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Wexford Club Hurling 2026

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "IMO, the split season benefits football more than hurling given that a lot of clubs that are dual in theory are really hurling clubs that do a little bit of football here and there

Not saying it's the right or wrong option because it benefits football, just that most of these clubs will do hurling training the same week they actually have a football match

The format where the top 3 go through, 4th plays 5th, and 6th goes straight to relegation is an improvement on what we had although I still think we can do better than this. I think we could do with fewer rounds because there are enough games as things stand but if we are going to do 9 rounds of hurling, then the Aussie double-elimination structure would be better e.g. 1st plays 2nd from the other group with the winner going straight through to the SFs and the lose then playing the winner of 3rd vs 4th in the QFs

Would personally prefer 8 rounds rather than 9; would rather 1st goes straight through to the SFs, with 2nd playing 3rd in the QFs (If you come 4th in your group after 5 games, I'm not sure you should feel entitled to be in the knockout stages)"
Like the sound of that format. There is a real reward for finishing 1st.

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 1097 - 14/01/2026 16:06:34    2651066

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Like the sound of that format. There is a real reward for finishing 1st."
Agreed.

Every other sport that has a league/cup hybrid rewards you proportionally to where you finish in the league stage

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4556 - 14/01/2026 21:41:37    2651097

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Being predominantly hurling orientated county anyone on hurling side will do what they think is best for hurling .
Anyone on football side will do what's best for football .
A small minority will do what's best for both with compromise if allowed .
Clubs will do what's best for them.
Outside Coaches will do whats best for them and their prospects of success .
County board will do what's best for mostly hurling
Players want what's best for them and their lives (without the players buy in nothing and I mean nothing will improve so no matter what we should be listening to them)
Everyone has their own agenda and idea of what best for the game but mostly whats best for their success .
So yes we ll go with this new format for now until its decided yiu know what I think hurling will improve if we do this instead . Reading between the lines it means our prospects will improve.
It will be a perennial problem of coming up with a new better format
You cant bring in a hurling first outsider to maybe advise what's best format as his agenda is hurling only . Do we just play both codes in the county and enjoy them for what they are and forget our obsession with being perennial contenders intercounty . Hoping that if county championships are seriously contestd we might just get a good crop of players capable of competing intercounty .
Everyone is trying to get format to improve the standard or are they just working on whats best for their agenda .
Pikeman again games at 16 and 18 are basically practice matches until championship starts after intercounty u17 ends and leaving cert over . How many walkovers were given in the dev leagues . No finals .either . Was nt hat long ago both ages had 3 games cgzmpionship before intercounty started . Would this still be better and give more playes a chance to put their hand up . County minors play practice matches and possibly 15 to 20 of the extended squad are only making up the numbers . Too much emphasis on intercunty at u17 why are we competitive even most years

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 607 - 14/01/2026 22:15:49    2651102

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@formertownie - re. Minor & U16 games, I was just replying to the poster who thought there might be no matches at those age groups at all until end June/early July, to let him know that there are matches after all.

The Leagues between March and May are second fiddle to the championships every bit as much as the All County Leagues at adult level are second fiddle to the adult championships, but a few points:

- at least they're providing matches in both codes, and lads are continuing to train for those matches.
- to the best of my knowledge, county squad players who weren't making the matchday 24 were released back to their clubs last year to play in those matches. But I stand to be corrected on this one.
- also to the best of my knowledge, they plan to bring back league finals this year.

And yes, there used to be a system where there'd be two or maybe even three championship games in each code around March and early April, but couple of points on that:

- hasn't happened since before Covid. Last year of it was 2019.
- inter-county at the time didn't start until well into April. Now county minor football starts end of March. If you're to allow the county team even a fortnight together before their first match, you'd need these four to six rounds of minor club championship done by middle of March, which means starting them around middle February.
- used to be regular complaints about long lay-off with no games between end March/early April and what used to usually be middle of July before club matches resumed. Now at least there are league matches to keep lads occupied.

Like so much else, it's not ideal. But not much is! And again, was really just replying to the poster who thought there might be no U16 or Minor club matches at that time of year at all.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3735 - 15/01/2026 12:03:25    2651139

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Replying To Formertownie:  "Being predominantly hurling orientated county anyone on hurling side will do what they think is best for hurling .
Anyone on football side will do what's best for football .
A small minority will do what's best for both with compromise if allowed .
Clubs will do what's best for them.
Outside Coaches will do whats best for them and their prospects of success .
County board will do what's best for mostly hurling
Players want what's best for them and their lives (without the players buy in nothing and I mean nothing will improve so no matter what we should be listening to them)
Everyone has their own agenda and idea of what best for the game but mostly whats best for their success .
So yes we ll go with this new format for now until its decided yiu know what I think hurling will improve if we do this instead . Reading between the lines it means our prospects will improve.
It will be a perennial problem of coming up with a new better format
You cant bring in a hurling first outsider to maybe advise what's best format as his agenda is hurling only . Do we just play both codes in the county and enjoy them for what they are and forget our obsession with being perennial contenders intercounty . Hoping that if county championships are seriously contestd we might just get a good crop of players capable of competing intercounty .
Everyone is trying to get format to improve the standard or are they just working on whats best for their agenda .
Pikeman again games at 16 and 18 are basically practice matches until championship starts after intercounty u17 ends and leaving cert over . How many walkovers were given in the dev leagues . No finals .either . Was nt hat long ago both ages had 3 games cgzmpionship before intercounty started . Would this still be better and give more playes a chance to put their hand up . County minors play practice matches and possibly 15 to 20 of the extended squad are only making up the numbers . Too much emphasis on intercunty at u17 why are we competitive even most years"
Agree on a lit but i think there are a lot more people who want to good for both than what you think.
The obsession with the club championship as something that will make us a better intercounty team is unreal. We are talking about an adult championship here, if the ground work is not done at underage no adult championship will help us improve. The championship should be a balance of what is best for the players and supporters, dead rubber games generate little interest but players would rather still be in the championship than out however as a player you also have to accept that if you have 5 games and beaten in all you don't deserve to be still in with a shout, it doesn't put you in the right frame of mind at the start or during the championship. Over 95% of the players are club only players and the bedrock of the GAA.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2208 - 16/01/2026 12:50:34    2651310

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Good that we finally saw sense on this.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2088 - 17/01/2026 23:14:26    2651537

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The draws took place after the Carlow game. Any new coaches involved with teams this year to look out for? Group A of senior hurling championship looks tough, especially on Fethard but wouldn't put it past them picking up a couple of wins they have some very good players now. Group B all team will be happy with there side.

WexMurph (Wexford) - Posts: 351 - 09/02/2026 16:11:37    2655689

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Any Early Senior-Intermediate A Predictions?

Hurler20 (Wexford) - Posts: 12 - 07/04/2026 00:39:27    2665030

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Martins - Cloughbawn?

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2088 - 07/04/2026 09:25:06    2665044

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I think martins+crossabeg
Think Harriers be relegated

theboys (Wexford) - Posts: 305 - 07/04/2026 10:19:22    2665049

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Replying To Hurler20:  "Any Early Senior-Intermediate A Predictions?"
Finals at each grade-
Martins v Rathnure
Cloughbawn v Crossabeg
Gusserane v Taghmon (hopefully!!!)

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19913 - 07/04/2026 12:14:39    2665070

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Replying To Viking66:  "Finals at each grade-
Martins v Rathnure
Cloughbawn v Crossabeg
Gusserane v Taghmon (hopefully!!!)"
Could not see Crossabeg near it in Inter. Nor Gusserane or Taghmon.

countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 1012 - 08/04/2026 10:29:49    2665208

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Replying To countyman2022:  "Could not see Crossabeg near it in Inter. Nor Gusserane or Taghmon."
St James will be dogged enough at inter again, but Crossabeg might know that they're best chance at getting back to Senior would be to go straight back up. I imagine they will be making a massive push. I still think Cloughbawn will win it.
At Intermediate A Gusserane will concentrate on Football for sure, but will be very fit, big and fast, and have some good hurlers.
The Taghmon choice is being positive, but if we can remain injury free we might do it, the lads will be fitter and faster this year! After losing to Rosslare the 1st day we went undefeated in the Group stages last year and topped our group, before not turning up at all against Duffry in the QF.
Rosslare wont be bad either.
Cushinstown will be decent if a couple of lads who missed last year away travelling have returned. They also have a couple of decent lads up out of minor.
Adamstown have lost a couple travelling, and might concentrate more on Football. Time will tell.
Duffry will be very fit and well organised the new manager will make sure of that, and have some good young hurlers in their late teens early 20s coming through, and will be there or thereabouts. Young Roban who is with the county u20 footballers has a bit of X factor about him.
But it might be a year or 2 too soon for Monageer.
Shels 2nds will be decent as the recent good minor groups will be another year older.
Clongeen are dark horses and worth an each way bet at good odds if you like a flutter.
Martins and Oulart tend to lose too many good players to their Seniors as the year goes on.
It will be interesting to see how Marshalstown get on back up in Intermediate A for the 1st time in a good few years, maybe before Covid?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19913 - 08/04/2026 12:23:13    2665237

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Dont think you can really look past Martins again this year for senior, I dont think they will be stopped. I think Fethard will be relegated. Intermediate will be competitive, dont think Crossabeg will go back up, think they are the poorest of the teams that have come down in sometime. They have been very lucky not to be relegated a few times before this. In saying that, they could still be close to wining intermediate but they wont sweep al teams before them like say Rathnure. I think Cloughbawn will win the Intermediate grade with with Horeswood being the team to go down. Intermediate A will I think be the most competitive. I actually fancy Rathgarogue, they have some strong minors this year, second favorites for me would be Monageer. Think they will meet in the final.

Will be interesting to see how Ballyfad do on their own this year. Also I hear Castletown are putting a lot into hurling this year so they might be a dark horse for Intermediate.

alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 596 - 08/04/2026 12:55:11    2665245

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Replying To alwaysasub:  "Dont think you can really look past Martins again this year for senior, I dont think they will be stopped. I think Fethard will be relegated. Intermediate will be competitive, dont think Crossabeg will go back up, think they are the poorest of the teams that have come down in sometime. They have been very lucky not to be relegated a few times before this. In saying that, they could still be close to wining intermediate but they wont sweep al teams before them like say Rathnure. I think Cloughbawn will win the Intermediate grade with with Horeswood being the team to go down. Intermediate A will I think be the most competitive. I actually fancy Rathgarogue, they have some strong minors this year, second favorites for me would be Monageer. Think they will meet in the final.

Will be interesting to see how Ballyfad do on their own this year. Also I hear Castletown are putting a lot into hurling this year so they might be a dark horse for Intermediate."
Ballyfad have nearly the whole 26 man first team panel that Kilanerin/Tara Rocks had.
At the same time will they train as much for hurling as they did when they were in with Tara Rocks?
Castletown will be decent. Not sure Horeswood will be worse than Craanford, and Blackwater were pretty poor last year too.
Fethard will surprise you. They have a good few young players who have played county u19/u20 hurling in the recent past. They also beat Barntown in Premier u21 in 2024, but had to concede their QF to Oulart on account of the lads having to play in the Leister Intermediate Football Championship. 2 Whelans, 2 Byrnes, Molloy, Sutton etc. Add in lads like Nunan and Ellis that were on the county u20 football squad and arent terrible hurlers. And other lads a little older like Mikey Dwyer will be fully fit for the 1st time in a number of years. Alot will depend on them all being fully fit for the whole of next years club championship. But if they are they will surprise a few hurling snobs from up the county :-D

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19913 - 08/04/2026 15:07:56    2665274

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Anyone see the semis last weekend> Was very impressed with Rathnure, Thought Gorey's tactics were strange, Always going back to the goalie for the puckouts and just launching it in on top of McDonald who was very well marshalled by Quigley. Some excellent scores also and Rathnure seemed to be moving very well.

alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 596 - 04/06/2026 10:38:31    2677791

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