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Wexford Structures 2024

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "I see the County Board will be tweeting from the meeting tonight. Means anyone interested should find out about all decisions as soon as they're made.

Can't help thinking that a switch to alternate blocks looks more and more likely. Even players in my own club - who were strongly in favour of split season last year and the year before - are now opting for the alternate blocks instead, so that's the way we'll be voting.

Can't see too many who voted against the split season last year changing their minds the other way. And add in how the whole top table will surely vote in favour of alternate blocks (since it's their own proposal) rather than last year's result where they were split 50/50 as well, and everything points towards change all right. Could even be by a massive majority."
I would say regardless of the result, it would be odds on that there will be a motion on Championship structures again next year.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1900 - 18/01/2024 14:20:33    2520821

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Replying To Viking66:  "I'd say it will be tbh. Been getting plenty of feedback from other clubs this week. It will be interesting to see how it affects the standard of the championship, especially the hurling championship, though the season being extended should be good also.
The HAC structure plan is likely going to be accepted also, and it will be interesting to see how that affects the group stages and how seriously clubs take them, as it will then be possible to win your grade in the championship without winning any group games at all. The bigger clubs especially, if not all clubs, will probably use the no jeopardy group stages to get fringe and younger players more championship experience, a bit like the tier 1 Leinster u20 set up was used last year.
I think the 8 club football championship is a dead duck, and rightly so."
Our lads are against the HAC proposal of the new preliminary quarter-finals round in the hurling.

They reckon that with the way things are now, the top four teams in a group have shown themselves to be the stronger ones, and deserve a place in the quarter-finals. They also reckon that the bottom two teams in each group would have been shown up as the weaker ones. They don't like the idea that two of these weaker teams would progress to the quarter-finals anyway, but two of the stronger ones would be gone by then.

They point out that going into the last group game, depending on how the tables stand, you could possibly even be better off losing and finishing fifth, that winning and finishing fourth.

Basically, finish fifth, and your knockout game would be against one of the two weakest teams in the grade. Finish fourth, and it would be against one of the six strongest.

Would seem to be an anomaly that could be exploited sometime all right.

Agree with you that the eight-team football thing is most likely a dead duck.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2621 - 18/01/2024 15:17:26    2520833

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Our lads are against the HAC proposal of the new preliminary quarter-finals round in the hurling.

They reckon that with the way things are now, the top four teams in a group have shown themselves to be the stronger ones, and deserve a place in the quarter-finals. They also reckon that the bottom two teams in each group would have been shown up as the weaker ones. They don't like the idea that two of these weaker teams would progress to the quarter-finals anyway, but two of the stronger ones would be gone by then.

They point out that going into the last group game, depending on how the tables stand, you could possibly even be better off losing and finishing fifth, that winning and finishing fourth.

Basically, finish fifth, and your knockout game would be against one of the two weakest teams in the grade. Finish fourth, and it would be against one of the six strongest.

Would seem to be an anomaly that could be exploited sometime all right.

Agree with you that the eight-team football thing is most likely a dead duck."
I'm not saying the HAC proposal is good, I think it's not for the same reasons your lads do. But it's going to get 16 votes regardless of what the clubs decide. And there are clubs it will suit also.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 18/01/2024 17:10:26    2520859

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Alternative blocks passed with a large majority while also the new championship proposal passed also. As stated above, you might be better finishing 5th but then you run the risk of being in relegation so I think most teams will still go strong to finish as well as they can. Happy also to see the league retain the promotion-relegation aspect, at least there is something on the line.

alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 444 - 18/01/2024 22:16:32    2520887

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Never realised that the football championship was remaining the same and that it's only the hurling championship was introducing a preliminary quarter final.

alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 444 - 18/01/2024 23:02:49    2520893

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Wouldn't agree with rewarding a 5th or 6th place team with a shot at a quarter final place but that's what the clubs voted for so. Wonder what the logic behind it was and why wasn't it tried in the football championship?

WexMurph (Wexford) - Posts: 239 - 19/01/2024 08:28:19    2520903

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Replying To alwaysasub:  "Alternative blocks passed with a large majority while also the new championship proposal passed also. As stated above, you might be better finishing 5th but then you run the risk of being in relegation so I think most teams will still go strong to finish as well as they can. Happy also to see the league retain the promotion-relegation aspect, at least there is something on the line."
Fairly overwhelming majority, not sure where all the talk of this huge cohort that loved the split season and wanted it to stay was coming from.

Disappointed to see the HAC proposal get voted through though, I actually think it will lessen the competitiveness of the championship and effectively cause more dead rubbers all for the sake of getting in an extra round of hurling in.

Safe to say it was a smart move to pull the football championship proposal, it may have been embarrassing to see it have no club voting for it.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1427 - 19/01/2024 08:38:17    2520905

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Replying To alwaysasub:  "Never realised that the football championship was remaining the same and that it's only the hurling championship was introducing a preliminary quarter final."
Now that it's passed and different structures for respective codes . What will they propose next year.
All for one extra game for 8 teams and an extra weekend to find .
Who will be the first 3rd place team to exit the championship. Who will be the first 6th place team to win it .
Don't think it will do anything to help competitiveness at league stage or numbers attending games as no one exits championship aftrr league stage of championship will be more dead rubber games than ever as teams looking like finishing 3 4 5 6 will rest players for preliminary 1/4 finals
Assume any proposal in the future to change would have to include both codes and it will be complicated . As ut wil be all geared towards hurling .
It ll be a little bit every year until the hurling gets what it thinks its needs and we consistently competing at the top table . Like we never did before tbh .
Did nt think it would be passed tbh
Don't get me wrong I love my hurling but I think the smokescreen of fairness is getting less dense year on year .
DUA l me hole first 3 letters represent hurling the little l represents football . And getting more detached in the powers that be mindset .
That proposal being passed is only the beginning.
In a year of fleadh where will they find another weekend as ther is no way any championship can go ahead thst week. Oh maybe they ll put the football on that week .

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 301 - 19/01/2024 09:04:51    2520907

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Replying To Viking66:  "I'm not saying the HAC proposal is good, I think it's not for the same reasons your lads do. But it's going to get 16 votes regardless of what the clubs decide. And there are clubs it will suit also."
Everyone has a life jacket now.
The Shels motion on regrading - how many players was that? Could be some very tame opening games in hurling

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1900 - 19/01/2024 09:17:08    2520908

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Replying To alwaysasub:  "Alternative blocks passed with a large majority while also the new championship proposal passed also. As stated above, you might be better finishing 5th but then you run the risk of being in relegation so I think most teams will still go strong to finish as well as they can. Happy also to see the league retain the promotion-relegation aspect, at least there is something on the line."
Yes happy enough with the League set up. Don't think the championship change will make any difference to the success of either our county teams or club teams in Leinster, but I can see the merits of the added gaps before the finals. Just have to try to make it to one now!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 19/01/2024 09:28:53    2520909

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Replying To WexMurph:  "Wouldn't agree with rewarding a 5th or 6th place team with a shot at a quarter final place but that's what the clubs voted for so. Wonder what the logic behind it was and why wasn't it tried in the football championship?"
It was proposed by the HAC. Tbh Adran Fenlon swayed it for many in the room. Fair play to him and the lads on that. They are doing plenty of thinking about where we have been going wrong the last 50 odd years.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 19/01/2024 09:30:24    2520910

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Replying To tearintom:  "Fairly overwhelming majority, not sure where all the talk of this huge cohort that loved the split season and wanted it to stay was coming from.

Disappointed to see the HAC proposal get voted through though, I actually think it will lessen the competitiveness of the championship and effectively cause more dead rubbers all for the sake of getting in an extra round of hurling in.

Safe to say it was a smart move to pull the football championship proposal, it may have been embarrassing to see it have no club voting for it."
Still be better to finish 1 or 2. Might actually be less dead rubbers not more. We qualified the last 2 years after 3 games and the last 2 were badly affected as a result.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 19/01/2024 09:31:31    2520911

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Replying To zinny:  "Everyone has a life jacket now.
The Shels motion on regrading - how many players was that? Could be some very tame opening games in hurling"
Adrian Fenlon changed my mind on his proposal. We will see if it makes things better or worse. Structure changes aren't going to make any difference to our intercounty teams or club champions though. We need better adult players. So we still need to raise the standards of our coaching/players from u8 upwards.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 19/01/2024 09:34:29    2520912

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Replying To Viking66:  "Adrian Fenlon changed my mind on his proposal. We will see if it makes things better or worse. Structure changes aren't going to make any difference to our intercounty teams or club champions though. We need better adult players. So we still need to raise the standards of our coaching/players from u8 upwards."
Followed the coverage of the meeting on social media which was great. Seems that it was emphasised that the U 8,10,12 thing is being changed which is most important. Not sure about the hurling proposal and interesting that Adrian Fenlon swayed it. Would like to see the presentation. Having him involved is a really good move. I personally thought the football change would have created huge interest in 2024 but I suppose it was never going to pass.

The other thing that caught my eye was the proposal that the Council put a dome in the new sports campus which I presume is Wexford GAA telling the council if you want to build a soccer stadium for Wexford FC then we will have a dome please and thank you. It would be brilliant if it happened.

wexfordwin (Wexford) - Posts: 186 - 19/01/2024 10:02:31    2520915

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Be interesting to see how the hurling championship change works out, suppose must be remembered finishing 3rd or 4th instead of 5th of 6th will ensure no relegation.

TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1760 - 19/01/2024 10:09:24    2520918

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Replying To Viking66:  "Adrian Fenlon changed my mind on his proposal. We will see if it makes things better or worse. Structure changes aren't going to make any difference to our intercounty teams or club champions though. We need better adult players. So we still need to raise the standards of our coaching/players from u8 upwards."
What did he say?

WexMurph (Wexford) - Posts: 239 - 19/01/2024 10:39:28    2520925

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Replying To WexMurph:  "What did he say?"
It was a broad reaching presentation and showed they have done alot of work looking at all aspects of Wexford hurling and how things have been done going back alot of years. And obviously recognising that things were done wrong, as it started with the bleak facts- we haven't won an underage AI since the 60s and only 1 Senior AI since then either, while he could also have noted that for most of that time, bar the odd year, we haven't even been close to winning one but I'm not sure he did.
Specifically on the proposal he pointed out clubs will obviously try to finish 1st or 2nd now, as they will be straight into a QF, and will be seeded. So 1st will play the winners of 5th/6th, reducing the chances of a team finishing 6th with no points ending up winning the lot. It gives an extra game to the clubs finishing 5th, while also increasing the jeopardy of finishing 5th as you could end up relegated.
On balance after listening to him I changed my mind, as I think now it will lead to less dead rubbers rather than more.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 19/01/2024 10:56:44    2520927

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Replying To wexfordwin:  "Followed the coverage of the meeting on social media which was great. Seems that it was emphasised that the U 8,10,12 thing is being changed which is most important. Not sure about the hurling proposal and interesting that Adrian Fenlon swayed it. Would like to see the presentation. Having him involved is a really good move. I personally thought the football change would have created huge interest in 2024 but I suppose it was never going to pass.

The other thing that caught my eye was the proposal that the Council put a dome in the new sports campus which I presume is Wexford GAA telling the council if you want to build a soccer stadium for Wexford FC then we will have a dome please and thank you. It would be brilliant if it happened."
Yes fair play to the top table for aiming high!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13862 - 19/01/2024 10:57:53    2520929

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Replying To icehonesty:  "Hopefully three things are achieved at the structures meeting this week:

- Mixed season where hurling and football alternate over the year. The split season hasn't worked. No proposals to continue split, so this should be done.

- Championship to continue with 12 teams per grade. Same structure as before: two groups of 6 teams, where the top four in each go through to quarter finals. There is no perfect championship structure in any county, but this is the best and fairest to all option.

- League to be separated from championship. Meaningful promotion and relegation. No need for league finals or relegation play-offs if they want to trim a fixtures weekend or two. A league is a league. Finish top and you win. Promotion available for those who finish first and second, relegation for those who finish bottom two. If it evolves to where you have some intermediate teams playing senior teams in league, or intermediate teams playing junior teams, so be it. Clubs should be rewarded with promotion for taking the league seriously and trying to better themselves, and should be relegated if they don't bother. Number of teams in a league is secondary, although I'd say probably 6 or 8 teams per league would be around right."
Very happy all of this came to pass.

Not sure the change to hurling championship benefits anyone.

icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2559 - 19/01/2024 13:04:11    2520949

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Replying To Viking66:  "It was a broad reaching presentation and showed they have done alot of work looking at all aspects of Wexford hurling and how things have been done going back alot of years. And obviously recognising that things were done wrong, as it started with the bleak facts- we haven't won an underage AI since the 60s and only 1 Senior AI since then either, while he could also have noted that for most of that time, bar the odd year, we haven't even been close to winning one but I'm not sure he did.
Specifically on the proposal he pointed out clubs will obviously try to finish 1st or 2nd now, as they will be straight into a QF, and will be seeded. So 1st will play the winners of 5th/6th, reducing the chances of a team finishing 6th with no points ending up winning the lot. It gives an extra game to the clubs finishing 5th, while also increasing the jeopardy of finishing 5th as you could end up relegated.
On balance after listening to him I changed my mind, as I think now it will lead to less dead rubbers rather than more."
There will be more dead rubbers, as the league portion of championship now has far less significance. A few lads carrying injuries? Lets not chance them lads, we just need to have everyone right for the 5th v 6th game. Also I think it's unfair that either 3rd or 4th in a group will exit championship before either 5th or 6th do. Poorly thought out, and they'll revert when they meet this time next year. Thankfully they left football alone.

icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2559 - 19/01/2024 13:11:40    2520951

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