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Wexford Club Championships

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I see Kerry have defeated the motion to decouple at u18 along with numerous clubs in the north. Does anyone know what are neighbouring counties are doing? I really hope Wexford reconsider with the 3rd option introduced by the GAA, a chap who turned 18 in January will have to wait till he is 19 years and 7 months before he can play his first championship game. Wexford GAA are failing their young players with this years set up.

Wally2496 (Wexford) - Posts: 46 - 18/02/2023 11:08:19    2458794

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Replying To Wally2496:  "I see Kerry have defeated the motion to decouple at u18 along with numerous clubs in the north. Does anyone know what are neighbouring counties are doing? I really hope Wexford reconsider with the 3rd option introduced by the GAA, a chap who turned 18 in January will have to wait till he is 19 years and 7 months before he can play his first championship game. Wexford GAA are failing their young players with this years set up."
There were numerous clubs and delegates who campaigned for the U17 to be put back to U18 on the premise that too many players were being lost due to them not being ready for adult and that they were too young to be forced to play adult. Now we have people arguing the complete opposite for exceptional players. So who are we looking after? The exceptional player who could play senior at 18? Who is likely playing county and schools too? Or shoudl we be making sure as many as possible dont get left behind and are brought through to adult level? Those exceptional players will play senior for 15 years. One year wait wont make a difference. That one year wait though might help other lads stay on and play to adult.

Wexford are not failing their youth, they are actually doing far more for them. Adult club teams, particularly paid outside managers, have no qualms in destroying young players for their own short term gain. Playing at minor level, and county and schools, and most likely dual, is enough for a chap at that age who is also likely to be doing exams too. Throwing senior into the mix does them no favours. Just because some of us may have done it years ago doesnt make it right.

james2011 (Wexford) - Posts: 602 - 18/02/2023 15:25:08    2458857

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Replying To Viking66:  "Is there promotion and relegation between all the divisions Pikeman?"
Yes. Three teams on the move between each division. Means three teams that are currently senior for championship purposes will be relegated to the Intermediate/Div 2 league group for 2024, and three teams that are currently Intermediate 'A' for championship will be promoted from Div. 3 League.

So in 2024, there'll be senior championship teams playing Intermediate 'A' championship teams in Div. 2 of the League, and so on all the way down the grades.

I predict that after a few years of that, the feeling will become that the Leagues are too lop-sided, and people will want to go back to the way where you just compete against clubs of your own championship grade.

But that's the sort of prediction that might come back to haunt me.....!

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2230 - 19/02/2023 11:14:35    2458978

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Yes. Three teams on the move between each division. Means three teams that are currently senior for championship purposes will be relegated to the Intermediate/Div 2 league group for 2024, and three teams that are currently Intermediate 'A' for championship will be promoted from Div. 3 League.

So in 2024, there'll be senior championship teams playing Intermediate 'A' championship teams in Div. 2 of the League, and so on all the way down the grades.

I predict that after a few years of that, the feeling will become that the Leagues are too lop-sided, and people will want to go back to the way where you just compete against clubs of your own championship grade.

But that's the sort of prediction that might come back to haunt me.....!"
In 2021 when we had a system of 3 senior teams and 3 intermediate teams in a group, a team who was relegated from intermediate beat one of the Senior county finalists

Onfor15 (Wexford) - Posts: 524 - 19/02/2023 12:26:27    2459001

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I don't think there'll ever be a league format that keeps everybody happy. Play the teams from the other Championship group in the League and then people will complain about there being no promotion or relegation. Play the League on a North-South basis and you'll have people complaining about lopsided games.

I'm not saying either point is invalid, just that there's no way of keeping everybody happy.

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 230 - 19/02/2023 16:58:28    2459072

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Replying To Onfor15:  "In 2021 when we had a system of 3 senior teams and 3 intermediate teams in a group, a team who was relegated from intermediate beat one of the Senior county finalists"
Yes Cushinstown were unlucky to go down but had they beaten Taghmon in that relegation final your point would still be valid. Taghmon won 3 of their League games or maybe it was 4 come to think of it.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11793 - 19/02/2023 17:55:40    2459107

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "I don't think there'll ever be a league format that keeps everybody happy. Play the teams from the other Championship group in the League and then people will complain about there being no promotion or relegation. Play the League on a North-South basis and you'll have people complaining about lopsided games.

I'm not saying either point is invalid, just that there's no way of keeping everybody happy."
If there is promotion and relegation teams will find their own level and there are likely to be less lopsided games

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11793 - 19/02/2023 17:57:33    2459108

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Two walkovers in division 1 of the football league on the opening weekend - very disappointing to see. Score difference gone out the window now for promotion/relegation side of things I'd image. I think this shows our clubs attitude to the county leagues, teams aren't pushed what happens in them.

Wally2496 (Wexford) - Posts: 46 - 06/03/2023 19:15:25    2462416

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Replying To Wally2496:  "Two walkovers in division 1 of the football league on the opening weekend - very disappointing to see. Score difference gone out the window now for promotion/relegation side of things I'd image. I think this shows our clubs attitude to the county leagues, teams aren't pushed what happens in them."
Why would players want to play a league game 6 months before they play championship? Pointless.

countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 641 - 07/03/2023 09:19:14    2462456

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Replying To countyman2022:  "Why would players want to play a league game 6 months before they play championship? Pointless."
don't enter the league then! .. simples

MyOhMi (Wexford) - Posts: 136 - 07/03/2023 10:03:46    2462466

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Replying To MyOhMi:  "don't enter the league then! .. simples"
Agreed. If a club enters the League they should field a team. Even if its made up of 50 year old committee members.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11793 - 07/03/2023 10:08:08    2462468

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Replying To MyOhMi:  "don't enter the league then! .. simples"
Yeah plenty of clubs havent, i believe its the lowest in terms of teams competing thats theres been, all citing the same reasoning for not doing so ie: the gap between league and championship football, ah sure its only football anyway!

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1333 - 07/03/2023 10:35:57    2462476

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Replying To MyOhMi:  "don't enter the league then! .. simples"
clubs are beginning to do that, you will have more again next year.

countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 641 - 07/03/2023 11:16:57    2462489

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Right, time for an alternate view. Just throwing this one out there.....

Are clubs who don't enter the league not failing their players, by not providing as many matches for them as possible?

Or if they're genuinely short of players, does this not reflect poorly on the potential players themselves, more than anything else?

Isn't the real problem more an attitude of "it's only the league", rather than "it's only football"?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2230 - 07/03/2023 11:45:05    2462498

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Right, time for an alternate view. Just throwing this one out there.....

Are clubs who don't enter the league not failing their players, by not providing as many matches for them as possible?

Or if they're genuinely short of players, does this not reflect poorly on the potential players themselves, more than anything else?

Isn't the real problem more an attitude of "it's only the league", rather than "it's only football"?"
I would agree 100%

Like when else are you going to blood young lads, or try new tactics or whatever? It's no coincidence that teams that generally take the league seriously tend to go well in the championship, and if there is an injury crisis, know they have lads to bring in that know the system.

Starlights giving two walkovers last weekend is scandalous. They had a bad campaign last year- surely would want to at least start on a brighter note?

beano (Wexford) - Posts: 1415 - 07/03/2023 12:30:01    2462511

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Right, time for an alternate view. Just throwing this one out there.....

Are clubs who don't enter the league not failing their players, by not providing as many matches for them as possible?

Or if they're genuinely short of players, does this not reflect poorly on the potential players themselves, more than anything else?

Isn't the real problem more an attitude of "it's only the league", rather than "it's only football"?"
It is only the league. Its meaningless. Interest may be higher if games were closer to championship. The time and effort towards league 6 months before championship if needless on lads. If they were to have a worthwhile prize at the end maybe it might entice lads to make an effort.

countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 641 - 07/03/2023 12:40:16    2462514

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Replying To countyman2022:  "It is only the league. Its meaningless. Interest may be higher if games were closer to championship. The time and effort towards league 6 months before championship if needless on lads. If they were to have a worthwhile prize at the end maybe it might entice lads to make an effort."
Suggestions for worthwhile prize? Suggestions for how to use the calendar differently, to run the league closer to the championship?

Come on. These are the sort of ideas that the CCCC and Co. Board would be eager to hear, so please don't be shy.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2230 - 07/03/2023 14:24:06    2462550

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Suggestions for worthwhile prize? Suggestions for how to use the calendar differently, to run the league closer to the championship?

Come on. These are the sort of ideas that the CCCC and Co. Board would be eager to hear, so please don't be shy."
Why are lads saying there is a 6 month gap between League and Championship? For well over 95% of players in Wexford, i.e. dual players, there is no real gap. How many club players in the county only play football do you know Pikeman? There was only 1 on the football 1st team panel at our club last year.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11793 - 07/03/2023 15:05:30    2462563

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Replying To Viking66:  "Why are lads saying there is a 6 month gap between League and Championship? For well over 95% of players in Wexford, i.e. dual players, there is no real gap. How many club players in the county only play football do you know Pikeman? There was only 1 on the football 1st team panel at our club last year."
I've no idea what percentage of club players in the county only play football, but would guess it's very small - probably no more than 10%.

And I don't get this total disdain towards the leagues either. Granted, they're by far a secondary competition, but they still ensure that club players have regular matches at this time of year (if they can be bothered to tog out for them!). Certain people would do well to remember that many counties don't run club competitions at this time of year at all, while the inter-county season is still ongoing. In those counties, you could be waiting nine months between matches - from maybe going out of your championship in October, until club activity resumes the following July.

Even if I was still young enough to play myself, and even if I played football only, I'm sure I'd still be eager for league matches. Unless I'd won a county final, I wouldn't have played football since October. I'd be chomping at the bit now to tog off and play again, instead of saying "ah, couldn't be bothered with that oul' league yoke, I'll sit it out for another few months".

Anyway, still interested to hear of any good suggestions from that other lad about "worthwhile prizes" or rearranging the calendar to maybe make such lads change their minds....

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2230 - 07/03/2023 16:08:37    2462581

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Suggestions for worthwhile prize? Suggestions for how to use the calendar differently, to run the league closer to the championship?

Come on. These are the sort of ideas that the CCCC and Co. Board would be eager to hear, so please don't be shy."
I think in Wexford Gaa's current financial state and with all the progress they are making in off field activities such as marketing and investment etc, I think a cash prize or perhaps a team holiday is 100% a feasible ask. Granted, some difficulty will arise in regard to prizes for each division, but genuinely think €15000-€20000 could be put aside. They would make money back on the gate for league semi finals / finals but I would imagine it would drive the incentive for players, and clubs, to have a proper go at each league regardless of who they had available. I don't know if that's a viable option and maybe some people would disagree but I think it would work and that Wexford GAA would have the capacity to fund it. Imagine winning division 1 or 2 of the league and getting €2500 for your club, or winning a €1000 to go towards a team holiday etc - I would imagine it would create an incentive for players to really want to win games, which overall should help with the standard of the competition etc.

Wally2496 (Wexford) - Posts: 46 - 07/03/2023 16:26:46    2462588

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