National Forum

Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "How did Wexford players get on college hurling last night? Just Seen SETU Carlow won last night a few wexford lads involved. Michael Dundon was captain and playing wing forward. Surprised he hasnt been involved with Wexford this year he looks like he's gone into a huge man."
Had Wex only 4/5 Fitz starting players this year in coileges? The Munster counties, KK & Galways seem to have huge numbers across all sides. More so Munster counties. How have we only 4/5 being exposed to the highest standard of hurling at that age profile?

countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 931 - 07/02/2026 10:02:20    2655302

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "Very different ambitions is right.
All the talk recently here about 'culture' and why lads aren't bothered committing to Wexford hurling.

25k+ for a league game in February, 7:30pm on a Saturday evening shown live on RTE. Easy sell the game to young lads from these counties.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think we barely broke the 10k mark across our 3 home games in the Leinster Championship last year??"
I'd say you're right. The performances just weren't really there last year to be fair, but it does bother me that 40k can come out of the woodwork if we make a Leinster final. I do love that atmosphere, but we don't deserve our reputation of great supporters. We have a small number of diehards and an enormous bandwagon. So do other counties in fairness. Cork support wouldn't have been great 5/6 years ago.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4200 - 07/02/2026 10:29:12    2655305

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Replying To countyman2022:  "Had Wex only 4/5 Fitz starting players this year in coileges? The Munster counties, KK & Galways seem to have huge numbers across all sides. More so Munster counties. How have we only 4/5 being exposed to the highest standard of hurling at that age profile?"
Before the essay, list of names and excuses comes about how this lad would of being playing but was injured, or how Carlow aren't playing in Fitzgibbon etc etc, the simple fact and answer to your question is Wexford are not producing enough underage hurlers to warrant inclusion in Fitzgibbon panels.

Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 6 - 07/02/2026 10:48:16    2655307

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Have to say I'm worried about today's game. Hoping the likes of Damien Reck and Jack Redmond start and good to see Chin and Simon back in the squad . We need to slowly start getting our best players back on the field after today we will be halfway through our league campaign

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 852 - 07/02/2026 12:53:09    2655324

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "Before the essay, list of names and excuses comes about how this lad would of being playing but was injured, or how Carlow aren't playing in Fitzgibbon etc etc, the simple fact and answer to your question is Wexford are not producing enough underage hurlers to warrant inclusion in Fitzgibbon panels."
How are we doing at second level with how many are playing at A level v Clare and Limerick I wonder?

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 498 - 07/02/2026 12:58:58    2655325

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Kieran's about annihilating Kilkenny CBS

Would guess Good Counsel didn't show up the last day but they might have been second best in Leinster this year, it's just that Kieran's are miles ahead of everyone else at Senior

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 852 - 07/02/2026 13:23:02    2655326

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "Before the essay, list of names and excuses comes about how this lad would of being playing but was injured, or how Carlow aren't playing in Fitzgibbon etc etc, the simple fact and answer to your question is Wexford are not producing enough underage hurlers to warrant inclusion in Fitzgibbon panels."
Good post that, its pretty much it really.

Clubs have to do more or maybe the reality is that we are where we are for 60 odd years because thats in reality the level we are at for the interest that is there.

You go around clubs and its for the most part the same families, the same surnames making up teams etc.

This all starts at home, this all comes from the families, then its the clubs and then the county yet we obsess with county as the be all and end all.

Interestingly I was talking to a high ranking county board official recently and shooting the breeze and some of the stuff he said was interesting.

Definitely a frustration with clubs and county board annoyed with work or lack of it a lot of clubs are putting in, clubs not even responding to requests for trials etc and sending no one for example and secondly the feedback from underage from parents and clubs was fhere are far too many games and its something to be looked at. Thats something I believed myself the obsessions with games as if more games solves everything, our hAC club championships for the last 2 years fkr example, just more games.

I queried the level of coaching with them but he made a valid point that when coaching courses and training options are out on thyere attended sparsely, sometimes struggling to put together enough so what can fhey do?

Funnily enough he would be a hurling man to the bone but remarked that the football courses are being well attended and put it down to the new football rules, in that its made the game better to watch and play but also peaked an interest from coaches about how best to implement new rules etc. It's fresh, it's new.

We also spoke about the whole mythology, hes said hes sick of it, we as hurling people do more damage to our game than we know. All this stuff about you need to be born into it, need to be able to do this by age 6 or that by age 10, it just puts kids and parents off. Its a valid point, all this way of life shtick.

We need to get back to it being a game, a game anyone can play nkt a cultural definition and examination of your dna. You get the kids and parents involved first and everything moves from there, do that by simplifying the message not mythicizing it.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1609 - 07/02/2026 13:28:22    2655327

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Replying To Timbertony:  "How are we doing at second level with how many are playing at A level v Clare and Limerick I wonder?"
A quick look at the Corn Uí Dhuill roll of honor will answer that one for you.
But again you have those on this forum who like to harp on about a Wexford school beating KK CBS in a group game!! Or beating Cork in a preliminary quarter final, and finishing 4th or 5th in an u15 tournament.
It's about winning titles nothing else.
And Wexford are currently so far away from winning titles at ALL levels it's frightening.

We are 100/1 to win the All Ireland this year!! Out of 11 teams!!
If it was a horse race would you even class us as an also-ran?? It's embarrassing

Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 6 - 07/02/2026 14:20:54    2655334

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "A quick look at the Corn Uí Dhuill roll of honor will answer that one for you.
But again you have those on this forum who like to harp on about a Wexford school beating KK CBS in a group game!! Or beating Cork in a preliminary quarter final, and finishing 4th or 5th in an u15 tournament.
It's about winning titles nothing else.
And Wexford are currently so far away from winning titles at ALL levels it's frightening.

We are 100/1 to win the All Ireland this year!! Out of 11 teams!!
If it was a horse race would you even class us as an also-ran?? It's embarrassing"
But this is nothing new, underage results have been similar for a long time now, it's not as if they are considerably worse in recent times than what they were in the past

And I don't think anyone is suggesting that coming 4th or 5th in an U14-U16 tournament is something that should be celebrated as an achievement

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 852 - 07/02/2026 14:35:48    2655335

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "A quick look at the Corn Uí Dhuill roll of honor will answer that one for you.
But again you have those on this forum who like to harp on about a Wexford school beating KK CBS in a group game!! Or beating Cork in a preliminary quarter final, and finishing 4th or 5th in an u15 tournament.
It's about winning titles nothing else.
And Wexford are currently so far away from winning titles at ALL levels it's frightening.

We are 100/1 to win the All Ireland this year!! Out of 11 teams!!
If it was a horse race would you even class us as an also-ran?? It's embarrassing"
Always wary of a poster with only 4 posts coming on here and mouthing off.

hunting (Wexford) - Posts: 1168 - 07/02/2026 14:43:40    2655337

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Replying To tearintom:  "Good post that, its pretty much it really.

Clubs have to do more or maybe the reality is that we are where we are for 60 odd years because thats in reality the level we are at for the interest that is there.

You go around clubs and its for the most part the same families, the same surnames making up teams etc.

This all starts at home, this all comes from the families, then its the clubs and then the county yet we obsess with county as the be all and end all.

Interestingly I was talking to a high ranking county board official recently and shooting the breeze and some of the stuff he said was interesting.

Definitely a frustration with clubs and county board annoyed with work or lack of it a lot of clubs are putting in, clubs not even responding to requests for trials etc and sending no one for example and secondly the feedback from underage from parents and clubs was fhere are far too many games and its something to be looked at. Thats something I believed myself the obsessions with games as if more games solves everything, our hAC club championships for the last 2 years fkr example, just more games.

I queried the level of coaching with them but he made a valid point that when coaching courses and training options are out on thyere attended sparsely, sometimes struggling to put together enough so what can fhey do?

Funnily enough he would be a hurling man to the bone but remarked that the football courses are being well attended and put it down to the new football rules, in that its made the game better to watch and play but also peaked an interest from coaches about how best to implement new rules etc. It's fresh, it's new.

We also spoke about the whole mythology, hes said hes sick of it, we as hurling people do more damage to our game than we know. All this stuff about you need to be born into it, need to be able to do this by age 6 or that by age 10, it just puts kids and parents off. Its a valid point, all this way of life shtick.

We need to get back to it being a game, a game anyone can play nkt a cultural definition and examination of your dna. You get the kids and parents involved first and everything moves from there, do that by simplifying the message not mythicizing it."
I was with you until the last paragraph. It's the furthest thing from a game, but that doesn't stop people from other cultures getting involved.

We have about 9 nationalities with our under 10s and their parents love hearing about the historical importance of it. Other oppressed peoples can understand it.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4200 - 07/02/2026 14:45:11    2655338

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Replying To tearintom:  "Good post that, its pretty much it really.

Clubs have to do more or maybe the reality is that we are where we are for 60 odd years because thats in reality the level we are at for the interest that is there.

You go around clubs and its for the most part the same families, the same surnames making up teams etc.

This all starts at home, this all comes from the families, then its the clubs and then the county yet we obsess with county as the be all and end all.

Interestingly I was talking to a high ranking county board official recently and shooting the breeze and some of the stuff he said was interesting.

Definitely a frustration with clubs and county board annoyed with work or lack of it a lot of clubs are putting in, clubs not even responding to requests for trials etc and sending no one for example and secondly the feedback from underage from parents and clubs was fhere are far too many games and its something to be looked at. Thats something I believed myself the obsessions with games as if more games solves everything, our hAC club championships for the last 2 years fkr example, just more games.

I queried the level of coaching with them but he made a valid point that when coaching courses and training options are out on thyere attended sparsely, sometimes struggling to put together enough so what can fhey do?

Funnily enough he would be a hurling man to the bone but remarked that the football courses are being well attended and put it down to the new football rules, in that its made the game better to watch and play but also peaked an interest from coaches about how best to implement new rules etc. It's fresh, it's new.

We also spoke about the whole mythology, hes said hes sick of it, we as hurling people do more damage to our game than we know. All this stuff about you need to be born into it, need to be able to do this by age 6 or that by age 10, it just puts kids and parents off. Its a valid point, all this way of life shtick.

We need to get back to it being a game, a game anyone can play nkt a cultural definition and examination of your dna. You get the kids and parents involved first and everything moves from there, do that by simplifying the message not mythicizing it."
I like your post i ve been saying it a long time the enjoyment goes out of anything when you feel the pressure to be successful . And if dont win you are and become part of the problem .
Can understand coaches not committing fully as its huge absolutely huge commitment to take on an underage team from say u8 all the way to adult .
Could be 3 times a week and maybe 2 teams in an age group an extra day or morning at weekend add In nowadays we are expected to do it all year round . Might be ok for parent involved but unconnected or unpaid club coaches its a huge ask . As well as the extra coaching courses planning sessions / organising games /logistics and most likely involved in the club in some other aspect ..
it can and does take over your whole life hard to continuously do that year in year out without losing your appetite and drive to improve .
And then listening to people saying we are not doing enough .
Its not we arent doing enough its theres not enough of us to do enough .
But then you think what i was saying above it makes sense theres not enough as the commitment is too
much..
Lot of part time not fully committed coaches out there in every club who come as they say when they can . Sharing the load is key but someone has to take control. Might not always be the best person but might be the most committed which can lead to its own problems .
The wrong captain sailing the ship .
Easy to criticise and can land on the rocks.
But if no other captain for the ship it still has to sail whether he knows the destination /course or not .

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 529 - 07/02/2026 14:54:17    2655340

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "A quick look at the Corn Uí Dhuill roll of honor will answer that one for you.
But again you have those on this forum who like to harp on about a Wexford school beating KK CBS in a group game!! Or beating Cork in a preliminary quarter final, and finishing 4th or 5th in an u15 tournament.
It's about winning titles nothing else.
And Wexford are currently so far away from winning titles at ALL levels it's frightening.

We are 100/1 to win the All Ireland this year!! Out of 11 teams!!
If it was a horse race would you even class us as an also-ran?? It's embarrassing"
Is it what it is, lad. Shoulder to the wheel is only job

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 498 - 07/02/2026 14:58:56    2655343

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Have to say I'm worried about today's game. Hoping the likes of Damien Reck and Jack Redmond start and good to see Chin and Simon back in the squad . We need to slowly start getting our best players back on the field after today we will be halfway through our league campaign"
I don't know what to expect after last weekend tbh, seen lads during the week mention the qualifier game in 2013 and feel it could be like that again, uncomfortably tight, maybe I'll be proved wrong but as I said after last Sunday - creating one half goal chance in 140 mins of hurling vs two tier 2 teams is not good, backs need to improve also from last week.

OpenStandWall (Wexford) - Posts: 333 - 07/02/2026 15:09:15    2655347

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "I was with you until the last paragraph. It's the furthest thing from a game, but that doesn't stop people from other cultures getting involved.

We have about 9 nationalities with our under 10s and their parents love hearing about the historical importance of it. Other oppressed peoples can understand it."
I think he means we are complicating it making it some sort of magical/mystical game played by demi gods to many it may be but to others its a sport And saying its a way of life that you have to give yourself entirety too . Daunting for many if you use rmtgat scenario
My opinion is get them in simplify it, break it down , let them understand teach the basics make it a fun family friendly club and game and maybe and hopefully they will grow to love the game like we do . .
We can't make out they need to be super human to play the game . Just like our own they might learn to love it too .

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 529 - 07/02/2026 15:29:25    2655353

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Replying To hunting:  "Always wary of a poster with only 4 posts coming on here and mouthing off."
What are you wary of?? What's the required number of posts for your suspicions to be eased?

Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 6 - 07/02/2026 15:44:20    2655357

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Best of luck today to the lads another win will do just to build confidence and momentum . Each game should give each new player mire valuable experience no place better than 1b for them .each game getting progressively tougher

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 529 - 07/02/2026 15:46:55    2655358

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "Very different ambitions is right.
All the talk recently here about 'culture' and why lads aren't bothered committing to Wexford hurling.

25k+ for a league game in February, 7:30pm on a Saturday evening shown live on RTE. Easy sell the game to young lads from these counties.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think we barely broke the 10k mark across our 3 home games in the Leinster Championship last year??"
Probably a little more, but not much. Only the diehards going sure.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18273 - 07/02/2026 16:07:19    2655364

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Replying To countyman2022:  "Had Wex only 4/5 Fitz starting players this year in coileges? The Munster counties, KK & Galways seem to have huge numbers across all sides. More so Munster counties. How have we only 4/5 being exposed to the highest standard of hurling at that age profile?"
Not many ok. 2 for Waterford, 2 for UCD, 2 for DCU, was it one for Maynooth. But then alot of the colleges this side of the country arent in the Fitzgibbon. TUD, Carlow and Trinity.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18273 - 07/02/2026 16:09:35    2655365

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "Before the essay, list of names and excuses comes about how this lad would of being playing but was injured, or how Carlow aren't playing in Fitzgibbon etc etc, the simple fact and answer to your question is Wexford are not producing enough underage hurlers to warrant inclusion in Fitzgibbon panels."
Partly true, but still simplistic. Hurling is still an amateur sport, so lads have to be mindful of their careers. And cost of 3rd level education is also a huge consideration for parents.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18273 - 07/02/2026 16:12:57    2655366

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