National Forum

Wexford Hurling 2025

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


I think we'd be better with some height in the team and it is a concern that we aren't producing enough skyscrapers at underage level but I think some people are too obsessed about it, S&C work is a lot more important than height, that was our biggest issue early on the league if anything

You need height and lads who can physically dominate down the spine of your team, you see with Cork and the two Downeys and Clare last year with Conlon and Cleary but pretty much everywhere else, I'm not sure height is the be all and end all. Even with Limerick the last few years, Hegarty is tall enough and Tom Morrissey is maybe just over 6'0 but he's properly built because of S&C, that's a lot more important than height. And it's not as if they dominate in the air either, Limerick's game was never really about them winning possession in the air off puck-outs

Cork another example, Coleman is a lot like Damien Reck in a way (And they have since moved him away from centre-back), Tim O'Mahony is huge but Harnedy is their only really ball-winner in the half-forward line, Dalton is big but that's not really his game and neither Barrett not Fitzgibbon are really ball-winners. Connolly and Hayes are tall enough but their games aren't really based on height either, their games are based on speed and S&C

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 462 - 29/04/2025 12:20:13    2605323

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "As regards losing tight games there's a flakiness about us that's there since Davys day tbh. Except as you say against Kilkenny."
Is it part of our mentality we are so used to losing tight games we just accept our fate. This has to change if we are to be successful

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 547 - 29/04/2025 12:22:57    2605326

Link

Lads I watched the game back again last night. I can't say I noticed at the time how much time was left when the penalty was given.
Every coach ever tells every player to go away from your goal, not towards it. It was the first lesson I heard when I first started hurling. It was criminal by Charlie Mc to turn back there, the Wexford full back line were at 6's and 7's all day and the Dublin forward were pressuring them. Every high ball that went in was danger and the only Wexford back to consistently mop up was Damien Reck.
But also, Wexford became hopelessly predictable in the last 20 minutes. Every puck out, straight on to Chin. It was never going to work.
The biggest positive I saw from Wexford was the creation and scoring of 4 goals. The full forward line looked dangerous when low targeted ball went in quick. They looked at sea under high ball which is none of those forwards strength.
Galway are there to be beaten though if Wexford can get it together. Its a big ask to go to Galway and win but win it and they are really in the driving seat to take 2nd or 3rd.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1329 - 29/04/2025 12:37:10    2605330

Link

Could Fanning have done better with some of the goals (apart from the one he actually saved)

Seen a clip on social media yesterday from behind the goal for one of the Hterthon goals where Fanning actually tries to save it by getting his body out of fhe way and putting the hurl in from the side.

I watch other keepers and they come out like a bull trying to block that ball with whatever part of their body that they can.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1484 - 29/04/2025 12:37:53    2605331

Link

Just watched back highlights of game there last night.. think it was a peno in fairness but what was mcguckian doing for penalty… after making a wondering catch he actually burst forward 2 or 3 steps and then stopped and tried to hand pass backwards.. I would love to know to who?? Terrible play in opinion…

gannett83 (Wexford) - Posts: 313 - 29/04/2025 12:43:50    2605338

Link

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "I get the concerns over the high ball but for the first goal, we were the ones to actually win the high ball and for the second goal, think it was O'Sullivan who won it in the air and he's not a big man. Bigger issue for me was that we were at sixes and sevens defensively, Hetherton was left unmarked twice, can go on about the high ball all you want but I think what really cost us was that our defensive structure completely fell apart"
Cian O Sullivan is taller than most if not all our starting backs.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15527 - 29/04/2025 13:39:03    2605372

Link

Replying To gannett83:  "Just watched back highlights of game there last night.. think it was a peno in fairness but what was mcguckian doing for penalty… after making a wondering catch he actually burst forward 2 or 3 steps and then stopped and tried to hand pass backwards.. I would love to know to who?? Terrible play in opinion…"
That play was all the good and bad that Charlie has in one play. He's good in the air. He has inner dog also. He's not slow either.
So going back to what I look for in a hurler, he has all the good characteristics you want to see as a first step. Being able to get the ball into his hand. Hes able to do it all 3 primary ways, catching a high ball, winning it in a ruck, and getting to it first.
Step 2 is decision making, making good decisions and making them fast. He is poor at this.
Step 3 is execution of the decision in step 2. His handpassing is ok, but his striking is woeful 8 times out of 10. He seems unable to play a stickpass low, accurately and hard, over any distance but especiallyover longer distances, and his shooting when under pressure is terrible too when playing intercounty. Even when he has time to plant his feet he usually puts it wide. His shooting is better at club level where you have more time, or more importantly you think you have.
Personally I think he's far better at Football, where you have more time.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15527 - 29/04/2025 13:48:27    2605377

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "Is it part of our mentality we are so used to losing tight games we just accept our fate. This has to change if we are to be successful"
Agree, was just thinking the same thing, we seem to follow a script, you think something is inevitable, you will invariably be right!!

wexford2012 (Wexford) - Posts: 91 - 29/04/2025 14:09:23    2605385

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Cian O Sullivan is taller than most if not all our starting backs."
I'm fairly sure he isn't, Molloy, Foley, Eoin Ryan, and Jippo would all be taller than him, he'd be no taller than either of the Recks, might be around their height or Richie Lawlor's height

He is built though

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 462 - 29/04/2025 14:41:43    2605400

Link

How come there was no black card given after the penalty? Things could have got very messy if we went down to 14.

Low2Joe (Wexford) - Posts: 56 - 29/04/2025 14:55:01    2605404

Link

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "I'm fairly sure he isn't, Molloy, Foley, Eoin Ryan, and Jippo would all be taller than him, he'd be no taller than either of the Recks, might be around their height or Richie Lawlor's height

He is built though"
Jippo didnt start. Eoin Ryan might be the same height. The 2 Recks are a few inches shorter I think.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15527 - 29/04/2025 15:06:16    2605409

Link

Replying To Low2Joe:  "How come there was no black card given after the penalty? Things could have got very messy if we went down to 14."
Because he was going away from the goal I'd be guessing.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15527 - 29/04/2025 15:07:39    2605411

Link

Replying To wexford2012:  "Agree, was just thinking the same thing, we seem to follow a script, you think something is inevitable, you will invariably be right!!"
Its very deflating leaving Wexford games the last few years so many narrow defeats.

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 547 - 29/04/2025 15:58:14    2605433

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "Its very deflating leaving Wexford games the last few years so many narrow defeats."
Yup

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15527 - 29/04/2025 15:59:49    2605435

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Yup"
Its the hope that kills us Viking. I'll be in Salthill hoping our championship ambitions will be re ignited come the final whistle Saturday week!

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 547 - 29/04/2025 16:09:06    2605442

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "Its the hope that kills us Viking. I'll be in Salthill hoping our championship ambitions will be re ignited come the final whistle Saturday week!"
Can't make it. Youngest daughter is making Communion. One of my favourite trips. I'll have to watch it on TV. Hopefully the Footballers will be playing Sunday.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15527 - 29/04/2025 16:39:15    2605450

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Can't make it. Youngest daughter is making Communion. One of my favourite trips. I'll have to watch it on TV. Hopefully the Footballers will be playing Sunday."
You dont miss too many Viking! Cant see many of us in Salthill to be honest its a long journey

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 547 - 29/04/2025 17:00:26    2605463

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Can't make it. Youngest daughter is making Communion. One of my favourite trips. I'll have to watch it on TV. Hopefully the Footballers will be playing Sunday."
Herself is from Shannon so we'll be staying with her family and popping up from there. It's only an hour to Galway from her home place. Feeling pretty anxious about it, lose and we can probably forget getting out of Leinster bar some freak results.

Fulgrim (Wexford) - Posts: 266 - 29/04/2025 17:31:20    2605479

Link

Replying To wexford2012:  "Agree, was just thinking the same thing, we seem to follow a script, you think something is inevitable, you will invariably be right!!"
Even if we end up finishing third we all know what's coming.

OpenStandWall (Wexford) - Posts: 244 - 29/04/2025 17:38:11    2605481

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "You dont miss too many Viking! Cant see many of us in Salthill to be honest its a long journey"
It's the best trip of the year. Coffee in Birr, across through Portumna.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15527 - 29/04/2025 17:49:13    2605486

Link