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Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To Viking66:  "The quality gap isnt down to the format. We have to improve. End of."
Agree. We can only win and beat what is in front of us and we aren't doing that at present. So we need to look at ourselves and what we are doing before pointing the finger anywhere else for problems.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2116 - 23/06/2026 10:15:38    2681396

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Replying To zinny:  "At the same time i don't believe Cork would have beaten Wexford by as much but beaten them for sure. Dublin had their chance but failed to Capitalise on it, it looked more like the lost belief in themselves in the second half. If they went out again today it would be a 50/50 game.
I would give Galway a good chance of beating Cork. Yes Cork have been tested far more in the Munster Championship but Galway has produced it when it counted in the LC."
We conceded 5-21 to the worst Kilkenny since before Cody took over and 2-31 to a Galway team who didn't show up until 20 mins in to the game and even the goals we conceded against Dublin were fairly head in hands stuff, and if I remember correctly, those 3 teams had more goal chances in those games too that you'd bet the likes of Hayes or Connolly would bury. We were so open at the back all year it nearly doesn't bear thinking about.

OpenStandWall (Wexford) - Posts: 367 - 23/06/2026 18:05:32    2681569

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Game has changed in 15 years alright but are we further behind Limerick and Cork now currently compared to how far behind we were to KK from about 06-11?

OpenStandWall (Wexford) - Posts: 367 - 23/06/2026 18:15:34    2681573

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Replying To Viking66:  "The quality gap isnt down to the format. We have to improve. End of."
Well isn't it blindingly obvious that we need to improve in Wexford, and the same for the rest of the teams from Leinster. It's also very simplistic to say the current format has nothing to do with it.

I'm sure you see the various articles from people far more qualified to speak than you or I that the hurling format needs to change. End of.

YellowShadeOfPurple (Wexford) - Posts: 83 - 23/06/2026 20:01:11    2681586

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Replying To YellowShadeOfPurple:  "Well isn't it blindingly obvious that we need to improve in Wexford, and the same for the rest of the teams from Leinster. It's also very simplistic to say the current format has nothing to do with it.

I'm sure you see the various articles from people far more qualified to speak than you or I that the hurling format needs to change. End of."
I think the hurling format needs to change myself. Ive put several possible changes to people at the top of the GAA pyramid here in Wexford and in other counties, and Nationally. Whether any of these come to pass in some form or another will be up to everyone to decide at Congress, if any of them get that far.
If any of them come to pass we still wont do any better than we are doing, until we improve on the pitch.
I think we are improving, but so too are most of the other hurling counties. We need to improve faster than the the others to catch them up and hopefully pass them out. That will need innovative ideas that others arent doing, and/or various combinations of existing ideas that no one other county is using, and plenty of good people to volunteer their time putting those ideas into practice.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20093 - 23/06/2026 20:46:23    2681591

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Replying To OpenStandWall:  "Game has changed in 15 years alright but are we further behind Limerick and Cork now currently compared to how far behind we were to KK from about 06-11?"
No we aren't. But we want to be the county other counties are behind.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20093 - 23/06/2026 20:47:42    2681594

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Replying To OpenStandWall:  "We conceded 5-21 to the worst Kilkenny since before Cody took over and 2-31 to a Galway team who didn't show up until 20 mins in to the game and even the goals we conceded against Dublin were fairly head in hands stuff, and if I remember correctly, those 3 teams had more goal chances in those games too that you'd bet the likes of Hayes or Connolly would bury. We were so open at the back all year it nearly doesn't bear thinking about."
Whoever the new manager is will have to sort that. And sort out the fact we were one of the lowest scoring teams in this years Liam McCarthy competition at the same time.
Not a problem for the right man hopefully.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20093 - 23/06/2026 20:49:45    2681596

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Replying To zinny:  "At the same time i don't believe Cork would have beaten Wexford by as much but beaten them for sure. Dublin had their chance but failed to Capitalise on it, it looked more like the lost belief in themselves in the second half. If they went out again today it would be a 50/50 game.
I would give Galway a good chance of beating Cork. Yes Cork have been tested far more in the Munster Championship but Galway has produced it when it counted in the LC."
So what would Cork have beaten us by and how many goals would they have scored against our defence in your opinion?????

Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 55 - 23/06/2026 21:00:15    2681597

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Replying To YellowShadeOfPurple:  "Well isn't it blindingly obvious that we need to improve in Wexford, and the same for the rest of the teams from Leinster. It's also very simplistic to say the current format has nothing to do with it.

I'm sure you see the various articles from people far more qualified to speak than you or I that the hurling format needs to change. End of."
One other stat worth considering is that Leinster teams have only beaten Munster teams once in 16 attempts in 2025 and 2026 at minor, u20 and Senior combined.
But if you delve in a little deeper 12 of those games were in Munster venues, and 2 were in Croke Park, a neutral venue as its our national stadium.
So only 2 championship games out of 16 between Munster and Leinster teams were actually played in Leinster county venues. Nowlan Park and Wexford Park both hosted one game each.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20093 - 23/06/2026 22:38:57    2681616

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Replying To OpenStandWall:  "Game has changed in 15 years alright but are we further behind Limerick and Cork now currently compared to how far behind we were to KK from about 06-11?"
Don't know, it's hard to say, have to remember that we were very bad during the Bonnar years, lost in the Div 2 Final in 2009 which meant we were ranked about 10th in the country and then lost a relegation SF to Clare the same year which would've had us about 12th/13th in the country, lost to Carlow in the league the following year

Even in the Dunne years, we were generally 3rd or 4th in 1B so that would've been about 9th or 10th overall, Carlow should've beaten us in 2013 too, ended up beating Laois in a league relegation final in 2012

This isn't me saying things are good btw, we're probably as far off now as we were then (Although no worse off atm, things could change though), think things are different now because of the number of lads who weren't playing for us this year, thought we would've had most lads playing for us under Bonnar and Dunne, don't know if there were that many big name absentees at the time

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1413 - 23/06/2026 22:57:48    2681622

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Replying To Viking66:  "I think the hurling format needs to change myself. Ive put several possible changes to people at the top of the GAA pyramid here in Wexford and in other counties, and Nationally. Whether any of these come to pass in some form or another will be up to everyone to decide at Congress, if any of them get that far.
If any of them come to pass we still wont do any better than we are doing, until we improve on the pitch.
I think we are improving, but so too are most of the other hurling counties. We need to improve faster than the the others to catch them up and hopefully pass them out. That will need innovative ideas that others arent doing, and/or various combinations of existing ideas that no one other county is using, and plenty of good people to volunteer their time putting those ideas into practice."
I think we need to innovate too but the big reason we are behind these counties has to be the fact we don't have enough lads doing enough hurling

Lads have hurls in their hand from cradle to grave in Tipp, Cork, and KK, innovating will help and so too will adopting best-in-class practices but we need more lads hurling and we then need those lads hurling more throughout the year whether that be through winter training sessions or else just pucking around at school or at home

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1413 - 23/06/2026 23:00:56    2681623

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I was thinking that to start a new Wexford underage league in the winter we could have a barony league with the 10 baronies.I wrote out every barony and their club and how I decided which club a barony went into was their club pitch except for a few clubs to make the barony's more even these are what the teams would look like

Ballaghkeen North
Buffers Alley,Ballygarrett,Oulart The Ballagh
Ballaghkeen South
Blackwater,Oylegate,Shamrocks
Bantry
Davidstown,Rathnure,Cloughbawn,Adamstown,Cushinstown
Bargy
St Anne's Rathangan,Kilmore,Bannow Ballymitty
Forth
St Martins,Clonard,St Fintans,Our Lady's Island,St Mary's Rosslare
Gorey
Naomh Eanna,Craanford,Castletown,Ballyfad
Scarawalsh
Rapparees,Duffry Rovers,Ferns,Bunclody,Askamore Kilrush,St Pats
Shelburne
Horeswood,St James,Gusserane,Fethard
Shelmalier East
Shelmaliers,Crossabeg Ballymurn,Glynn Barntown
Shelmalier West
Faythe Harriers,Clongeen,Taghmon

The only changes I made was putting buffers alley in Ballaghkeen north even though there pitch was in the gorey barony to make 3 clubs in the Ballaghkeen North and because there two main villages are in Ballaghkeen north .
Shelmalier East was only going to have 1 club being Shelmaliers so I added Glynn Barntown taking them out of Shelmalier west and taking crossabeg ballymurn out of Ballaghkeen south.Scarawalsh having 6 clubs might be abit of an issue but you could easily split them up to keep it even as most baronies only have 3-4 clubs.
This could be ran as a winterleague at ages from u14-16 with a minimum of 2-3players form each club starting from each club and could be run on a Sunday from November up until the end of January where clubs resume .Clubs would send there players who think they would be able and trainings could be on a Wednesday night for example and matches on a Sunday.I do know there is schools hurling going on but at 2nd year(u14-15) it wouldn't have started yet and junior will be finishing up. I do get there would be county development squads but I think this would be better for young hurlers as they are playing matches and weaker clubs and players who wouldn't not play at a high standard very often would experience a much higher quality of hurling and development squads could take over at the start of February.It would keep chaps hurling all year round and would create a bit of competition for lads to be hurling for.
What do youse think of this idea and would youse improve it in anyway

Hurler20 (Wexford) - Posts: 14 - 24/06/2026 05:03:23    2681633

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Replying To Viking66:  "I think the hurling format needs to change myself. Ive put several possible changes to people at the top of the GAA pyramid here in Wexford and in other counties, and Nationally. Whether any of these come to pass in some form or another will be up to everyone to decide at Congress, if any of them get that far.
If any of them come to pass we still wont do any better than we are doing, until we improve on the pitch.
I think we are improving, but so too are most of the other hurling counties. We need to improve faster than the the others to catch them up and hopefully pass them out. That will need innovative ideas that others arent doing, and/or various combinations of existing ideas that no one other county is using, and plenty of good people to volunteer their time putting those ideas into practice."
Agree completely with this, we need to achieve 'escape velocity' to overtake other counties, improving at a similar rate, which we probably have done more or less will not be enough.

The cauldron that is Munster, with the proximity to each other, married with genuine 2nd and 3rd level incubators is a MASSIVE advantage, add in that both Wexford and Kilkenny are lacking employment opportunities locally, meaning many players are travelling long distances to training, something I think would be less a factor in most Munster counites, we have difficulties.

BUT despite all of this, Kilkenny for one have dominated the games for large swathes of the past 50 years which indicates many of these issues are surmountable. However I wonder, were Kilkenny ahead of the pack (under Fr Tommy Maher) and once Munster counties matched them in this regard, there advantages have enabled them to open a gap? Kilkenny or indeed Wexford may bridge this gap at some point but that won't invalidate questions about deficiencies in structures. We need structures that promote the game, promote competitiveness, promote attendance.

I find myself coming back to the question of tying funding to dual performance, counties should not receive equal funding for unequal practices. Should Croke Park bypass county and provincial boards and work directly with clubs? Surely a reasonable objective is to have x number of senior clubs per county and have a viable local championship in both hurling and football? Its bonkers that the biggest threat to one Gaelic code, comes not from other sports but supports of one code.

"We need to improve faster than the the others to catch them up and hopefully pass them out. That will need innovative ideas that others aren't doing, and/or various combinations of existing ideas that no one other county is using, and plenty of good people to volunteer their time putting those ideas into practice."

wexford2012 (Wexford) - Posts: 134 - 24/06/2026 10:33:14    2681652

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Tipp isn't a hotbed of employment opportunities yet they have no problem winning All-Irelands.
The problem is in Leinster we don't have the level of competition that exists in Munster. Until we all up our game, we won't be able to compete with the Munster teams.
We need hurling to become an all-year game, a 4G pitch or two will help in COE but we need schools to be hurling all year round. What promotion is done in our schools? There are teachers in every school who played or managed top level teams, are they putting their shoulder to the wheel?
We need everybody to drive the development, from supporters to teachers to parents, but at the moment from what I hear the mood is apathy?

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2116 - 24/06/2026 11:19:17    2681664

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Replying To Hurler20:  "I was thinking that to start a new Wexford underage league in the winter we could have a barony league with the 10 baronies.I wrote out every barony and their club and how I decided which club a barony went into was their club pitch except for a few clubs to make the barony's more even these are what the teams would look like

Ballaghkeen North
Buffers Alley,Ballygarrett,Oulart The Ballagh
Ballaghkeen South
Blackwater,Oylegate,Shamrocks
Bantry
Davidstown,Rathnure,Cloughbawn,Adamstown,Cushinstown
Bargy
St Anne's Rathangan,Kilmore,Bannow Ballymitty
Forth
St Martins,Clonard,St Fintans,Our Lady's Island,St Mary's Rosslare
Gorey
Naomh Eanna,Craanford,Castletown,Ballyfad
Scarawalsh
Rapparees,Duffry Rovers,Ferns,Bunclody,Askamore Kilrush,St Pats
Shelburne
Horeswood,St James,Gusserane,Fethard
Shelmalier East
Shelmaliers,Crossabeg Ballymurn,Glynn Barntown
Shelmalier West
Faythe Harriers,Clongeen,Taghmon

The only changes I made was putting buffers alley in Ballaghkeen north even though there pitch was in the gorey barony to make 3 clubs in the Ballaghkeen North and because there two main villages are in Ballaghkeen north .
Shelmalier East was only going to have 1 club being Shelmaliers so I added Glynn Barntown taking them out of Shelmalier west and taking crossabeg ballymurn out of Ballaghkeen south.Scarawalsh having 6 clubs might be abit of an issue but you could easily split them up to keep it even as most baronies only have 3-4 clubs.
This could be ran as a winterleague at ages from u14-16 with a minimum of 2-3players form each club starting from each club and could be run on a Sunday from November up until the end of January where clubs resume .Clubs would send there players who think they would be able and trainings could be on a Wednesday night for example and matches on a Sunday.I do know there is schools hurling going on but at 2nd year(u14-15) it wouldn't have started yet and junior will be finishing up. I do get there would be county development squads but I think this would be better for young hurlers as they are playing matches and weaker clubs and players who wouldn't not play at a high standard very often would experience a much higher quality of hurling and development squads could take over at the start of February.It would keep chaps hurling all year round and would create a bit of competition for lads to be hurling for.
What do youse think of this idea and would youse improve it in anyway"
Its a great idea in principle, will take a little work to get off the ground.
Im not wholly up to date with numbers countywide at u16, but Id be guessing you would probably need to adjust Shelmalier East and West. Barntown by themselves or Shels by themselves would probably have nearly the same number as Taghmon, Clongeen and the Harriers put together. This year Taghmon have around a half dozen u16s and the same at u15. Clongeen would have around half that.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20093 - 24/06/2026 11:32:46    2681666

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Well, it's partially down to the format, the Leinster counties would be much better off if they got more competitive games against Munster counties

But yes, the quality gap is mainly down to ourselves rather than the format"
The format is an inconsistent farce with the Munster council doing zero for the game outside their little bubble. Leinster as Cusack says is a rest of Ireland championship, brought in Galway (who should geographically be with Munster really) and also the Joe Mac winners. There's also relegation from Leinster. The Munster championship has no relegation playoff, no support for the Joe Mac winners (should be rotated every second year). Another dead rubber round in Munster again with Cork & Limerick miles ahead of the rest. Poor final too. All they care about is themselves hence why the game has not grown and will not grow in any meaningful way across the country.

We in Wexford are under serious threat of the game falling into terminal decline. Only seven years on from bottling really a chance to get to an AI final with from memory a young enough team. The decline since has been alarming. Can only hope for a more competitive club championship and hope springs eternal again next spring. But I've no doubt Cork or Limerick would annihilate us similar to what Cork did to Offaly last week.

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 595 - 24/06/2026 16:51:43    2681714

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "Tipp isn't a hotbed of employment opportunities yet they have no problem winning All-Irelands.
The problem is in Leinster we don't have the level of competition that exists in Munster. Until we all up our game, we won't be able to compete with the Munster teams.
We need hurling to become an all-year game, a 4G pitch or two will help in COE but we need schools to be hurling all year round. What promotion is done in our schools? There are teachers in every school who played or managed top level teams, are they putting their shoulder to the wheel?
We need everybody to drive the development, from supporters to teachers to parents, but at the moment from what I hear the mood is apathy?"
Its a general cultural problem for most families and kids. Not ingrained in the DNA like in Kilkenny and Tipp and I really don't know if that can be fixed

WEXILE (Wexford) - Posts: 511 - 24/06/2026 18:40:44    2681727

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Replying To WEXILE:  "Its a general cultural problem for most families and kids. Not ingrained in the DNA like in Kilkenny and Tipp and I really don't know if that can be fixed"
Hard to see it changing in the short or medium term.
Kilkenny, Tipperary, Cork and Clare have been and will always be the leaders in having a hurling ethos.
Areas in the above named counties crave hurling.
They can't get enough of it.
We have that too but unfortunately not as in
tense and only in smaller pockets of our county.
We find it hard to keep lads hurling after the age of 14.
It would be a monumental task to change from where we are now to where the top counties are.

Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 724 - 24/06/2026 19:18:33    2681731

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Replying To Timbertony:  "The format is an inconsistent farce with the Munster council doing zero for the game outside their little bubble. Leinster as Cusack says is a rest of Ireland championship, brought in Galway (who should geographically be with Munster really) and also the Joe Mac winners. There's also relegation from Leinster. The Munster championship has no relegation playoff, no support for the Joe Mac winners (should be rotated every second year). Another dead rubber round in Munster again with Cork & Limerick miles ahead of the rest. Poor final too. All they care about is themselves hence why the game has not grown and will not grow in any meaningful way across the country.

We in Wexford are under serious threat of the game falling into terminal decline. Only seven years on from bottling really a chance to get to an AI final with from memory a young enough team. The decline since has been alarming. Can only hope for a more competitive club championship and hope springs eternal again next spring. But I've no doubt Cork or Limerick would annihilate us similar to what Cork did to Offaly last week."
It's not the Munster Councils responsibility to grow or promote hurling outside of Munster!!!

Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 55 - 24/06/2026 19:42:37    2681736

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Shane McGrath writing about the importance of culture in his latest piece

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2026/0624/1580091-culture-gap-cant-be-bridged-with-development-squads/

Culture is very hard to fix, takes a very long time, can be fixed but will require a big effort

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1413 - 25/06/2026 00:37:30    2681765

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