Player of the Month Awards: Wexford football manager Pat Roe has expressed his disappointment at the abrupt emigration of Scott Doran and confirmed he will play no further part in the team's season.
"All I can tell you is that we hadn't seen him since the Laois game, so I can't say what was behind his decision, but from what we've heard it's personal.
"What I can also say is that he's no longer in our plans and won't be a part of the championship panel. We're very disappointed and it's come like a bolt from the blue."
Doran is the county's most experienced forward, having sprung to attention when Wexford's minors ran eventual All-Ireland champions Meath to a replay in 1992.
Paradoxically, the county had just retained its Division One status in the league after a successful first season at the top.
A championship fixture for Wexford - only one season missed in 11 - Doran might have considered drawing a line under his intercounty career because of recent injuries.
A groin problem forced him to miss last year's league, but since then he enjoyed a good run with his club Kilmore, whom he helped to intermediate status and also a Leinster club final last December.
Together with Mattie Forde, Doran was a major contributor to the attack that put five goals past Galway last month.
"We've been very pleased with his form," said Roe. "He started off the season slowly, but had really picked up and was getting two or three points a game and playing very effectively and against Laois he gave one of his better performances."
Despite this disappointment, Roe's focus and that of the team will have to switch to the championship. Wexford face Louth in little over a month with the winners playing Kildare.
With ironic timing, Doran's colleague Forde yesterday picked up the Vodafone Footballer of the Month award for March.
The presentation was made in Dublin together with the hurling equivalent, which went to Galway's Eugene Cloonan.
Forde's exploits were instrumental in Wexford's great run, which climaxed in the stunning victory in Tuam over Galway in which he scored 4-5, all but two points from play. He also scored 2-10 against Sligo and 0-7 against Cavan.
Just 24, and from the Kilanerin club, Mattie first played senior football for Wexford in 1999.
Eugene Cloonan comes from Athenry, with whom he has won three All-Ireland club medals.
He was also in prolific scoring form in March and struck 5-22, the highlight being the 3-7 he scored against Waterford when Galway sealed their place in the top three of the NHL second phase.
Last Sunday he was on the Galway team that defeated a previously unbeaten Cork side. After an intense tussle with Diarmuid O'Sullivan, Cloonan ended up with 1-4, including the decisive third goal.
