter was once hailed as Liverpool's next big thing, with comparisons to Steven Gerrard ringing in his ears, but a series of setbacks has contributed to him being without a club at 28 Former Liverpool midfielder Jordan Rossiter was once hailed as the club's next Steven Gerrard. However, after a series of injuries and setbacks, the 28-year-old has just been released by Shrewsbury Town and now finds himself without a club. Rossiter burst onto the scene for the Reds in September 2014, scoring a long-range effort against Middlesbrough in a League Cup tie on his debut at just 17. His ambitious strike only built on the legend he was generating at the club. Rossiter grew up in the Everton Valley area of Liverpool and was expected to be the next superstar moulded by the club's famed academy. He captained both Liverpool and England at youth level and, naturally, his budding leadership qualities and reputation as a fierce competitor in the middle of the park drew comparisons with Gerrard. While still ranking as the club's fourth youngest-ever goalscorer, Rossiter's time at Liverpool was cruelly cut short through injury and opportunity. He would go on to make just five senior appearances under Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp before leaving the club to join Rangers in the summer of 2016. Since leaving Anfield, Rossiter has lined up for clubs such as Rangers, Bury, Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers. His move to Shrewsbury even saw him sent out on loan to Oldham Athletic midway through this season, yet he only managed 26 appearances across both clubs this year. He's now been released by Shrewsbury. His current status as a free agent is a far cry from how his career was expected to materialise. The former England U-19 star enjoyed an impressive 11-year stint with Liverpool's reserves, where he even wore the captain's armband. His raw ability saw Liverpool icon Robbie Fowler brand him as "potentially a young Stevie G". After taking a closer look at Rossiter in training, Jamie Carragher also hailed his flourishing ability. "I like the look of him," the Reds legend said. "He's got that bit of character and steel that me and Stevie have had. He's a great talent." Despite being favoured by Rodgers, the Northern Irishman's sacking and Klopp's arrival at the club subsequently ended Rossiter's time on Merseyside. His only appearance under the German was a 13-minute cameo off the bench in a forgettable Europa League tie against Sion. An aggravated hamstring problem and an intense battle for places in Liverpool's midfield saw Rossiter sold to Rangers, whereas fate would have it, he briefly worked with Gerrard, who was appointed manager of the club two years later. An injury flare-up at Ibrox sent Rossiter down an unfortunate path of battling against his body, which has ultimately led him to be without a club. Comparisons to such colossal and influential figures can often adversely affect young players. And despite Rossiter's career with Liverpool perhaps pointing to such an instance, the midfielder looks at his time as the Kop's 'next Steven Gerrard ' in a reflective light. "No, I never saw it like that," he told The Athletic in 2020, when asked if the Gerrard remarks ever weighed heavy. "I was just thinking, 'Next Steven Gerrard? If I have 10 per cent of the career Steven Gerrard has had, then I will have had a great career.'" Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
The 42
08-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'This is a defining game for us' - Wexford and Galway head for Salthill showdown
KEITH ROSSITER WAS was in a mood to unload immediately after Wexford's Leinster Round 2 hurling defeat to Dublin. A win, which Wexford were installed as favourites to collect, would have set them up nicely for this weekend's trip to Salthill. Instead, they were suckered by a mixture of Dublin's greater athleticism and tactical prowess, the ghost goal decision and, ultimately, Dublin's scoring efficiency. Suddenly, the prospect of having to secure a result against Galway at Pearse Stadium this Saturday just to stay in the top-three race materialised. Even at this early stage, it is a season-defining fixture as the losers will have taken just two points from a possible six. Which is why Rossiter's dark mood was clear as he stood at the side of the Parnell Park clubhouse after the, at times, chaotic Dublin game. Everybody and everything got a little bit of his fury, from referee Michael Kennedy, to the Wexford players, to the hosts for the state of the discoloured and damaged pitch. Ultimately, as Rossiter concluded, Wexford 'have to get back going again in Salthill.' Advertisement Wexford manager Keith Rossiter. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO The stakes are probably even higher for Galway who will be on the brink of failing to make it out of Leinster for the third time in six instalments of the round robin series if they don't win. Remember, they have yet to travel to Parnell Park themselves, a final round fixture that tripped them up and cost them knock-out hurling in 2019. For a county of Galway's stature, coming up short again, particularly in the first year of Micheal Donoghue's second coming, would be a significant blow. They've never failed to get out of Leinster two years in a row. They're talking bullishly in Wexford about piling on the misery too. Speaking on the latest edition of The Wexford Hurling Podcast, former defender Richie Kehoe sounded a remarkably positive note about their chances of winning out west. He doesn't just hope it will happen, he expects it. 'I'm so confident about this, it's not even funny,' said Kehoe who painted the picture of a sluggish Galway defence struggling to contain Wexford's livewire forwards and running game. 'I think from two to seven in the Galway team that they have absolutely no pace in their backs.' Injury plagued full-forward Conor McDonald didn't feature against Dublin or Antrim, and missed the entire league, but there is hope that he may return this weekend. 'This is a defining game for us this year,' continued Kehoe, underlining the stakes. 'We have to go with our best. I know Mac hasn't played a whole lot, I know Liam Ryan has only played bits and pieces, he hasn't been around but we have to go with our best.' Wexford manager Conor McDonald. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO The word Kehoe kept coming back to when describing how Galway can be beaten was with 'legs'. 'There's a couple of ways we could play it but I would be going at these with legs, big time, massively,' he said. 'I think we can turn them over no problem (but) we have to be up in their faces, like Dublin. We have to play nearly like how Dublin did.' Jack O'Connor is available again after suspension too, further enhancing Wexford's forward options. Kehoe did acknowledge that Wexford's defence has been 'mugged' too often for easy scores in the ties so far against Antrim, who hit 0-21, and Dublin, who registered 3-26. It is here that Galway will feel they can make particular gains. Cathal Mannion only returned for the second last game of Galway's league campaign but has reeled off 0-7, 0-5, 0-10 and 2-8 tallies. Conor Whelan, admittedly not at his best, carries the potential to devastate. Donoghue, yet to pull any sort of tactical rabbit from the hat since returning as Galway manager, could gamble with a big man close to Wexford's goal too, and ask him to do pretty much what towering Dublin target man John Hetherton did last Saturday week. Galway manager Micheál Donoghue. Andrew Paton / INPHO Andrew Paton / INPHO / INPHO Kehoe's take on that one is that Wexford aren't necessarily dodgy under the high ball, they were just dodgy that evening against Dublin. All of which lends to the absolute sense of anything-could-happen about this fixture. This, after all, is the same Galway that went through 40 different players in the league, the only county across the two top flight divisions to do so. Clearly there are all sorts of options open to Donoghue. Conor Cooney for full-forward anyone, a la Hetherton? Related Reads The factors behind Clare's struggles in 2025 and their grounds for optimism now 'Maybe down the road, he'll suffer a bit over it. But he loves playing for Waterford' The really exciting thing is that when Wexford simply must deliver, they often do. Like losing to Antrim last year and beating Galway a week later. Or beating Kilkenny in 2023 a week after losing to Westmeath. It is at once their endearing charm and enduring frustration. 'That's the biggest head scratcher ever in Wexford for the last number of years,' said Larry O'Gorman, another former Wexford player, of their ruins to riches tendencies. 'When our backs are to the wall, we are able to answer the call.' They'll need that again on Saturday night. *****
