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Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To countyman2022: "Can you tell me the positives over the last few weeks please?" There are positives to take from minors and under 20s. The Minors were unlucky not to draw with Dublin, beat Kilkenny and did have a poor showing v Galway. I think the next day we will really know how good this minor team is and how they respond. The 20s have came on a lot through the campaign drawing with Kilkenny and should have really beaten Galway last night some poor wides cost us. We seemed to be coming on a bit too as regards S and C I think too with our underage teams which is a positive. As regards the seniors I agree there isn't many positives bar young players making their championship debuts . I really hope we can pull something out in the last 2 rounds but the reality is performances havent been up to scratch all season. Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 1070 - 14/05/2026 13:00:42 2672949 Link
Replying To Timbertony: "Didn't see the game last night but would see taking this Galway team to extra time a net positive in the context of the hiding we got in the first round, result v Galway at Minor and ongoing results/performances at senior level. Forget who Galway brought on or didn't bring on, our lads can only play who is on the field against them. If it was more composure that let us down then that can be worked on. An age old problem if we are honest, recently seen in the Dublin senior league game that cost us promotion. That baseline you refer to hasn't been consistently seen at senior level for some time. It should be non negotiable. Already a lot of expectation on O'Brien, worry about that a bit to be honest. Not sure it did Mcdonald any favours for example." Agree on O'Brien, we're so starved of top quality players that we don't half overhype. He's got a great work ethic and obvious talent but when the noise around him is building him up into our saviour it can't be good for the lad. YellowShadeOfPurple (Wexford) - Posts: 72 - 14/05/2026 13:01:27 2672950 Link
Was having a look today at schools results over the last few years, Flannan's and the Tipp schools have been good in Munster and then you have Kieran's and Kilkenny CBS as always in Leinster, Galway schools have been decent enough too without actually winning the AI, no real surprise that Clare played Tipp in Munster and now Galway are playing KK in Leinster Galway would have had Pres (Athenry), St Raphael's (Loughrea), and Clarinbridge make the AI series in recent years, likes of Niland, Rabbitte, Killeen, Leen, Shaughnessy, Counihan, Morgan, and Callanan would've been on those teams if I'm not mistaken (And then the likes of Ponniard and Donoghue on their Minor team this year) What's interesting about this is that the Clarinbridge team would've been made of up of about three clubs, and then about five clubs would've made up the Athenry and Loughrea teams Compare this to KK and you'd have about 10 clubs making up the Kieran's teams and then about 7-8 clubs making up Kilkenny CBS, gets even crazier once you realise that both would have lads playing for them from Thomastown, Callan, Castlecomer, and the Rower Galway schools go a good job at getting the most of what they have when you consider they're not picking from many clubs (Whereas Kieran's and Kilkenny CBS seem to have the pick of nearly the whole of KK), our schools should probably be doing better when you consider the feeder clubs for Peter's and Enniscorthy CBS, they'd probably have more clubs to pick from than any of those Galway schools would (Who have to make do with what they have and do a very good job at that) ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1211 - 14/05/2026 13:52:31 2672960 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Thats a nonsense post. If you are talking about missing lads we were missing one of our best u20s from last year, probably the best u19 from last year who then started Senior hurling for his club, plus others like Gethings, Rossiter and Wickham who mightve been starters. I dont think our u20s were badly coached this year, and they definitely showed more fight and dog than most Wexford teams over the last few years. JJ Doyle is over our minors, a good coach and an experienced Leinster and AI winning intercounty manager. We have other things stacked against us. Aside from a ref who gave them a free that they scored for tripping one of their own players, and a very soft free that led to their equalising point, we were also away again. This year so far our minors, celtic challenge and u20 teams have played 13 games, with only 1 game each at home. Home advantage is huge at underage. Our minors have to travel to Munster to play a Munster team, again. Why can't these games alternate between Munster and Leinster venues? There are always 2 teams from each province at the preliminary QF stage?" 'Home advantage is huge at underage' you say. Galway wouldn't know anything about that. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4713 - 14/05/2026 14:01:16 2672964 Link
Lots of problems in Wexford GAA hurling at the moment. Sad to say. galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2750 - 14/05/2026 14:02:13 2672966 Link
Replying To galwayford: "Lots of problems in Wexford GAA hurling at the moment. Sad to say." Did you expect Wexford to win last night? ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1211 - 14/05/2026 15:06:04 2672974 Link
Replying To galwayford: "Lots of problems in Wexford GAA hurling at the moment. Sad to say." A lot, And most here pretend all is rosy. countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 993 - 14/05/2026 15:40:33 2672982 Link
Replying To countyman2022: "A lot, And most here pretend all is rosy." Noones pretending all is rosy here at all. Some are putting a load of time into trying to improve things, while others are freeloading, living off past reputations. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19566 - 14/05/2026 16:23:23 2672988 Link
Replying To Pope_Benedict: "'Home advantage is huge at underage' you say. Galway wouldn't know anything about that." Agree 100%. Was only talking to a friend up your way about it this morning. Other Leinster counties get to play you at home in underage fixtures. We dont. Its the same with Munster counties. Apart from the odd time in Nowlan Park or Croke Park, the last time apart from 2019 was probably around 10 years ago, our games against them are always in Munster since the qualifiers were done away with. For example what would be wrong with the AI minor preliminary QFs alternating between Semple Stadium and Nowlan Park? There are always 2 teams from each province in them. Last time we beat a Munster team at minor we had to go all the way up there the following weekend to play another Munster county. We have reached a good few AIQFs in the last good few years and they were all played in Munster venues also. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19566 - 14/05/2026 16:32:00 2672992 Link
Replying To Pope_Benedict: "'Home advantage is huge at underage' you say. Galway wouldn't know anything about that." You must be forgetting how your minors played Wexford in Athenry last year. Also forgetting how your U20s played Offaly in Ballinasloe. Also to point out that last night's U20 semi-final was technically and officially a home fixture for Wexford, but because of some new "distance rule" that applies this year and which I don't know the exact details of, Galway to Wexford was deemed too far a trip for Galway to make on a midweek evening, and so Wexford had to go to Portlaoise in order to play at "home". Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3604 - 14/05/2026 16:49:14 2672994 Link
Replying To ElGranSenor: "Was having a look today at schools results over the last few years, Flannan's and the Tipp schools have been good in Munster and then you have Kieran's and Kilkenny CBS as always in Leinster, Galway schools have been decent enough too without actually winning the AI, no real surprise that Clare played Tipp in Munster and now Galway are playing KK in Leinster Galway would have had Pres (Athenry), St Raphael's (Loughrea), and Clarinbridge make the AI series in recent years, likes of Niland, Rabbitte, Killeen, Leen, Shaughnessy, Counihan, Morgan, and Callanan would've been on those teams if I'm not mistaken (And then the likes of Ponniard and Donoghue on their Minor team this year) What's interesting about this is that the Clarinbridge team would've been made of up of about three clubs, and then about five clubs would've made up the Athenry and Loughrea teams Compare this to KK and you'd have about 10 clubs making up the Kieran's teams and then about 7-8 clubs making up Kilkenny CBS, gets even crazier once you realise that both would have lads playing for them from Thomastown, Callan, Castlecomer, and the Rower Galway schools go a good job at getting the most of what they have when you consider they're not picking from many clubs (Whereas Kieran's and Kilkenny CBS seem to have the pick of nearly the whole of KK), our schools should probably be doing better when you consider the feeder clubs for Peter's and Enniscorthy CBS, they'd probably have more clubs to pick from than any of those Galway schools would (Who have to make do with what they have and do a very good job at that)" The Galway schools probably train together more than once a week. Ill try find out. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19566 - 14/05/2026 16:55:01 2672998 Link
Replying To countyman2022: "The excuses need to stop Viking. Optimism can only get you so far. We are so far off it- just open the eyes, step back and look at it for what it is. Look at quality of what they didn't play verus what Wex hadnt. I don't mean our u-20's regards coaching- thats our best coached team and yet still we won 2/5 games (wins against Laois & Kildare). The issue is the quality of coaching from u-14 to u-17 and below even. At ALL grades. Look up who is coaching, what they are doing. How they are doing it. Its nowhere near adequate. Stop putting a spin on everything- we are dropping further and further back. I am a huge optimist going to games and with teams- sadly when you look into poor results for 5/6 years now and try to figure it out- you see how it is happening very quickly. No minor All Ireland since 68, 1 u-21 in 65. This blaming ref's needs stop also- what about the stupid needless free given away before that free? A man going nowhere. Its down to coaching down the years. Between the shocking level of coaching- the amount of games at both underage and adult that carry no jeopardy, shields etc at underage plus its been impossible be knocked out of club hurling championship after 5 games the last few years). What do people expect to happen?" It is a forum and that what it is for. Too much Optimism is as bad as too Much Crititism. We can give as close to your opinion be it right or wrong, But we need to call it straight, less of the BS and more idea's or system changes, Give your Opinion with an honest view of where you think Wexford Gaa should go to change our fortune's. It is tough at the moment and i am sure everyone agree's with that. We are probably worse than the Bonnar Years 2008-2011. It took 3/4 good years at Minor and u21 to get a decent team together again. At this moment in Time no one know's what our Minor or U20s will look like in 4/5 years, i really hope we improve. My 50p worth is Coaching, we need it in the National Schools, in the underage Clubs, Are underage Development Squad's the way to go??? This one is a hard one because we have done it for the last number of years but taking the last 10 year's we got very little from Them. Underage can be tricky, you could have a unreal Club team in Wexford u14,By the time it gets to U17 the better players are not as prominent as they were and the lesser well known Players are passing them by. Then a youngster hitting 17 is a tough age, College, Drink, Parties, Cars, Girlfriends etc etc By the time you get to U20 it's really the players that have being getting better year by year and a once in a generational Player or 2 might come along. A lot of young lads get left behind when they are not picked on a development county side, they loose good coaching for a few years. Over the years i heard about unreal U14 teams but by the time they get to U20 only 8 of them are still playing,rest have given up and gone onto pastures new. Anyway last night's U20s had plenty of intent, heart and fight but 2 things stood out. Galways Strenght and Conditioning was unreal for an U20 side, everyone one of them. We were way off in the S&C. We lacked pace, our bigger guy's were slow compared to their Opponents. Galway's touch was so much better,Striking so much better, back's would break the tackle,look up and pick a perfect pass for their forwards, whether it is into space or a 20 foot pass to the hand. Was it a bit disrespectful that they held back player's?? Sure was, it should be on every Dressing room Wall for any Wexford team playing Galway in the future, That hurt and it should hurt everyone that has a Wexford Heart beating inside them. Under 20s tried with plenty of heart, guts and bravery, Can't blame them for effort. Do i think Management stay, Results usually answers that question. Last year knocked out by Laois, This year knocked out by Galway at same stage. We gotta keep rotating Management teams to keep things fresh, no harm having a new MGT Team that might try something different. Wouldn't be a fan of keeping same MGT for all, Young lads need to experience a new approach,to broaden the mind. As i said my 50cents worth! Tox73 (Wexford) - Posts: 194 - 14/05/2026 17:02:17 2673000 Link
Replying To countyman2022: "A lot, And most here pretend all is rosy." As Viking says above, absolutely nobody here or I daresay in the county at large is pretending everything is rosy. Difference is, most of us find at least a few reasons to be at least a little positive about some of the efforts being made, that give us at least some hope for the future. But so far as I can see, the question remains: do you ever have anything positive to say at all? Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3604 - 14/05/2026 17:17:33 2673005 Link
Replying To Viking66: "We need to get it further up the pitch before driving it long. As it is from watching us this year I dont think we are doing much work on long puckouts in training. We are absolutely woeful at them, we arent even getting players on the quarters for the breaks. And for a short game to work properly the 1st pass really needs to be at least 45 yards straight into a lads hand as he is running into space. If you only go to the 21 you need too many passes or bringing the ball through contact before you get the ball up to a decent delivery position to hit a hard flat ball inside into space. All opportunities for the opposition to turn you over. And turnovers in your own half invariably lead to scores. We really dont have any way of retaining our own puckouts except for blind luck, or opponents not defending them properly. And thats really really poor 6 months after the lads getting together for the season." Good observation Points, they must of only consentrated on short Puckout's, People receiving the Puck Out doesn't have the confidence or Skillset then we break down. It is also very easy for the Opposition to read if they do their homework. The Puckout is like Playing Craps in a Casino, it has to be better than that surely?? Everyone see's it, Crowd roaring at Fanning to hit it long wasn't a cry for doing something different, it was for the Backs to get a break from an onslaught..You are correct it shouldn't be blind luck. Tox73 (Wexford) - Posts: 194 - 14/05/2026 17:18:36 2673006 Link
Replying To ElGranSenor: "That's why I said that it's important to bring them along with you, I think if it's imposed from above, there just isn't going to the necessary buy-in as people won't really understand the purpose behind it" To hark back to this one and to again echo something already said by Viking - In fairness to you, you started out in a good place. Those questions you posed could almost have been a copy & paste from the questionnaire that was circulated to clubs to try achieve exactly what you're suggesting. But on the matter of "important to bring them along with you" rather than "imposed from above", the events were: - Was outlined in detail at a meeting of club representatives and in correspondence to them too that clubs are the first step in producing players, that they've a hugely important role to play in this, and that if we can improve that, things will surely improve all the way up the line. - The questionnaire was then circulated, and clubs were asked to fill it in and return it as the first major step in developing their actual club coaching plan. - Staff from the coaching office would then contact all clubs who returned it, go through it with them in detail to actually formulate that club coaching plan, and then stay in touch with them as regards its implementation. However, only 18 clubs actually bothered to return the form, and I daresay at least some of those 18 didn't exactly fully engage with the process afterwards. To me, that was doing a lot to try to "bring them along", rather than just barking orders of "do this! do that!". If you have other ideas of how to make a better stab at "bringing them along", I'm sure the folks responsible are open to those ideas. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3604 - 14/05/2026 17:27:27 2673007 Link
Replying To Viking66: "The Galway schools probably train together more than once a week. Ill try find out." Funny thing is that they had a very poor schools record up until mid-to-late 2010s but they've had some very good schools since then, haven't won an AI but think a Galway side have made the last seven finals or something like that, have only been just pipped in some of them Interesting to note what changed there, I know Cathal Moore who you see on TG4 is a teacher in Athenry (Or at least I think he is) ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1211 - 14/05/2026 18:37:46 2673025 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "You must be forgetting how your minors played Wexford in Athenry last year. Also forgetting how your U20s played Offaly in Ballinasloe. Also to point out that last night's U20 semi-final was technically and officially a home fixture for Wexford, but because of some new "distance rule" that applies this year and which I don't know the exact details of, Galway to Wexford was deemed too far a trip for Galway to make on a midweek evening, and so Wexford had to go to Portlaoise in order to play at "home"." Tbh, I think the silly part is that Galway had away games and neutral games but no home games If every game was a neutral game for them, I could understand but it's unfair on them to ask them to play away but not to play at home ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1211 - 14/05/2026 18:39:34 2673026 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "You must be forgetting how your minors played Wexford in Athenry last year. Also forgetting how your U20s played Offaly in Ballinasloe. Also to point out that last night's U20 semi-final was technically and officially a home fixture for Wexford, but because of some new "distance rule" that applies this year and which I don't know the exact details of, Galway to Wexford was deemed too far a trip for Galway to make on a midweek evening, and so Wexford had to go to Portlaoise in order to play at "home"." That's unfair on the Wexford lads. Surely if Galway are going to play in Leinster then they have to be prepared to travel to places like Wexford for an away game. Purpleandgold72 (Wexford) - Posts: 291 - 14/05/2026 19:04:50 2673032 Link
Replying To ElGranSenor: "I think that game pretty much shows that the group stages game was never as bad as people made it out to be and that it was an even game other than us hitting the world of wides and Niland beating us on his own Take Niland out and stop hitting wides and you cut down that gap a good bit Might've lost by 3-6 points had Galway started Rabbitte and Killeen, would've made them grind it out On the bright side, Galway won't be as strong next year plus we'll have Quigley, Donohoe, Moore, Shannon, Carley, Nolan, O'Brien, Doran, Fanning, O'Connell-Byrne, Reilly, and Darragh Ryan all eligible again plus a few Minors from this year Ok enough team on the whole, not a bad team but not a great team, S&C work has improved compared to last year, would say that the half-back-line, Carley, Nolan, and O'Brien are the ones to take out of it from a Senior perspective going forward, Roark did a good enough job on Rabbitte until he understandably got tired in ET" Who told you Galway wont be strong next year? Galway are always strong. Coach the coaches thats our problem in Wexford. Good people involved but 15 years behind the top 8 counties. We are currently Joe Mc level. Offaly will drive it home on Saturday Bryson (Wexford) - Posts: 39 - 14/05/2026 19:27:42 2673034 Link