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Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To tearintom:  "The one thing im struggling with though in all this is im not really sure what we are trying to do.

I'm struggling to see a patern of play, a game plan, a deliberate tactic, genuinely it seems to be Lee at full forward, try to get the ball to him, if that doesn't work then try move him somewhere else and do the same.

Why do so many it seems not want to commit? Sure we have a few injuries so does everyone and our best forward is away for the year.

I genuinely dont believe we are as bad as we are showing or maybe im deluding myself."
I'd agree with you on the last sentence and I'm usually a pessimist.

Lost by 5 yesterday, Fanning gifts em a gial, they'd 2 wides that were awarded. Thats 4 or 5 points.

Our shooting to the near post under the stand in that wind was absolutely criminal, unforgiveable. And we'd our goal chances possible penalty.

And all these issues before you even contend with the other team.

When chin, Jack O etc. retire as one poster says then there is of course the possibility of dropping down to Joe McDonagh. But on the flipping of that will all the new players making their way in intercounty become proper established players and they'll drive us forward?

One things sure we don't have a conveyer belt of absolute huge prospects coming through and thats worrying. Certainly compared to the team.that emerged around 2014 or so.

WEXILE (Wexford) - Posts: 491 - 10/05/2026 08:40:28    2671923

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Replying To tearintom:  "The one thing im struggling with though in all this is im not really sure what we are trying to do.

I'm struggling to see a patern of play, a game plan, a deliberate tactic, genuinely it seems to be Lee at full forward, try to get the ball to him, if that doesn't work then try move him somewhere else and do the same.

Why do so many it seems not want to commit? Sure we have a few injuries so does everyone and our best forward is away for the year.

I genuinely dont believe we are as bad as we are showing or maybe im deluding myself."
Sensible comments there tearintom, until your last line.
I'm afraid we are as bad as we are showing, recent results don't lie. Struggled, maybe even lucky, to beat Antrim & Down, took ages to wear down a limited Kildare (albeit on a horrible sandy pitch) and destroyed by kilkenny.

Yellaman (Wexford) - Posts: 256 - 10/05/2026 08:43:46    2671926

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Looking forward over the short to medium term does anyone see any positives at all for Wexford hurling?

Hopefully an experienced manager when Keiths tenure is up? Ya see the difference a good manager makes for Carlow up to last year and Kildare right now. Enough of young potential managers.

Experienced players to come back in? Rory O Connor touch wood should be back. Will he bring Barry with him? At least he'd be physically a threat. Anymore lads returning?

Will the Gorey crowd come back in for a different manager?

Will the extra year or two of S&C bring the likes of Cillian Byrne up to scratch. Impressed by him at times.

Anyone looking like they can step in from u20s in next year or two.

Getting fed up of constant negativity now, we know where we are. That much is clear but is there anything coming down the line to feel positive about?

WEXILE (Wexford) - Posts: 491 - 10/05/2026 09:35:37    2671930

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Replying To Jedobi:  "Sad to see such a decline, so far off winning or challenging for a title, potentially the first decade since the 1940s when Wexford haven't won a senior, minor or U20/21 Championship in Leinster."
Bit early in the decade for that kind of prediction. The 2029 minors are only 14 this year.
And we havent been so far off winning Leinsters this decade either.
The 2021 minors lost the final by less than the puck of a ball.
The 2022 u20s lost the final by even less.
And it was a similar story for the 2023 u20s.
In the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s we never even reached a Leinster minor final let alone win one. Or a Senior final except in 1944 wgen we lost to Dublin.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19477 - 10/05/2026 10:42:15    2671936

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "You do have to consider that a lot of those lads are very young still. They will improve. We've some very good players not playing as well. I believe that will change when a new manager is appointed in a few weeks time."
There wont be a new manager in a few weeks time. Even if Rossi goes it will likely take months of persuading to get someone else to do it. It did the last time.
Hopefully some of the lads who are away will come back and drive the general standard in the panel next year. And some of the younger lads in the panel will kick on. There are u20s with potential also, maybe some of them might take a big step forwards.
In the short term it would be great if Cian Byrne and Cian Molloy were fit to start in Tullamore. Not sure if Shane Reck will be able though, although we really really need him. A win there might leave us with something to play for against Galway.
Although so too might a loss.....

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19477 - 10/05/2026 10:51:01    2671940

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Replying To beano:  "Yeah Fanning gets flack for his puckouts but it seems to me he is instructed to only go short to Carley, who either got gobbled up, lost possession from a handpass or in the most extreme example, had his back turned for the first goal. Surely, if going short, it'd be better feeding Ryan or Donohoe or Reck, who'd all have more werewithal to do something with the ball?

Or maybe, with our lack of ball-winners longer, do with PSG's keeper did the other night and puck it out for sidelines and press :D"
Thats not how short games are best played. Or successful short game moves are generally started. We need a keeper who can puck a low hard quick pass 50 or 60 yards out to someone straight into their hand, out wide on the 45 or running into space up the middle. Thats not in Marks locker and never has been.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19477 - 10/05/2026 10:55:06    2671942

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Replying To Fionn:  "Lee will be 34 this year, and like our own Danny Sutcliffe (34), he might feel he has given enough, and call it a day on his Inter County career.

They actually have very similar medal hauls:-

Lee Chin-
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship (1): 2019
Walsh Cup (1): 2018
Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 2013
All Star (1): 2019

Danny Sutcliffe-
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship (1): 2013
National Hurling League Division 1B (1): 2013
Walsh Cup (1): 2013
Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 2011
All Star (1): 2013
Leinster Minor Football Championship (1): 2009

Lee would be a massive loss to not only Wexford, but Hurling in general.
Top top player."
Two great players there Fionn. Will go down as all time greats for their counties, despite not winning AI medals.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19477 - 10/05/2026 10:57:00    2671943

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Replying To WEXILE:  "Looking forward over the short to medium term does anyone see any positives at all for Wexford hurling?

Hopefully an experienced manager when Keiths tenure is up? Ya see the difference a good manager makes for Carlow up to last year and Kildare right now. Enough of young potential managers.

Experienced players to come back in? Rory O Connor touch wood should be back. Will he bring Barry with him? At least he'd be physically a threat. Anymore lads returning?

Will the Gorey crowd come back in for a different manager?

Will the extra year or two of S&C bring the likes of Cillian Byrne up to scratch. Impressed by him at times.

Anyone looking like they can step in from u20s in next year or two.

Getting fed up of constant negativity now, we know where we are. That much is clear but is there anything coming down the line to feel positive about?"
Colin Carley from the 20's should be added to the senior panel next year. He has size and ability and he can take a score. Even though Sean O'Brien is a year younger, why not include him too..? We have a lack of scoring forwards so these lads should help in that regard. You don't see other counties holding young lads back if they're obviously good enough.

Purpleandgold72 (Wexford) - Posts: 288 - 10/05/2026 11:04:37    2671945

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Replying To WEXILE:  "Looking forward over the short to medium term does anyone see any positives at all for Wexford hurling?

Hopefully an experienced manager when Keiths tenure is up? Ya see the difference a good manager makes for Carlow up to last year and Kildare right now. Enough of young potential managers.

Experienced players to come back in? Rory O Connor touch wood should be back. Will he bring Barry with him? At least he'd be physically a threat. Anymore lads returning?

Will the Gorey crowd come back in for a different manager?

Will the extra year or two of S&C bring the likes of Cillian Byrne up to scratch. Impressed by him at times.

Anyone looking like they can step in from u20s in next year or two.

Getting fed up of constant negativity now, we know where we are. That much is clear but is there anything coming down the line to feel positive about?"
We have some genuinely big players on our u20 team. Carley, Mooney and Roark especially. And all 3 have made a good step forward this year, both in mobility and inner dog. I wasnt too hopeful for any of them a year ago but they are moving far better this year. Other good current u20s who are future Senior prospects include Quigley in goal, although still u20 next year, Sean O'Brien who will have 2 more years at u20, Ciaran Doyle, Niall Furlong, and others. Its still too early to say if any of them will make it, but there are some good prospects there. If I was given the Senior job next year Id have all 7 named there in the panel to see what they could do. Id have a dozen odd lads off that team in for trials depending how they went in the club championships later this year.
There are good lads away in Oz who are definitely coming home at the end of the year also. Well worth ringing.
Likewise there are some good big players on our current minor team, despite yesterday's result. Too early to say will they make good Seniors. Hopefully they can beat a Munster team next time out, and maybe get on a bit of a run.
And Ive seen some outstanding players currently at u14, u15 and u16 level, though they are even further away.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19477 - 10/05/2026 11:13:06    2671946

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Replying To WEXILE:  "Looking forward over the short to medium term does anyone see any positives at all for Wexford hurling?

Hopefully an experienced manager when Keiths tenure is up? Ya see the difference a good manager makes for Carlow up to last year and Kildare right now. Enough of young potential managers.

Experienced players to come back in? Rory O Connor touch wood should be back. Will he bring Barry with him? At least he'd be physically a threat. Anymore lads returning?

Will the Gorey crowd come back in for a different manager?

Will the extra year or two of S&C bring the likes of Cillian Byrne up to scratch. Impressed by him at times.

Anyone looking like they can step in from u20s in next year or two.

Getting fed up of constant negativity now, we know where we are. That much is clear but is there anything coming down the line to feel positive about?"
Calling it as it is, is not negativity. Commenting on the reality of results is not negativity. Observing our style of play and lack of a game plan is not negativity.

I think negativity is going through the squad as witnessed with those who did not commit this year.

I don't see any glimpses of many of the younger players that show me they will be big players in the future for us. One or 2 maybe.

It's not negativity commenting when players take 3 attempts to rise the ball. Or send a hand pass 4 yards and towards the ground.

The players have to take accountability.
Management need to take accountability of tactics.

We were sending balls into forwards as 50 50 balls yesterday.

Don't see us beating Offaly or Galway.

What I think might happen is we pull one last game performance out of us. Like the last few years.

Most will then be back on the bandwagon for next year. Wise up lads. We going backwards fast. So so far away from the top table.

Realise this and you will never be disappointed

Yellowhelmet (Australia) - Posts: 183 - 10/05/2026 11:16:56    2671948

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "You do have to consider that a lot of those lads are very young still. They will improve. We've some very good players not playing as well. I believe that will change when a new manager is appointed in a few weeks time."
I think we should move on but I'm reluctant to think that things will magically change even with a new manger in (And I say that as someone who does think that we have good talent in the 21-24yo age group)

I think there's a malaise in the county and a general negativity and we won't be going anywhere for as long as this negativity remains, only have to look at Kildare whose underage results are much worse than ours (And a lot of people complain about our underage results) and look how much positivity they have compared to us

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1176 - 10/05/2026 11:23:51    2671951

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Replying To WEXILE:  "Looking forward over the short to medium term does anyone see any positives at all for Wexford hurling?

Hopefully an experienced manager when Keiths tenure is up? Ya see the difference a good manager makes for Carlow up to last year and Kildare right now. Enough of young potential managers.

Experienced players to come back in? Rory O Connor touch wood should be back. Will he bring Barry with him? At least he'd be physically a threat. Anymore lads returning?

Will the Gorey crowd come back in for a different manager?

Will the extra year or two of S&C bring the likes of Cillian Byrne up to scratch. Impressed by him at times.

Anyone looking like they can step in from u20s in next year or two.

Getting fed up of constant negativity now, we know where we are. That much is clear but is there anything coming down the line to feel positive about?"
The biggest positive I can see is that a lot of young players are gaining valuable experience but on the flip side, will they bother sticking around if we keep getting beatings and the constant negativity surely can't be good for players' mental health.

The Gorey contingent have all been given plenty of opportunities and didn't shoot the lights out apart from McDonald obviously but he's coming to the end.

Cillian Byrne worked his socks off yesterday and that's the least any player can do when they get a chance, definitely a player in there.

As you said it's not serving anyone to keep chipping away with constant criticism and at the end of the day, apart from a few years when Davy was here, we've been also rans in Leinster for 20+ years so we're exactly where we're used to being.

Yesterday was a tough watch but I also realised watching it how completely mismatched we were physically. I don't know if or when we'll consistently challenge in Leinster but these young lads need time to develop.

YellowShadeOfPurple (Wexford) - Posts: 69 - 10/05/2026 11:24:38    2671952

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Replying To Spuds&GAA:  "We don't play in Munster. So what Benchmark are you talking about?? We need to beat both KK/Dub to get into a Leinster Final, that should be the aim for next few years. Give plenty of young lads plenty of game time.& good run out through the League.
Of course it counted for much,2022,2023,2024 we're all very winnable Leinster finals for us, Dublin have been better than us for years.
We don't have much of a Tradition in last couple of decades. I don't know what you are talking about."
No, we don't play in Munster but the aim of the game shouldn't be to win Leinster titles, the aim of the game should be to win All-Ireland title so the quality of Munster does matter, no point winning Leinster if you're not able to go toe-to-toe with the Munster sides

I never said anything about our tradition in recent years, my point was that tradition and culture play a big role in successes because the counties and clubs with tradition and culture are the ones where the kids are doing the most hurling at home outside of training sessions with their clubs

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1176 - 10/05/2026 11:29:19    2671954

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Replying To Yellowhelmet:  "Calling it as it is, is not negativity. Commenting on the reality of results is not negativity. Observing our style of play and lack of a game plan is not negativity.

I think negativity is going through the squad as witnessed with those who did not commit this year.

I don't see any glimpses of many of the younger players that show me they will be big players in the future for us. One or 2 maybe.

It's not negativity commenting when players take 3 attempts to rise the ball. Or send a hand pass 4 yards and towards the ground.

The players have to take accountability.
Management need to take accountability of tactics.

We were sending balls into forwards as 50 50 balls yesterday.

Don't see us beating Offaly or Galway.

What I think might happen is we pull one last game performance out of us. Like the last few years.

Most will then be back on the bandwagon for next year. Wise up lads. We going backwards fast. So so far away from the top table.

Realise this and you will never be disappointed"
"What I think might happen is we pull one last game performance out of us. Like the last few years."

Possibly. Wexford's last game is against Galway, who might have already qualified for the Leinster final.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2884 - 10/05/2026 11:49:35    2671958

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Lads, I've said it here before but its worth repeating, in the overall GAA ecosystem, we are an average DUAL county which is commendable in itself. We have no divine right to claim to be among the elite of the hurling fraternity, nor can we turn our noses up at the football either like some within hurling circles are inclined to do (shoe isn't on the other foot in that regard).

In fact, of ALL the counties to have won an All Ireland in both codes, elite company we are among, Wexford is the nearest to having a 50-50 split of success. Six hurling, five football. Offaly are next with four hurling and three football (54% of all our senior AIs are hurling, 57% of theirs are hurling so small margins really).

And both counties are similar in that they got their All-Irelands in profitable decades. 1910s for us in football (and one hurling), 50-60s in hurling. 70s-80-90s for the Biffos.

So in that context we have a nice little niche in the market, especially since nearly all our clubs are dual so theoretically cater for all kids, which is something to be proud of.

But we dwell on our hurling tradition too much. Like, there isn't too much of a difference in the timescale between our last All-Ireland and Offaly's, but do the latter hark back to their 90s team to the same extent as we do? Have a podcast with soundbites from that era hosted by one fella who never hurled at any real level in the county and is death against football? Offaly pulled themselves up by the bootstraps when they hit rock bottom and put structures in place to rebuild a side that could be competitive in a couple of years. Lost an All-Ireland minor title in heartbreaking fashion, won an under-20 in both codes. Swallowed their pride by dropping out of the Liam McCarthy in doing so. We'd whinge and complain should the same fate befall us.

Its all well and good having an optimistic poster on here quoting underage games where we lost to RANDOM COUNTY A by a point in an under-14 game five years ago etc. but at the end of the day we AREN'T getting over the line enough in any age grade across both codes. We'll probably still venerate the Leinster minor winners in 2029 for the tenth anniversary when most other counties would regard not winning an All-Ireland as a disappointment.

beano (Wexford) - Posts: 1553 - 10/05/2026 11:59:51    2671963

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Replying To beano:  "Yeah Fanning gets flack for his puckouts but it seems to me he is instructed to only go short to Carley, who either got gobbled up, lost possession from a handpass or in the most extreme example, had his back turned for the first goal. Surely, if going short, it'd be better feeding Ryan or Donohoe or Reck, who'd all have more werewithal to do something with the ball?

Or maybe, with our lack of ball-winners longer, do with PSG's keeper did the other night and puck it out for sidelines and press :D"
He gets criticised for his puck outs and its deserved in my opinion. Carley had his back turned to the ball yesterday, why did he even attempt to hit it to him? Regardless of whether his back was turned or not it wasn't anywhere near him and gifted them a goal

JT22 (Wexford) - Posts: 60 - 10/05/2026 12:02:33    2671965

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Replying To Viking66:  "Thats not how short games are best played. Or successful short game moves are generally started. We need a keeper who can puck a low hard quick pass 50 or 60 yards out to someone straight into their hand, out wide on the 45 or running into space up the middle. Thats not in Marks locker and never has been."
And while I don't want to criticise Rossi too much as he has done his best and it wasn't as if there were a whole host of people looking for the job a few years ago, I think he could've handled the GK situation better, don't think either Lawlor or Duggan felt like they were given a fair crack at the whip

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1176 - 10/05/2026 12:10:03    2671971

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Trying one last time to make my point.
The Cork v Waterford game was on too late yesterday and I had seen 2 disappointing hurling matches. I watched it and Laois Westmeath as had friend hurling for Laois. The standard in both, the first touch from all 4 teams, maybe bar Westmeath, was a street ahead of ours.
I don't know what the story in the Wexford camp is, but I will say talk of "not playing for the manager" would beg the question do you as a player not play for yourself first once you cross the white line?
Anybody who said we would beat Kildare and nobody else was told they were negative, problematic, whatever. There was no body of evidence of being relevant Leinster competitors. Bar Wexford optimism and to be frank, delusion.
I doubt Rossiter will be back, but who will want it is another question. We were not overran with applicants last time I don't think.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2035 - 10/05/2026 12:14:22    2671972

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Replying To Purpleandgold72:  "Colin Carley from the 20's should be added to the senior panel next year. He has size and ability and he can take a score. Even though Sean O'Brien is a year younger, why not include him too..? We have a lack of scoring forwards so these lads should help in that regard. You don't see other counties holding young lads back if they're obviously good enough."
Think Carley probably starts a few League games next year at the very least, mainly because he has size and physicality that we don't really have

Was also just thinking that O'Brien is currently a better player than two of our starting forwards yesterday, I'd be reluctant to throw him in next year though because I feel we'd be heaping a lot of pressure on his young shoulders, doesn't seem fair on him, probably starts the year after though all things going well

But the problem is that we've a team right now with a few older players who don't have much left to give, a few young players who I think have a good future but are inexperienced and need to develop physically (And there's a lack of height there too), and then we've nothing really in between

Bringing in O'Brien, Jack Nolan, Carley, Ciarán Doyle, Charlie Mooney, and Charlie Roark into the panel is necessary and we also need to give time to the likes of Conor Foley, Darragh Carley, Jack Redmond, CBD, Eoin Whelan, Éamon Wickham, David Codd, Tucker Kinsella, Diarmuid O'Leary, Luke Codd, Simon Roche, Cillian Byrne, Eoin Ryan, Cian Molloy, Richie Lawlor, and Seán Rowley

But the problem there is that we've a young and inexperienced team right now and if you bring them all in, it's still going to be a very young and inexperienced team for the next year or two, there's no real way that we can get around that

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1176 - 10/05/2026 12:17:44    2671973

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Replying To Yellowhelmet:  "Calling it as it is, is not negativity. Commenting on the reality of results is not negativity. Observing our style of play and lack of a game plan is not negativity.

I think negativity is going through the squad as witnessed with those who did not commit this year.

I don't see any glimpses of many of the younger players that show me they will be big players in the future for us. One or 2 maybe.

It's not negativity commenting when players take 3 attempts to rise the ball. Or send a hand pass 4 yards and towards the ground.

The players have to take accountability.
Management need to take accountability of tactics.

We were sending balls into forwards as 50 50 balls yesterday.

Don't see us beating Offaly or Galway.

What I think might happen is we pull one last game performance out of us. Like the last few years.

Most will then be back on the bandwagon for next year. Wise up lads. We going backwards fast. So so far away from the top table.

Realise this and you will never be disappointed"
If we were to beat Galway in a dead rubber game, I don't think anyone would be on the bandwagon because of it

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1176 - 10/05/2026 12:19:58    2671974

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