National Forum

Wexford Hurling Thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To Formertownie:  "You are missing the point . I believe all towns clubs are working harder on recruitment than any of the country clubs . But the success ratio is nt where they would like it to be . Unfortunately less and less are choosing hurling as their top sport .
How do u convince children to take it up . Can you answer me that .maybe then the towns clubs can do that .
It's like trying convince someone they like beef if they are vegetarian .
And yet in wexford town from what I see there are 4 minor football teams . So they do play gaa maybe just not hurling why I cant answer that . Same as there are 4 ladies football teams /clubs
Has hurling/camogie lost its aura attraction thsts the real question and why"
It's because it's harder I believe. It just takes far more work to be very good at it.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4556 - 03/06/2026 13:02:09    2677588

Link

How could investment in facilities cause a drop-off in underage coaching? Especially in Rapps case with their benefactor.
Excuse my ignorance, but underage coaching tends to be parent and GPO driven does it not. Is the problem that the clubs can't afford GPO's, or is there another point I miss?
If anything, having finer facilities would make it a nicer environment, no?

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2091 - 03/06/2026 14:31:01    2677624

Link

Does anyone know when the Urban division was brought in for the Rackard League and how does it work? Do all the town schools compete in it or do some compete in A?

And was it brought in to get schools playing GAA where they weren't really playing GAA before?

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1364 - 03/06/2026 14:53:34    2677634

Link

Tbf to Doyler, I do think he has a point when he talks about the unique challenges facing Wexford Town

Initially, I thought other towns across the country would be in a similar boat so we could compare them to Wexford Town but....

How many of them are of a similar size to Wexford Town?

How many of them are in a hurling county?

How many of them exist in a situation similar to Wexford Town i.e. Harriers as a hurling club, Sarsfields, Joseph's Maudlintown, and Vols as football clubs (Or are Vols dual again now?), Clonard as a dual club, and then Glynn having access to players in certain areas in Clonard?

Wexford Town has 21k-22k people, Ennis has 28k, Carlow and Kilkenny have 27k, Portlaoise has 23k-24k, Clonmel and Carrigaline have 18k, Tullamore has 15k-16k, and Cobh, Midleton, and Mallow have 14k

Ennis has 2 dual clubs (Éire Óg and The Banner), Carlow Town has 5 football clubs (Asca, Graiguecullen, O'Hanrahans, Setanta, and Éire Óg) and 1 hurling club (Carlow Town HC), Kilkenny has 3 hurling clubs (OLG, Village, and 'Boro), Naas has 1 dual club, Portlaoise has 1 dual club, Clonmel has 1 hurling club and 1 football club (And Moyle Rovers just outside of the town), Carrigaline has 1 dual club, Tullamore has 1 dual club (Ballinamere and Durrow just outside the town), Cobh has 1 dual club, Midleton has 1 dual club, and Mallow has 1 dual club

The closest comparison is Carlow Town as not of the other comparisons really fit

I do think if we were starting from scratch, we wouldn't have the current set-up we have right now in Wexford Town, would probably be better with three duals clubs tbh i.e. one for Clonard, one for Rowe Street, and one for Bride Street

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1364 - 03/06/2026 19:11:24    2677737

Link

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Tbf to Doyler, I do think he has a point when he talks about the unique challenges facing Wexford Town

Initially, I thought other towns across the country would be in a similar boat so we could compare them to Wexford Town but....

How many of them are of a similar size to Wexford Town?

How many of them are in a hurling county?

How many of them exist in a situation similar to Wexford Town i.e. Harriers as a hurling club, Sarsfields, Joseph's Maudlintown, and Vols as football clubs (Or are Vols dual again now?), Clonard as a dual club, and then Glynn having access to players in certain areas in Clonard?

Wexford Town has 21k-22k people, Ennis has 28k, Carlow and Kilkenny have 27k, Portlaoise has 23k-24k, Clonmel and Carrigaline have 18k, Tullamore has 15k-16k, and Cobh, Midleton, and Mallow have 14k

Ennis has 2 dual clubs (Éire Óg and The Banner), Carlow Town has 5 football clubs (Asca, Graiguecullen, O'Hanrahans, Setanta, and Éire Óg) and 1 hurling club (Carlow Town HC), Kilkenny has 3 hurling clubs (OLG, Village, and 'Boro), Naas has 1 dual club, Portlaoise has 1 dual club, Clonmel has 1 hurling club and 1 football club (And Moyle Rovers just outside of the town), Carrigaline has 1 dual club, Tullamore has 1 dual club (Ballinamere and Durrow just outside the town), Cobh has 1 dual club, Midleton has 1 dual club, and Mallow has 1 dual club

The closest comparison is Carlow Town as not of the other comparisons really fit

I do think if we were starting from scratch, we wouldn't have the current set-up we have right now in Wexford Town, would probably be better with three duals clubs tbh i.e. one for Clonard, one for Rowe Street, and one for Bride Street"
Just FYI, Vols are football only, and Clonard are hurling only (although there is an LGFA team called Clonard Volunteers).

But overall, yeah, and it's a point I've also made in the past myself that Wexford town really is a strange set-up, and if we were starting from scratch today, things would probably be done very differently.

And traditionally, it was always a "football town" rather than a hurling one. Even Faythe Harriers were set up initially as a football club, and won county football titles before they ever won one in hurling.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3740 - 04/06/2026 10:36:39    2677790

Link

Replying To Pikeman96:  "Just FYI, Vols are football only, and Clonard are hurling only (although there is an LGFA team called Clonard Volunteers).

But overall, yeah, and it's a point I've also made in the past myself that Wexford town really is a strange set-up, and if we were starting from scratch today, things would probably be done very differently.

And traditionally, it was always a "football town" rather than a hurling one. Even Faythe Harriers were set up initially as a football club, and won county football titles before they ever won one in hurling."
What is the crossover between Harriers and the football clubs? Because I always thought the majority of them were Sarsfields if they also did football

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1364 - 04/06/2026 11:19:36    2677805

Link

Just opened up the podcast stream and see Larry O'Gorman on Indo Sport about the 1996 All-Ireland.
30 years ago, are we ever going to move on from 1996 as a county?
Like I said before, every other hurling county has won one or more All-Irelands at some level in those 30 years, we are still talking about that instead.
Yes I wish I was 10 years older to remember it. But nobody under 40 has much memory of it.
Its time for the 1996 talk to end and to create a new 1996. Unfortunately, while we are still talking about it we are at our furthest distance from actually winning it again.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2091 - 04/06/2026 11:28:58    2677814

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "It's because it's harder I believe. It just takes far more work to be very good at it."
Undoubtedly it's a harder game to master especially when its not part of their Dna . Losing families and former hurlers out of a small enough pool of dedicated hurling men does not help.
Trying to instill that love of an ancient game into non hurling people is no easy task .
The less successful we are the harder it will be . I often hear people critise clubs for celebrating any success from u12 and up etc . But its not that teams won't to they feel they have to . It helps to draw attention people aspire to be the best or at least successful..
Soccer has huge profile its not local players they aspire to be its the international and premiership dream that they hold . Hard to sell hurling when we aren't in tye mix enough and especially competing against more high profile sports .

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 611 - 04/06/2026 12:03:13    2677829

Link

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "What is the crossover between Harriers and the football clubs? Because I always thought the majority of them were Sarsfields if they also did football"
Alot of Harriers players wouldve played Football for Marys Maudlintown historically

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19923 - 04/06/2026 12:35:37    2677841

Link

Replying To StoreysTash:  "Just opened up the podcast stream and see Larry O'Gorman on Indo Sport about the 1996 All-Ireland.
30 years ago, are we ever going to move on from 1996 as a county?
Like I said before, every other hurling county has won one or more All-Irelands at some level in those 30 years, we are still talking about that instead.
Yes I wish I was 10 years older to remember it. But nobody under 40 has much memory of it.
Its time for the 1996 talk to end and to create a new 1996. Unfortunately, while we are still talking about it we are at our furthest distance from actually winning it again."
Waterford and Dublin haven't won AIs since then, but yes you are right we need to move on from 96.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19923 - 04/06/2026 12:36:38    2677842

Link

Wexford GAA site has results for the Arrabawn/John Doyle cup. Are our results in these competitions alarming, and do we play a strongest team and a weaker team or equal teams?
Drew with Laois, beat Carlow, lost badly to Tipp. Lost badly to Cork at start of May.
I will read in the morning but Viking do you know?

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2091 - 04/06/2026 12:54:04    2677855

Link

Replying To StoreysTash:  "Just opened up the podcast stream and see Larry O'Gorman on Indo Sport about the 1996 All-Ireland.
30 years ago, are we ever going to move on from 1996 as a county?
Like I said before, every other hurling county has won one or more All-Irelands at some level in those 30 years, we are still talking about that instead.
Yes I wish I was 10 years older to remember it. But nobody under 40 has much memory of it.
Its time for the 1996 talk to end and to create a new 1996. Unfortunately, while we are still talking about it we are at our furthest distance from actually winning it again."
I'm old enough to have many memories of '96. And those "memories" include the fact that there were some nights I don't remember at all as we celebrated fairly strongly!

But the previous one, in 1968, came a few years before I was born. And what you're saying now about "needing to move on from 1996" is exactly what was being said around late 1980s/first half of 1990s about "needing to move on from 1968".

But I can tell you this, if 1996 is anything to go by - if we ever do get close to winning one again, you'll hear even more about the previous one that what you hear right now!

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3740 - 04/06/2026 12:56:10    2677857

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Alot of Harriers players wouldve played Football for Marys Maudlintown historically"
Not really majority would ve been sarsfields and st josephs over the years then st marys not sure if many vols hurled Think the majority of harriers adults that kick would be sarsfield and marys at present .
As far as I know last few years there was pressure on hurlers not to play football. Could be filtering down through the ages could be one of the reason of the decline in numbers as they go up through the hurling grades maybe doylerwex could clarify that situation .
As he would say its harder to master hurling the easier option is football .

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 611 - 04/06/2026 13:08:56    2677859

Link

Replying To Pikeman96:  "I'm old enough to have many memories of '96. And those "memories" include the fact that there were some nights I don't remember at all as we celebrated fairly strongly!

But the previous one, in 1968, came a few years before I was born. And what you're saying now about "needing to move on from 1996" is exactly what was being said around late 1980s/first half of 1990s about "needing to move on from 1968".

But I can tell you this, if 1996 is anything to go by - if we ever do get close to winning one again, you'll hear even more about the previous one that what you hear right now!"
It's hard to describe that time to anyone who was nt around . Don't think its so much looking back rather looking firward to another one and what it means to us as a county . U have to dream , ours came through would nt mind another one though to add to the reality .

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 611 - 04/06/2026 13:13:03    2677861

Link

Replying To StoreysTash:  "Wexford GAA site has results for the Arrabawn/John Doyle cup. Are our results in these competitions alarming, and do we play a strongest team and a weaker team or equal teams?
Drew with Laois, beat Carlow, lost badly to Tipp. Lost badly to Cork at start of May.
I will read in the morning but Viking do you know?"
B team played the 1st 2. Doing OK. A team played the 2nd 2. Poor results for the A team ok, was talking to a lad whose son is on the team. They arent getting ball inside much and are struggling for scores.
It is actually a very good group in terms of ability, but just not quite getting it together on the pitch. Id rather we had more lads in, and played 3 mixed teams at u15 myself, even if it meant we lost more games it would be better for developing a better pool of players coming into minor then u20 and Senior.
Clare do this, and just for context they lost to Cork this year in the Arrabawn by 7-28 to 0-04, and to Limerick by 12-24 to 0-08. They've had similar results at u14 and u16 the last few years, but have reached at least the AI semifinal stage in 4 out of the last 5 AI minor championships, and would likely have done so again this year bar for injuries. They still reached an AIMQF.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19923 - 04/06/2026 13:37:43    2677869

Link

Replying To Formertownie:  "Not really majority would ve been sarsfields and st josephs over the years then st marys not sure if many vols hurled Think the majority of harriers adults that kick would be sarsfield and marys at present .
As far as I know last few years there was pressure on hurlers not to play football. Could be filtering down through the ages could be one of the reason of the decline in numbers as they go up through the hurling grades maybe doylerwex could clarify that situation .
As he would say its harder to master hurling the easier option is football ."
There was definitely pressure put on last year that way.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19923 - 04/06/2026 13:41:28    2677873

Link

Replying To Formertownie:  "It's hard to describe that time to anyone who was nt around . Don't think its so much looking back rather looking firward to another one and what it means to us as a county . U have to dream , ours came through would nt mind another one though to add to the reality ."
The team of 96 are holding a 30th anniversary event in Ferrycarrig in early Sept! .. it will never end!

MyOhMi (Wexford) - Posts: 321 - 04/06/2026 13:55:44    2677883

Link

Replying To StoreysTash:  "Wexford GAA site has results for the Arrabawn/John Doyle cup. Are our results in these competitions alarming, and do we play a strongest team and a weaker team or equal teams?
Drew with Laois, beat Carlow, lost badly to Tipp. Lost badly to Cork at start of May.
I will read in the morning but Viking do you know?"
Found Laois's results elsewhere

U14
Laois Blue lost to Kilkenny by 3 and by 12 in second game, in Kilkenny
Laois White beat Offaly and Westmeath in Kilcormac

U15 Arrabawn
Laois 4-25 Dublin 2-20 in Abbottstown

U16
Laois 2-11 Wexford 0-17 in Ferns

I'm guessing the Wexford U16s would've been without their County Minors for some games although the Tipp, Laois, and Carlow games were all last Saturday by the looks of it, other counties would have U16s on their Minor panels as well tbf (Think Laois had a good few U16s starting against us this year at Minor), Cathal Whelan and Bryan Kennedy are underage again next year for Minor as far as I know, don't know whether they would've been playing last week

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1364 - 04/06/2026 14:47:04    2677900

Link

Replying To Formertownie:  "Not really majority would ve been sarsfields and st josephs over the years then st marys not sure if many vols hurled Think the majority of harriers adults that kick would be sarsfield and marys at present .
As far as I know last few years there was pressure on hurlers not to play football. Could be filtering down through the ages could be one of the reason of the decline in numbers as they go up through the hurling grades maybe doylerwex could clarify that situation .
As he would say its harder to master hurling the easier option is football ."
Have been down one of my rabbit holes here to see how many Harriers hurlers play football, and who they play it with.

I still have some of the PDF programmes from last year's club championships so am basing this on the programmes for Hurling Round 5 and Football Round 4.

Of the 15 named to start for Harriers in Hurling Round 5:
- Four were named to start for Sarsfields seniors in Football Round 4
- One was named to start for Sarsfields Junior
- One was named to start for St. Mary's Junior 'A'
- The other nine names didn't appear in the Football Round 4 programme at all.

Of the 15 Harriers subs named for that hurling match:
- One was named to start for Sarsfields seniors
- Two were named as subs for Sarsfields seniors
- One was named to start for Sarsfields Juniors
- The other eleven names weren't in the football programme at all.

Don't know if there's actual "pressure" on hurlers not to play football, but can imagine all right that there'd be difficulties in coordinating training etc. when you'd be dealing with five different clubs (Harriers/Sars/Vols/Mary's/Joseph's).

Maybe back to the thing about it being an unusual set-up in Wexford town, and how you probably wouldn't do the same if starting from scratch today.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3740 - 04/06/2026 15:17:49    2677910

Link

On closer inspection, those Tipp and Cork results are U15 and the Laois result was U16

Trying to do some digging, here's what I found from other counties

U15 Arrabawn
Tipp Blue 3-25 Wexford 1 1-17
Cork White 5-21 Wexford 1 3-13
Kilkenny 1 8-19 Dublin 1 1-8
Kilkenny 1 6-13 Tipp Gold 1-12
Clare Saffron 7-28 Cork Red 0-04
Galway 2-18 Limerick 1 3-14
Cork Red 3-17 Galway 0-12
Laois Blue 3-21 Tipp Gold 1-11
Tipp Blue 4-18 Waterford 1-16
Laois Blue 4-23 Dublin 1 2-20

A Wexford U16 team beat a Laois U16 team by 4-18 to 4-14 in June 2025, you find all sorts of funny results online

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1364 - 04/06/2026 15:33:00    2677915

Link