Brendan Cummins says Davy Fitzgerald has transformed Wexford, but he is still backing Kilkenny to come out on top in their clash on Saturday night.
The Yellow Bellies and the Cats meet at Wexford Park at 7.0pm in a Leinster semi-final.
Fitzgerald’s side pulled off a shock when they beat Kilkenny in the League quarter-finals earlier this season, which Cummins says will give them confidence, but he doesn’t feel they have enough to do it again.
"They’re really organised and they’re energised with the arrival of Davy; he does that to a county because he’s that kind of special character," said the former Tipperary goalkeeper and RTÉ hurling analyst.
"More importantly, he has instilled a style of play and a belief into his players where they fell, and rightly so, that they have a great chance of beating Kilkenny this weekend.
"Certainly, throughout the League we saw that they were well prepared and once that happens they have a great chance of winning."
The return of former Hurler of the Year and All-Ireland winning captain Michael Fennelly from injury will be a big boost for Kilkenny though and Cummins feels this will be a decisive factor in Saturday’s match.
"That is a big fillip for Kilkenny. To have a man of that experience about the panel will help and they will need it down in Wexford because it’s going to be a sell-out and the atmosphere will be electric," he explained, speaking to RTÉ Sport.
"In the early stages of a match like that you need the more experience heads to keep the heads calm.
"Wexford have a big gap to bridge going on past performances, taking the League game earlier in the year out of the way.
"I think Kilkenny have been very quiet and I’m looking forward to seeing what they bring to the game and how they deal with the sweeper system. But I think they have a better forward line to see them through in the end."
Wexford haven’t beaten Kilkenny in the Championship since the 2004 Leinster semi-final, with a last-minute Michael Jacob goal seeing them over the line. They are bidding to reach a provincial final for the first time since 2008.
The winner of Saturday’s game will face either Galway or Offaly in the decider on July 2.
