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Thing is though, it's not as "obvious" to all as you make out. :) We've had the structure of two groups of six since 2012, apart from the two "Covid years" when we had to move to four groups of three instead. There's never been any significant support at the meetings that matter for any proposals to move away from two groups of six. Even after the Covid years, clubs voted overwhelmingly to get back to it. You do have a bit of a point as regards how it would help with minors playing adult level, but it still wouldn't solve it completely. Four groups of three would only take six weeks to complete the group stages across football and hurling, instead of the ten weeks it takes now, and so you could play minor championship in those four weeks without any issue. But you wouldn't run much of a minor hurling and minor football championship in just four weeks, so you'd still have the same issues as now in every other week. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3081 - 29/08/2025 22:59:08 2634172 Link 0 |
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Yes from my playing experience the best managers are the ones who treat the team like adults, not children. I went to EP a couple of times in my playing days (not that they are over, hope to play next year again) and one manager told me that if I went I could forget about making the team for the knock out stage. Same for others. I went and said fine so, and guess who called on the Monday? Another manager said to me that I could do what I wanted and to try and be responsible. He asked our S&C coach for a session for us on the Monday after we got back. A detox. We all were responsible over the weekend, had a few beers over the weekend and got back for the training, got through it and all was fine. Players have a life outside of the GAA and its important that managers recognise this and that clubs stand up for their players. Antagonise them enough and they'll find another hobby. StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1931 - 30/08/2025 09:11:01 2634200 Link 0 |
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4 groups of 3 would tackle other issues too- 1- meaningless games 2- players taking holidays during the early rounds of championship as they are largely irrelevant 3- standard and intensity of games 4- recovery from injury as there'd be more gap weeks 5- shortage of referees for other agegroups 6- shortage of venues also I agree there's not been much appetite for this change, but then I also know that the advantages and disadvantages haven't really been debated as much as they should have been either. This year a motion was even put from the floor that the status quo should be kept for another year, and if it had of got a couple more votes it would've got the necessary 60 odd % it needed to carry. At which point there'd of been nothing debated at all on the subject. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17033 - 30/08/2025 12:32:48 2634222 Link 0 |
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There has to because a balance and not always the popular one among players v mentors or club committes or co board etc . The right call was made no games on the EP weekend . Good call and then you get the mercenaries trying to buily players to not go to EP . When in theory co board , fixtures committe approved it . I m sure some of these mercenaries if matches don't go their way won't vexdgyblating the blame at the PINTS IN A FIELD brigade s feet Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 433 - 30/08/2025 12:54:06 2634223 Link 0 |
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Is this the last year of this structure, from what I can remember county board said one more year and reassessment. I've talked to numerous managers and most are in favour of going back to split season.
WexMurph (Wexford) - Posts: 303 - 30/08/2025 12:57:28 2634225 Link 0 |
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Yes last year I believe, 2 years, although it will need a proposal to change back. To be honest I have found the opposite, I havent spoken to anyone who is in favour of the split season.
alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 524 - 30/08/2025 14:37:21 2634240 Link 0 |
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Am presuming those blocks caps PINTS IN A FIELD are aimed back at me :) Look, all I said was that if you were an ambitious manager of a team with genuine championship hopes, you'd probably prefer lads to stick around for training this weekend than to go off somewhere else. I'm not saying anybody was wrong to go, or that they shouldn't have gone. They were given a weekend free of matches specifically so they could go, if they wanted to. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3081 - 30/08/2025 14:57:26 2634241 Link 0 |
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Think you're maybe conflating a few different things here. The "one more year and then reassess" statement was specifically in relation to the hurling structure where everybody goes through. But having said that, everything else is just on a year-by-year basis too, and can be changed any year if there's sufficient support for it, e.g.: - The two groups of six could be changed to four groups of three, or three groups of four, or anything else, if somebody brought that motion and got it through. That would need 60% of the vote since it would be a change to the Competition Regulations. - Similarly, any club could bring a motion any year to go back to hurling first/football second, or even swap it round and do football first. That would need 50% since it's not actually in Regulation and would essentially instead be just a recommendation to CCC. Strictly speaking, CCC would actually have the power to ignore that recommendation, but in reality, extremely unlikely that they'd do so. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3081 - 30/08/2025 15:05:13 2634243 Link 0 |
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There is a difference between enjoying yourself and spending three days in a stupor in a field. Why is it that a manager would think that it would always be the latter. There are just a lot of old school people in the GAA who do not understand what enjoyment is or the impact of alcohol on the body - so rather than understand what players need, its total bans.
zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2073 - 30/08/2025 19:37:55 2634264 Link 0 |
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To be honest I haven't chatted to anyone who is in favour of going back to the split season. I don't even think that will be put forward to the honest. The one more year assessment is to do with the current structure where everyone gets through which hopefully will change. As mentioned above my own preference is 3 groups of 4 but I'd imagine it will go back to the way it was.
alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 524 - 31/08/2025 08:49:31 2634297 Link 0 |
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Its not just managers but also players and supporters who would prefer it. There is an attitude in Wexford GAA that there are quick fixes and the belief that the club championship is part of that. Instead why not have what the players and the supporters want. I believe in some peoples minds there was an view that the split season was helping Football more than hurling and they couldn't have that happening, clubs who never had football teams suddenly did - down with that sort of thing. I remember one comment about Lee Chin and when the Harriers went out, that it was a disgrace we would not see him hurling until November, well guess what perhaps for Lee that was a good thing and he needed the break. What got us away from the split was the Hurling experts which now is being ridiculed as making things worse. Again that was all about quick fixes and that suddenly would make us AI contenders. The issues with Wexford Hurling go far beyond any Club Championship structure but at least with a decent one we may get players happy to continue playing and maximizing their potential. In Hurling at the moment as die hard supporter you go and support your team regardless of the meaning of the game, its enjoying the game but when there you cannot feel the same passion in yourself or the rest of the supporters, its almost as if a lot of people are there out of curiosity. Football may have smaller attendances but the passion is there as something is on the line. If players and supporters are bought into the club game, that is teh best fix for Wexford Hurling.
zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2073 - 31/08/2025 10:03:09 2634302 Link 0 |
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I'd know a good few tbh. But equally I've friends who wouldn't want to go back to a split season also.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17033 - 31/08/2025 12:10:47 2634313 Link 0 |
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Not directly pikeman i just remember reading that comment somewhere in the thread was nt surecwhonit was . In fact i think you have fairly balanced view on most and a good in depth knowledge of all GAA and . . Actually value your opinion more so than most on here . I just fear that young lads are nt as committed anymore . And at drop of a hat would go away from the game . My idea is to keep as many playing and participating as possible fir as long as possible . If that includes maybe going against our ideals so be it. We have to listen to what they want without it turning full circle snd doing everything they want we need to step back and get the right balance. If there was one weekend that the majority of players would want off it woukd be EP it has the highest impact on the actual playing pool once given weekend. Managers especially outside managers want total commitment i get that . But lads need to cut loose every so often . Would nt it be great if the players knew that EP weekend was free of games . Either go to EP or take your holidays that tine after previous round and before next round . Try push senior fzmes out to the sunday afternoon/evening to get as much time to prepare as possible . If something else clashed with the schedule ie wedding holidays drags etc so be it that's life . Just one weekend a year guaranteed to be free for our young men to plan whatever . That would be a huge plus for everyone inc managers who could plan their own holidays but rhat would be it no more concessions . If there were other weekends free they should be used to benefit the schedule. Giving lads weekend off after 3 or 4 continuous weeks of playing championship. There has been occasion when outside managers who demanded commitment had their own holidays booked at crucial championship times too . Again booked when full games schedule not available due to county involvement. Would/did players/clubs demand they stay and not go on their holidays i doubt it . Do as I say not as I do. That day is done . We need to be open minded but stay strong and not be bullied or do the bullying either. . Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 433 - 31/08/2025 15:26:20 2634343 Link 0 |
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Before we maybe leave talk of EP for the year, I'll just repeat a remark I already made some time ago - whatever else I might think about it, I also think fair play to its organisers and promoters for creating such an aura about it that so many people think it's unmissable. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3081 - 31/08/2025 20:36:02 2634399 Link 0 |
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It grew out of the illegal parties in the bogs in Laois and Tipperary in the late 90s-early noughties. Apparently these were great craic too..... 1st silent disco I ever heard tell of was at one of these.....and the first "body and soul arena", or chillout tent.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17033 - 01/09/2025 12:26:58 2634464 Link 0 |
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Just wondering anyone know who topping the charts in senior and intermediate football, ie top 3 in each grade scoring forwards Lockerroomboy (Wexford) - Posts: 495 - 01/09/2025 12:28:23 2634465 Link 0 |
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Absolutely it would be handier in June. Summer Solstace would be a very suitable weekend bearing in mind it's origins.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17033 - 01/09/2025 12:28:50 2634466 Link 0 |
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I was talking to a secondary school teacher last night who told me there was a real push backed by the football advisory committee to enter a combined wexford team in senior A secondary schools football for the year ahead with trainers lined up to take the teams backed by John Hegarty along with some of the u20 management team. tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1561 - 04/09/2025 15:22:33 2634901 Link 0 |