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Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Fully agree with our approach of blooding young lads at this stage of the year and through the league. On that subject I was trying to make out what is our panel likely to look like by the end of the league. We will have the lads involved in yesterdays panel competing for places along with the following.
Martins lads Jack O Connor , David Codd, Darren Codd and whoever else Keith calls up from Martin. One or two more Davidstown lads, Liam Ryan? Conor Hearne, Conor Foley, Cian Molloy, Shane Reck, Damien Reck, Conor Mac? Lee Chin, Mikie Dwyer?
Other than these lads cant see many others being added to the panel that's currently training at the moment"
So that's 9/10 starters to come back potentially. Quite a lot when you see it written down

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4123 - 05/01/2026 15:43:09    2649911

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "So that's 9/10 starters to come back potentially. Quite a lot when you see it written down"
I would say about 6 or 7 starters to come back definitely then its unconfirmed whether we'll see Liam Ryan or Conor Mac will be back. I hadnt touched on Rory O Connor yet I hope he has the time of his life in Australia travelling. Hopefully we see him back in the purple and gold in 2027

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 808 - 05/01/2026 15:49:46    2649912

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Tbh, I don't think promotion from 1B is the be all and end all this year, have to recognise how young and inexperienced large parts of our squad are, getting them meaningful experience in the league is the most important thing because if they don't get that, we'll be in a bad place for the Championship

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 764 - 05/01/2026 16:12:35    2649916

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Fully agree with our approach of blooding young lads at this stage of the year and through the league. On that subject I was trying to make out what is our panel likely to look like by the end of the league. We will have the lads involved in yesterdays panel competing for places along with the following.
Martins lads Jack O Connor , David Codd, Darren Codd and whoever else Keith calls up from Martin. One or two more Davidstown lads, Liam Ryan? Conor Hearne, Conor Foley, Cian Molloy, Shane Reck, Damien Reck, Conor Mac? Lee Chin, Mikie Dwyer?
Other than these lads cant see many others being added to the panel that's currently training at the moment"
Cian Molloy is in already. Conor Foley is too, and I assume Cathal Parker. Lads who we also haven't seen yet include Cian and Cillian Byrne, James Byrne, Jack Redmond, Dara Kehoe?
Mikie had an operation, possibly 2, and will be out for a good while. Hopefully Rory will be back.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17941 - 05/01/2026 16:13:50    2649917

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "So that's 9/10 starters to come back potentially. Quite a lot when you see it written down"
Cian Byrne is a starter, Cillian maybe too. Jack Redmond hopefully, Dara Kehoe maybe? James Byrne might kick on also.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17941 - 05/01/2026 16:16:56    2649918

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Replying To Viking66:  "Cian Molloy is in already. Conor Foley is too, and I assume Cathal Parker. Lads who we also haven't seen yet include Cian and Cillian Byrne, James Byrne, Jack Redmond, Dara Kehoe?
Mikie had an operation, possibly 2, and will be out for a good while. Hopefully Rory will be back."
Wouldnt mind seeing what Cillian Byrne and Darragh Kehoe can do in the walsh cup/league too. Had heard there is a small chance Rory might be back for championship but if not If not that's okay too there's more to life than hurling as much as we love it! Would love to see Cian Molloy given a chance to cement his place at 6 this year and im really hoping someone like Eoin Whelan or Darragh Kehoe can really put there hands up for the 3 jersey

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 808 - 05/01/2026 16:25:26    2649921

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Fitzgibbon squads announced per Michael Verney of the Indo (https://x.com/mlverney/status/2008194281148915742?s=46)

Between that and the reply to it, I have counted 23 Wexford players

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 764 - 05/01/2026 17:27:59    2649932

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Fitzgibbon squads announced per Michael Verney of the Indo (https://x.com/mlverney/status/2008194281148915742?s=46)

Between that and the reply to it, I have counted 23 Wexford players"
Seen that earlier. Good luck to all the lads named. And to the good number of Wexford lads playing for SETU Carlow and TUD and others in the Ryan Cup also.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17941 - 05/01/2026 17:52:24    2649940

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Wouldnt mind seeing what Cillian Byrne and Darragh Kehoe can do in the walsh cup/league too. Had heard there is a small chance Rory might be back for championship but if not If not that's okay too there's more to life than hurling as much as we love it! Would love to see Cian Molloy given a chance to cement his place at 6 this year and im really hoping someone like Eoin Whelan or Darragh Kehoe can really put there hands up for the 3 jersey"
Eoin Whelan was definitely better at wingback. I think I prefer Damien Reck at 6 to Patsy Molloy tbh. Id like to see a halfback line of Patsy Molloy, Damien Reck and Eoin Whelan tried in the League in a game or 2, see how they go.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17941 - 05/01/2026 17:56:38    2649941

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Replying To Viking66:  "Eoin Whelan was definitely better at wingback. I think I prefer Damien Reck at 6 to Patsy Molloy tbh. Id like to see a halfback line of Patsy Molloy, Damien Reck and Eoin Whelan tried in the League in a game or 2, see how they go."
Where would you play Conor Foley then think he is a starter for us ? I'd like to see Darragh Kehoe get a chance at full back too is he fit ?

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 808 - 06/01/2026 00:08:32    2649987

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Where would you play Conor Foley then think he is a starter for us ? I'd like to see Darragh Kehoe get a chance at full back too is he fit ?"
Try Conor Foley wing forward for a couple League games, we need a good ball winner there. Up or down right now he is one of our best 15 hurlers so for me definitely a starter. He will probably start wingback or cornerback come championship, but we need ball winning scoring wing forwards, and he was both those things all the way up at his club.
Midfield would be an option for him also, Conor Hearne is the only definite starter there come championship, for me right now. Eamon Wickham and David Codd are the best alternatives for me there right now. Wickham has played well there any time I've seen him the last few years in fairness, Codd too.
I definitely think Dara Kehoe is our best younger option apart from Jippo for 3, but that opinion could change if he's tried there and struggles. I think Niall Murphy should be given a chance there in a couple of League games too.
Alot of those opinions could change over the course of the League though. Surely that's what this League should be about, trying some of these things.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17941 - 06/01/2026 10:38:36    2650005

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I know this will sound like a wildly optimistic aspiration, but the last good few years you could name 12 or 13 of our 1st starting championship team at this time of year. Any of the last good few years.
What I'm hoping for this year is that apart from Damien Reck, Lee Chin, Conor Hearne and Kevin Foley none of us are able to guess with certainty who the other 11 starters will be on the Thursday morning before the 1st Championship game, and that there is a huge debate around the county that this lad or that lad, all the lads named as one of the 9 subs, should actually be starting instead of somebody who is named to start.
If we have that level of competition it will raise the standard in training and matches hugely, as lads will genuinely be fighting for their place. And then even if we have a few injuries we might still win Leinster.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17941 - 06/01/2026 10:51:24    2650009

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Where would you play Conor Foley then think he is a starter for us ? I'd like to see Darragh Kehoe get a chance at full back too is he fit ?"
Maybe Foley could work at midfield? Has some flaws defending the ball in the air that need to be addressed. Did his best at full back but it's not his position. Div 1b might be what we need to get lads more experience in a lower quality division.

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 480 - 06/01/2026 11:51:02    2650021

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Replying To Timbertony:  "Maybe Foley could work at midfield? Has some flaws defending the ball in the air that need to be addressed. Did his best at full back but it's not his position. Div 1b might be what we need to get lads more experience in a lower quality division."
Foley and Hearne would be a good partnership . Id like to see Eamon Wickham somewhere in the team if not midfield too

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 808 - 06/01/2026 12:30:37    2650028

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "I don't think we have a choice but to experiment with who is and isn't available for us at the minute.

Greater to get a runout against ye at this stage though. We'll know where we need to be for league and Leinster anyway."
I wouldn't read much in to a challenge match in January Doylerwex, no offence. You learn very very little from hurling in January.
But as always best of luck to Wexford for the year ahead.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1525 - 06/01/2026 14:19:18    2650046

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "I wouldn't read much in to a challenge match in January Doylerwex, no offence. You learn very very little from hurling in January.
But as always best of luck to Wexford for the year ahead."
Never underestimate the power of winning my friend.

Really successful teams don't care what month it is.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4123 - 06/01/2026 19:47:38    2650096

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "Never underestimate the power of winning my friend.

Really successful teams don't care what month it is."
Winning Walsh Cup games doesnt mean much but it would give this young team much needed confidence going into the league. Dublin will be a big challenge and if they pick a similar team to last Sunday will have plenty of regular championship starters on show. Lets hope the game goes ahead there is heavy rain forecast for the south east tomorrow

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 808 - 07/01/2026 11:00:54    2650143

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Winning Walsh Cup games doesnt mean much but it would give this young team much needed confidence going into the league. Dublin will be a big challenge and if they pick a similar team to last Sunday will have plenty of regular championship starters on show. Lets hope the game goes ahead there is heavy rain forecast for the south east tomorrow"
Nobody will be talking about the Walsh cup once the league starts, and equally nobody will be talking about the league once the championship starts, but you can't turn form on and off, and there are limited opportunities to get these young lads ready.

I think Dublin will be a massive test based on the team they had out on Sunday, hence I think it's an important milestone in terms of preparation. We know what we need to get out of it, and that's to see where we're at right now, and what ground we need to makeup.

I remember in 13 Dublin beat us by 23 points on the league. That game was used to develop all the team's kpis in the run up to the championship game which we drew. Make no mistake that was important to the development of that team.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4123 - 07/01/2026 11:32:16    2650148

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Winning Walsh Cup games doesnt mean much but it would give this young team much needed confidence going into the league. Dublin will be a big challenge and if they pick a similar team to last Sunday will have plenty of regular championship starters on show. Lets hope the game goes ahead there is heavy rain forecast for the south east tomorrow"
That reminds me, thought our bad start in the league last year wasn't helped by the fact we had no Walsh Cup

Yes, we were missing players against Cork but we were also missing players against Kilkenny the previous year but played much better

The Walsh Cup win in 2024 did give us a little bit of help coming into the league, do think it can give a minor confidence boost to a team

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 764 - 07/01/2026 14:14:56    2650167

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Replying To Viking66:  "I know this will sound like a wildly optimistic aspiration, but the last good few years you could name 12 or 13 of our 1st starting championship team at this time of year. Any of the last good few years.
What I'm hoping for this year is that apart from Damien Reck, Lee Chin, Conor Hearne and Kevin Foley none of us are able to guess with certainty who the other 11 starters will be on the Thursday morning before the 1st Championship game, and that there is a huge debate around the county that this lad or that lad, all the lads named as one of the 9 subs, should actually be starting instead of somebody who is named to start.
If we have that level of competition it will raise the standard in training and matches hugely, as lads will genuinely be fighting for their place. And then even if we have a few injuries we might still win Leinster."
There's wildly optimistic and then the level above!

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 480 - 07/01/2026 14:26:04    2650170

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