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National Forum

Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To Viking66:  "It doesn't take away from club. None of our u14s or u15s have missed any club training or matches on account of being in development squads, and pretty sure thats the case for the 2 lads on the u16 development squad also.
All counties are running development squads , so there must be some merit in the idea."
Should vd been more specific u17 covers 2 grades .
I dont know the facts so could be off did nt your own amalgamated u18s give walkover in development league final the other night . That is not a judgement r critcism of your club just a fact and I dont know the reasons behind it .
But think about my points and then judge could any of my reasoning appy to or contribute to situations like this .
Think about it having to amalgzmate in first instance is that anything to do with my points . All clubs losing players why? . Apart from age old reasons what else is contributing

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 692 - 22/05/2026 23:16:14    2674707

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Replying To Viking66:  "We dont have any minors playing adult this year."
Fair enough, but I know you're from Taghmon-Camross, and if I'm not mistaken, you're only fielding one team in both football & hurling in the All County Leagues, not taking part in the Cross-District Junior 'B' Hurling League thing, and of course there's no corresponding competition for football, so you're not trying to field a second football team either.

Lot easier to find a squad of about 18 players for just one team in each code without resorting to Minors than it is to find 30 to 35 or more to make up two squads to field two teams.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4008 - 23/05/2026 00:35:45    2674711

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Replying To Viking66:  "
Replying To Pikeman96:  "[quote=Viking66:  "[quote=Pikeman96:  "@viking66 - I've never actually said or suggested that starting to play adult hurling a year earlier might not be a benefit to players, and a benefit we might see pay off for our county U20 teams.

But I think it'd be only a very small factor in the overall scheme of things, compared to other things like having effective management teams in place, good coaching, good gameplans, good S&C, and so on. It seems others would have you believe it's the major thing missing that will have a massive effect all by itself."
I agree its only 1 thing we need to improve, and that by itself it will only make a small bit of difference.
But if you look at our u20s this year Galway only brought the game into ET with a last puck of a ball 65 out towards the sideline. We were only a very small bit away from winning that game."
Or in other words - one slightly less accurate puck from an opposition free-taker, and we'd have been back in a Leinster Final. With a bunch of players who hadn't played adult hurling while still Minors.

That's a measure of how small the margin is and is as good an example as any of why I'm not convinced the change will be as significant as many seem to believe it will be."]Plainly we arent going to agree on this. But from talking to numerous people in other counties about this Im firmly of the belief it will help our u20s going forward."]Again, I've never said it won't bring any improvement.

I just believe that if it does, it'll only be a very small factor. Maybe of the order of 5% or less. But that the way other people talk, you'd think it's the one major thing that will make more difference than anything else. That's the narrative I'm challenging.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4008 - 23/05/2026 00:41:17    2674712

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Replying To Formertownie:  "Should vd been more specific u17 covers 2 grades .
I dont know the facts so could be off did nt your own amalgamated u18s give walkover in development league final the other night . That is not a judgement r critcism of your club just a fact and I dont know the reasons behind it .
But think about my points and then judge could any of my reasoning appy to or contribute to situations like this .
Think about it having to amalgzmate in first instance is that anything to do with my points . All clubs losing players why? . Apart from age old reasons what else is contributing"
Yeah, it's a bad sign when an amalgamated team like Taghmore Gaels has to give a walkover, presumably because they couldn't field a team between the two clubs involved.

Don't know the reasons. Some of it could be due to the external factors we've been discussing, but could be the case that much of it is due to internal factors that the clubs themselves could better control too.

FWIW, Volunteers also received a walkover in their semi-final, but at least that was from just one club. And in fairness, from a club who I believe were down a few due to county squads in both codes (inclding Celtic Challenage). As well as a few mammies who told lads "you're not going out to play football when the Leaving Cert is just a few weeks away!".

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4008 - 23/05/2026 00:48:23    2674713

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Replying To Neveronthefence:  "Only players who are on, u17 or u20 squads are not restricted form playing in t g e league, all development squad player are allowed play for their clubs. If lads are not playing then clubs should let squad mentors know. Up to u16 it's club first"
My understanding is celtic challenge is meant to be a development squad but now forms part of an extended minor panel and those players are missing for their clubs.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1696 - 23/05/2026 07:18:50    2674715

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Replying To Formertownie:  "Yes that's true up to u15 . But u17 intr county covers 2 grades at club 16 and 18 . At a time when its hard enough to keep lads involved anyway .
Surely bar 20 to 24 players the rest should be playing at club too as well as celtic challenge or u19
If you have 2 on hurling 2 on football u17 have small squad of 20 .if for talk sake u have 2 injured that's 14 now u are looking at walkovers that's great for moral in club and keeping lads involved right ?
All i m saying is too many inter county underage games small league then knock out snd if your beaten at any stage ur out no more back doors side doors if you csnt get in the front door your noymt welcome ."
Ah no dont agree with that at all. Intercounty minor is about developing players with the hope they will make it as Seniors. How do you develop lads if they only have one game? As well as that intercounty minor and u20 are over altogether early enough in the year. Plenty of time for all those lads to play for their clubs.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20660 - 23/05/2026 08:02:35    2674716

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Replying To Formertownie:  "Should vd been more specific u17 covers 2 grades .
I dont know the facts so could be off did nt your own amalgamated u18s give walkover in development league final the other night . That is not a judgement r critcism of your club just a fact and I dont know the reasons behind it .
But think about my points and then judge could any of my reasoning appy to or contribute to situations like this .
Think about it having to amalgzmate in first instance is that anything to do with my points . All clubs losing players why? . Apart from age old reasons what else is contributing"
There were more walkovers given. It wasnt only our amalgamation that gave a walkover, the divisions 1 and 2 Cup finals were both conceded also. The fixtures lads shouldve had those finals a little earlier in the year. A week or 2 back.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20660 - 23/05/2026 08:05:18    2674717

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It's rather sad really that there are no players from any of our 4 biggest population towns in the county to play against Cork today.
There is just one from the Harriers on the bench and one from the Harriers on the extended panel.
New Ross, Gorey and Enniscorthy have no representives throughout the whole panel.
Our u20 panel wasn't exactly bulging with town players either.
The evidence seems to suggest that other sports are attracting more and more lads to their codes, so ultimately it leaves hurling the poor relation.
This is not only happening now as there has been a trend over the last few years towards low numbers from our main towns providing players to represent the county at underage level.
Looks like all our main towns are dying out fast in a hurling context and obviously then if the trend continues to decline, the senior squads in the towns will suffer greatly in the near future.
No real solutions unfortunately.
If most of our schools in the urban areas are weak at promoting our great game then all we can expect is more of the same.

Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 736 - 23/05/2026 08:18:19    2674718

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I don't know where I stand on the shields debate, but in general I believe anything which keeps lads hurling for longer is good.
I don't wonder if giving medals for winning a shield is a good idea though. I think fair enough let the clubs compete for the shield but a county medal should be for a winner only.
Tomorrow is going to be a frustrating day in Wexford Park and its going to be hard on the players, I just hope some Wexford people go out and show them we have their back. We want these players to stay on and come back next year, an empty Wexford Park will have them wondering why bother.
The easiest thing to do was stay away this year. It was a poor year but we need these lads to stick with it and hope the 20's and minors come through.
On that topic, good luck to the minors today.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2169 - 23/05/2026 09:36:03    2674724

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "I agree its only 1 thing we need to improve, and that by itself it will only make a small bit of difference.
But if you look at our u20s this year Galway only brought the game into ET with a last puck of a ball 65 out towards the sideline. We were only a very small bit away from winning that game."
Or in other words - one slightly less accurate puck from an opposition free-taker, and we'd have been back in a Leinster Final. With a bunch of players who hadn't played adult hurling while still Minors.

That's a measure of how small the margin is and is as good an example as any of why I'm not convinced the change will be as significant as many seem to believe it will be."]Plainly we arent going to agree on this. But from talking to numerous people in other counties about this Im firmly of the belief it will help our u20s going forward."]Again, I've never said it won't bring any improvement.

I just believe that if it does, it'll only be a very small factor. Maybe of the order of 5% or less. But that the way other people talk, you'd think it's the one major thing that will make more difference than anything else. That's the narrative I'm challenging."]But the thing is, I'm not sure it's a case of fixing one big thing, it's more a case of fixing a load of little things

My father is a club rep at County Board meetings and he said to me after the Kinnerk Report that it was nearly a wonder we aren't even worse considering all the things that need fixing

You could nearly write a list of all the small things that are wrong, changing one thing won't mean much but changing a lot of them would

Quality of club coaching

Quality of development squad coaching

Quality of secondary school coaching

Number of development squad coaches

Number of CB-employed coaches

Number of training sessions at club level

Number of training sessions at secondary school level

Number of training sessions at development squad level

Length of training sessions at development squad level

Lack of district vs district competition at underage level?

S&C at development squad level (Was better at U20 and Minor level this year but can't drop down again, need to push on)

S&C at club level (How many clubs actually do this?)
Length of club season

Absence of hurling programmes in the winter (What Viking says Clare do, maybe ASH becomes this in time)

Number of players on development squad panels

Structure of club championship at adult level

Not enough clubs willing to do out development programmes

Not enough lads hurling off the wall at home

Lack of volunteers across the board

Hurling 365 in need of reform

I might have left out some issues, probably have, would say most people agree with the above and that they are fixable, problem is actually fixing them, I'd say we know what to do but that's a lot different to actually being able to do it

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1520 - 23/05/2026 10:51:44    2674730

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Replying To Magpie2:  "It's rather sad really that there are no players from any of our 4 biggest population towns in the county to play against Cork today.
There is just one from the Harriers on the bench and one from the Harriers on the extended panel.
New Ross, Gorey and Enniscorthy have no representives throughout the whole panel.
Our u20 panel wasn't exactly bulging with town players either.
The evidence seems to suggest that other sports are attracting more and more lads to their codes, so ultimately it leaves hurling the poor relation.
This is not only happening now as there has been a trend over the last few years towards low numbers from our main towns providing players to represent the county at underage level.
Looks like all our main towns are dying out fast in a hurling context and obviously then if the trend continues to decline, the senior squads in the towns will suffer greatly in the near future.
No real solutions unfortunately.
If most of our schools in the urban areas are weak at promoting our great game then all we can expect is more of the same."
I agree with your point in general although Robbie Kehoe is GOH and he has started every day

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1520 - 23/05/2026 11:25:01    2674739

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Replying To Magpie2:  "It's rather sad really that there are no players from any of our 4 biggest population towns in the county to play against Cork today.
There is just one from the Harriers on the bench and one from the Harriers on the extended panel.
New Ross, Gorey and Enniscorthy have no representives throughout the whole panel.
Our u20 panel wasn't exactly bulging with town players either.
The evidence seems to suggest that other sports are attracting more and more lads to their codes, so ultimately it leaves hurling the poor relation.
This is not only happening now as there has been a trend over the last few years towards low numbers from our main towns providing players to represent the county at underage level.
Looks like all our main towns are dying out fast in a hurling context and obviously then if the trend continues to decline, the senior squads in the towns will suffer greatly in the near future.
No real solutions unfortunately.
If most of our schools in the urban areas are weak at promoting our great game then all we can expect is more of the same."
Yes there is Kehoe is from Ross playing full forward

Wexfordgaa (Wexford) - Posts: 396 - 23/05/2026 11:50:48    2674748

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "I agree with your point in general although Robbie Kehoe is GOH and he has started every day"
Fair enough Elgransenor
My apologies to the lad and Gearldine O Hanrahans club.
Still one out of 26 though. Not forgetting the extended panel.

Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 736 - 23/05/2026 12:02:42    2674751

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How many GPOs, or whatever their current title is , are employed in Wexford either directly by the county board or by the clubs/schools themselves?

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 761 - 23/05/2026 13:01:23    2674757

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Yeah, it's a bad sign when an amalgamated team like Taghmore Gaels has to give a walkover, presumably because they couldn't field a team between the two clubs involved.

Don't know the reasons. Some of it could be due to the external factors we've been discussing, but could be the case that much of it is due to internal factors that the clubs themselves could better control too.

FWIW, Volunteers also received a walkover in their semi-final, but at least that was from just one club. And in fairness, from a club who I believe were down a few due to county squads in both codes (inclding Celtic Challenage). As well as a few mammies who told lads "you're not going out to play football when the Leaving Cert is just a few weeks away!"."
Ur last paragraph emphasises my point . Celric challenge players nit available to their club for game so to accompdate a 2nd hurling team . A team gives a walkover in a final or semi final leaving the rest of his team sitting at home . How are we suppose to keep lads playing if the people suppose to be helping are taking players out of the equation .
And spare a thought fir volunteers looking forward to a semi final and final and play none its not just the team conceding affected. How are we suppose to promote this league of the likelihood is the finals may not get played .
It's not right at present and to me its down to too much emphasiss on county underage.
Yes parents prob want their kids concentrating on exams . And to be honest its understandable it could influence their whole lives .
I do think players should play to get away from the pressure but that's a personal point of view .

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 692 - 23/05/2026 15:06:09    2674765

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Tough one to take for the Minors, looked to be in a great position when 1-15 to 0-14 up with about 7 minutes to go but their goal came at the right wrong time, changed the entire game

They hit some very good scores from tight angles in the first half and then towards the end of the second half was probably the difference in the end, we created a good few goal opportunities but just weren't able to make them pay, they only really had a half-chance at goal outside of the two goals they got so their first goal was a bit of a sucker punch

Thought we had got the better of them physically too and were winning most of the duels, that's why their goal was such a killer

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1520 - 23/05/2026 16:24:33    2674776

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Heartbreaking loss for the minors. We looked the better team for the majority of that match . It's been a really tough year this year. I really hope our fortunes start to turn both in underage and senior . It's going to take a lot of work and we need everyone to put their shoulders to the wheel. It feels like we need a breakthrough at underage do we look like having a good squad at u17 and u20 next year ? Hard to believe after tomorrow no Wexford team will be playing hurling until next January . Something has to change lads

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 1129 - 23/05/2026 16:33:01    2674778

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Replying To Formertownie:  "Ur last paragraph emphasises my point . Celric challenge players nit available to their club for game so to accompdate a 2nd hurling team . A team gives a walkover in a final or semi final leaving the rest of his team sitting at home . How are we suppose to keep lads playing if the people suppose to be helping are taking players out of the equation .
And spare a thought fir volunteers looking forward to a semi final and final and play none its not just the team conceding affected. How are we suppose to promote this league of the likelihood is the finals may not get played .
It's not right at present and to me its down to too much emphasiss on county underage.
Yes parents prob want their kids concentrating on exams . And to be honest its understandable it could influence their whole lives .
I do think players should play to get away from the pressure but that's a personal point of view ."
Minor hurlers effectively had a squad of almost 50 which is as far as i bekjeve is against co boards own rules when it comes to squad sizes and players being available for their clubs.

I've said it before there's a growing disconnect between club and county and this sort of thing isnt helping.

Our resurgence as a county has to be club driven, at the moment there an afterthought who don't matter, the disconnect is something thats self inflicted.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1696 - 23/05/2026 16:36:40    2674779

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Minors lose to Cork by 3 points.
It looked good for a long time but we lost control in the last 10 minutes and let them back in the game.
Cork began to dominate and got a vital goal and a few points to put them in front. We hit the net late on but then they finished us off by getting a major at the death.
We really played very well for long periods and there was some excellent performances all over the field.
Unfortunately Cork came good at the right time and we were left lacking our wounds once again.

Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 736 - 23/05/2026 16:51:30    2674786

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Replying To Magpie2:  "Minors lose to Cork by 3 points.
It looked good for a long time but we lost control in the last 10 minutes and let them back in the game.
Cork began to dominate and got a vital goal and a few points to put them in front. We hit the net late on but then they finished us off by getting a major at the death.
We really played very well for long periods and there was some excellent performances all over the field.
Unfortunately Cork came good at the right time and we were left lacking our wounds once again."
Typo error. Last line should of course read " licking our wounds"
Sorry about that.

Magpie2 (Wexford) - Posts: 736 - 23/05/2026 16:56:26    2674789

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