Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna believes tonight’s FA Cup exit at Wrexham may ultimately help his side’s Championship promotion charge.
With ten changes made from the team that beat Derby County, the Blues lacked rhythm in key spells and were undone by Josh Windass’ first‑half finish.
McKenna stressed that the rotation was intentional and rooted in the demands of the schedule.
He said that if Town return to Wrexham next weekend and win in the league, “there won’t be too many questions” about the decisions made tonight.
He admitted the fixture list left little room for a cup run without harming the wider group.
“If you look at the schedule and where we would fit in the games for an FA Cup run, it was really hard to see how that wouldn’t have been to the detriment of the group,” he said.
Despite the changes, McKenna insisted the competitive intent remained.
“We’re competitive people and it’s a proud football club,” he said.
“There was fantastic support here tonight, 1,100, so we tried to balance those goals. The players tried, and we went to the last second with it.”
He didn’t hide his disappointment with those who travelled.
“We’re really disappointed for the supporters, especially those who travelled,” he said.
“But with the schedule as it is, having a clear focus now on the league games could be really important.”
McKenna also pointed to the practical positives.
Several players gained valuable minutes, and Town emerged without injuries, a key factor with nine games in four weeks ahead.
Reflecting on the display, McKenna described it as “mixed” and felt the game hinged on a first‑half spell where Wrexham built momentum.
“We started the game well and had some good looks at the goal,” he said.
“But we lost momentum halfway into the first half.”
He highlighted a run of set plays that swung the contest.
“They had a run of set plays, one after the other, and got some good momentum up.“
“We weren’t able to quite withstand that or wrestle it back. They got their goal in that period.”
Town responded after the break, pushing hard for an equaliser.
“We came out strong again and pushed for the equaliser,” he said.
“We pushed right to the end but it’s not easy to break them down.
“They defended the box well and we were close but weren’t able to get over the line.”
McKenna felt the match was tight overall, but the decisive moment came in that first‑half surge.
“The key period was the spell in the first half where they got on top and were clinical in getting their goal.”
McKenna was open about the dual purpose of the night: competing in the cup while preparing the squad for the league run‑in.
“We wanted to go through in the cup, and we tried right to the last second,” he said.
“A big priority also had to be getting minutes into players who needed it.”
He explained that the schedule demands a fully ready squad.
“We’re going to need the squad, and we need players match fit and ready to go,” he said.
“We had to use tonight to get some players ready and protect some others.”
The match also allowed for experimentation.
“We used the opportunity to try some people in different roles because it could be pivotal for us in the 16 league games remaining,” he said.
“You don’t know which moment it might be, but that experience could be pivotal.”
He acknowledged that such changes naturally affect fluency.
“There were some positives, but when you have a lot of people getting first minutes for a while or playing in different partnerships, not everything is going to be smooth.”
McKenna explained his decision to make George Hirst captain for the night, with Dara O’Shea starting on the bench and Ashley Young unavailable.
He said the call felt obvious given Hirst’s standing in the squad and the consistency of his influence over the past four seasons.
“It was clear for me that he would have that honour tonight,” McKenna said.
He described Hirst as “a massive part of the success here” and “an incredible servant” who remains central to the club’s leadership group.
The striker battled hard throughout the first half, even if the goal he wanted didn’t come.
McKenna added that wearing the armband was something Hirst had earned over time.
“To be captain of a club like this is something he’s deserved,” he said. “It’s something he can be really proud of.”
The manager also clarified the decision to replace Cedric Kipré at half‑time, with O’Shea taking over both the armband and the defensive role.
McKenna said the switch was pre‑planned, part of a wider effort to manage workloads during a congested period.
“We planned before the game that Cedric and Dara would do 45 each,” McKenna said.
He explained that the balance of the back line played a major part in the decision, especially with both Elkan Baggott and Jacob Greaves being left‑footed.
“It’s a little bit tricky with our centre‑half balance in terms of Elkan and Greaves both being left‑footed, but it was really important to get them both minutes tonight.”
The manager added that Baggott’s role at left‑back was also deliberate, designed to maintain structure while still giving the squad the minutes they needed.
“Elkan playing left‑back was because we wanted to keep the balance for the team and keep a right‑footer in the centre‑back partnership,” he said.
