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Wexford Club Hurling 2025

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Don't be overthinking the championship structure lads. Just copy the existing football championship structure. Two groups of 6. Top four into seeded QF's, fifth place is out, bottom of each group plays relegation decider. The lack of any jeopardy in hurling at the group stage and these stupid preliminary QF's has devalued the hurling championship massively. icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2584 - 09/12/2025 16:02:37 2647677 Link
Replying To alwaysasub: "They agreed to toss for home and away but Ballygunner wouldn't agree hence Thurles." Had heard the same, and a bit more besides. Seems Kilkenny wouldn't make Nowlan Park available because the pitch is already in a bad condition. And Carlow is closed altogether until the start of the League, for works there. So Martin's & Ballygunner were asked to toss for it. Martin's agreed but Ballygunner didn't. That basically left Thurles & Portlaoise as the two "obvious" choices and Portlaoise was already being eyed up for the Intermediate semi-final between Danesfort and whatever Tipperary team it is that they're playing. And then that only left Thurles. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3306 - 09/12/2025 16:16:04 2647681 Link
@formertownie - there's an inherent flaw in any structure where teams in one group only play teams from another group. It might never happen, but this would be it - Say Teams 1, 2 and 3 are in Group A, and they play Teams 4, 5 and 6 from Group B. Every team from Group A beats every team from Group B. Now the Group A table has three teams on full points but one of them still finishes bottom and is either out of the championship proper or at least has to go through an extra round. Meanwhile, somebody is top of Group B despite having zero points and they get the benefit of being group leaders anyway. At its most basic, somebody in Group B on zero points would be safe from relegation, but somebody in Group A on full points would still be going into some sort of relegation system. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3306 - 09/12/2025 16:21:52 2647682 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "Had heard the same, and a bit more besides. Seems Kilkenny wouldn't make Nowlan Park available because the pitch is already in a bad condition. And Carlow is closed altogether until the start of the League, for works there. So Martin's & Ballygunner were asked to toss for it. Martin's agreed but Ballygunner didn't. That basically left Thurles & Portlaoise as the two "obvious" choices and Portlaoise was already being eyed up for the Intermediate semi-final between Danesfort and whatever Tipperary team it is that they're playing. And then that only left Thurles." Ballygunnar were hoping for Thurles i'd imagine after playing Eire Og there two weeks ago. Martins won't mind though, Saturday night showed they are well able to hurl and last the pace on a big pitch. Past hurler (None) - Posts: 1015 - 09/12/2025 16:23:58 2647683 Link
Replying To Doylerwex: "That is disappointing. The difference between going or not for a lot of people from other Wexford clubs I think." Wow. I mean i for one am completely shocked and surprised at a situation where a Munster team is involved in a knockout championship match and the match is brought to Semple stadium, Thurles, unprecedented really!!! Like I said previously the obsessions with Thurles and all things Munster in the world of hurling is a joke at this stage. tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1599 - 09/12/2025 16:39:30 2647686 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "Had heard the same, and a bit more besides. Seems Kilkenny wouldn't make Nowlan Park available because the pitch is already in a bad condition. And Carlow is closed altogether until the start of the League, for works there. So Martin's & Ballygunner were asked to toss for it. Martin's agreed but Ballygunner didn't. That basically left Thurles & Portlaoise as the two "obvious" choices and Portlaoise was already being eyed up for the Intermediate semi-final between Danesfort and whatever Tipperary team it is that they're playing. And then that only left Thurles." Typical Munster team mad to get into Thurles. It seems no matter what All Ireland Quarter final we get has to be played in Thurles too Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 778 - 09/12/2025 16:51:43 2647687 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "@formertownie - there's an inherent flaw in any structure where teams in one group only play teams from another group. It might never happen, but this would be it - Say Teams 1, 2 and 3 are in Group A, and they play Teams 4, 5 and 6 from Group B. Every team from Group A beats every team from Group B. Now the Group A table has three teams on full points but one of them still finishes bottom and is either out of the championship proper or at least has to go through an extra round. Meanwhile, somebody is top of Group B despite having zero points and they get the benefit of being group leaders anyway. At its most basic, somebody in Group B on zero points would be safe from relegation, but somebody in Group A on full points would still be going into some sort of relegation system." Probably did nt make it clear by your interpretation there would only be 1 table all results go into 1 table For the 12 teams . Finishing positions 1 to 12 Either 1 to 8 straight into 1/4 finals Or 1 to 6 into 1/4 finals 7 v10 8 v 9 preliminary 1/4 finals winners play 1 and 2 seeds in 1/4 final 3 v 6 4 v 5 11 v 12 relegation . My prfered option as finishing 11th 12th no second chance Or 1 to 8 1/4 finalist 1 v 8, 2 v 7 ,3 v 6,4 v 5 Relegation semi 9 v 12 10 v 11 Losers into relegation final. That will decide the finishing places scoring difference could be a huge deciding factor in placings . How id see it working if ties Qualifying 1 Points won if ties 2 score difference if ties 3 total scores converted to pts if still tied 4 goals scored 5 goals conceded. Surely after all that there would be no ties . Each group would have A top seed taking last years championship One of the 4 Semi finslists A losing 1/4 finalist And one of 3 losing preliminary 1/4 finalists and intermedate champions promoted. Being 1 table only one group could have 3 teams that lost all 3 games but probably unlikely . Score difference would be crucial then in that scenario . So every game matters. The one table would keep it in the balance until the last round of games . . Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 507 - 09/12/2025 17:59:02 2647695 Link
Replying To icehonesty: "Don't be overthinking the championship structure lads. Just copy the existing football championship structure. Two groups of 6. Top four into seeded QF's, fifth place is out, bottom of each group plays relegation decider. The lack of any jeopardy in hurling at the group stage and these stupid preliminary QF's has devalued the hurling championship massively." 6 team groups result in too many games. And there were still dead rubber games in Football too with that system. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17762 - 09/12/2025 18:07:58 2647698 Link
Replying To Doylerwex: "That is disappointing. The difference between going or not for a lot of people from other Wexford clubs I think." Yeah, I'm with you, would've gone to it if it were in Nowlan Park but won't be going to Thurles ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 734 - 09/12/2025 18:52:26 2647705 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Derek Kent highlighted the need to change our structures. Personally I think 6 team groups are too many. Basically we are playing another League. In Kilkenny, who came up with the current system we have, they even call the group stage a League, because it is, and play a League final betwesn the 2 group toppers. Thomastown beat OLG 1-19 to 0-17 points in this years league final. They call the games that follow the relegation semifinals, the knockout stages, their championship. Ballyhale beat both these teams in the knockout stages, what Kilkenny call their championship. So basically we adopted Kilkennys League and Championship and called the whole lot a championship, and then wondered why alot of clubs and players didnt take the group stages that seriously. Couldn't make it up.....I'm sure plenty of Kilkenny lads had a right laugh at us over that one!" Would any change happen for next year or would it be the year after Viking ? WexMurph (Wexford) - Posts: 331 - 09/12/2025 21:29:06 2647729 Link
Replying To ElGranSenor: "Yeah, I'm with you, would've gone to it if it were in Nowlan Park but won't be going to Thurles" Ill go up with the kids support the neighbours. Its only an extra hour up the road from Nowlan Park FFS Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17762 - 09/12/2025 22:00:54 2647734 Link
Replying To WexMurph: "Would any change happen for next year or would it be the year after Viking ?" Might happen in January. That's when the structure will be decided for the upcoming year Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17762 - 10/12/2025 09:40:11 2647759 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Ill go up with the kids support the neighbours. Its only an extra hour up the road from Nowlan Park FFS" Be a great family day out before Christmas . Looking at all the houses lit up on way home going through some of the villages etc too . Make a day of it head off early stop in kilkenny get the breakfast /brunch . pick your route to govthriugh towns for the atmosphere The magic of Christmas mixed with the magic of hurling . Sure what else could be better on a weekend before Christmas with the kids . Weather permitting of course Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 507 - 10/12/2025 09:43:52 2647760 Link
Replying To Past hurler: "Ballygunnar were hoping for Thurles i'd imagine after playing Eire Og there two weeks ago. Martins won't mind though, Saturday night showed they are well able to hurl and last the pace on a big pitch." From a Ballygunner point of view, they'd have heard that neither Carlow nor Kilkenny were available, and would have known that Portlaoise would be a likely choice for that other match. So that really just left Thurles if it was to be a neutral venue. So when they were asked to toss for home advantage, it would have been "do we go 50/50 for Walsh Park or Wexford Park, or do we decide to go for 90% Thurles?". And they chose the option most likely to lead to Thurles, the way Munster teams always seem to do. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3306 - 10/12/2025 10:35:02 2647770 Link
@formertownie - that'd be workable all right, now that I know what you mean with the League table. Would basically be a variation of the "Swiss-style" thing currently used in Champions League soccer and the other European competitions. Might be a bit too drastic of a change to be accepted the first time it's suggested, but as pointed out by Viking above, the structure of next year's championships will be decided at the January County Board meeting. You can put the idea in as a motion from your club if you want it considered. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3306 - 10/12/2025 10:40:39 2647772 Link
Replying To Viking66: "We might see the benefits of minors playing adult as early as next year as regards our intercounty u20s." Really think this is a red herring and the any possible value will be at the cost of overloading good players and losing lesser players. wexfordwin (Wexford) - Posts: 197 - 10/12/2025 11:39:34 2647785 Link
Replying To wexfordwin: "Really think this is a red herring and the any possible value will be at the cost of overloading good players and losing lesser players." It seems like low hanging fruit to me. Logically players will improve with tougher matches and it's not the only reason bit has to be a factor in the fact that we got worse as soon as we were out of sync with our opposition. Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4064 - 10/12/2025 12:16:07 2647792 Link
Replying To Doylerwex: "It seems like low hanging fruit to me. Logically players will improve with tougher matches and it's not the only reason bit has to be a factor in the fact that we got worse as soon as we were out of sync with our opposition." We'll see in a few years time anyway. The change means that from 2028 onwards, all our U20 squad will have two years of adult hurling behind them (starting with 2026 while they're an U18, and 2027 while an U19). If we still haven't won a Leinster U20 title by about 2030, wonder what the next "obvious" reason will be???? Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3306 - 10/12/2025 13:14:25 2647811 Link
For the craic I said I would ask Chapt GPt whats the best format for Wexford hurling, to avoid any dead rubbers and to make every game meaningful, This is the proposal it had. Best Overall Format: 3 Groups of 4 (Most Competitive Until the End) Group Stage (3×4 teams) Each team plays 3 matches. Points: 2 for win, 1 for draw. Top 2 in each group (6 teams) go to the County Quarter-Finals. 3rd-place teams (3 teams) go into a Preliminary Quarter-Final (playoff) to determine the final 2 quarter-final spots. Bottom teams enter relegation playoff. Knockout Structure Preliminary QFs: 3rd A vs 3rd B Winner vs 3rd C 2 winners join the top 6 seeded teams = 8 quarter-finalists Quarter-Finals (8 teams) Semi-Finals (4 teams) Final Why this is the best Every team fights for something: 1st/2nd → automatic knockouts 3rd → still alive via playoff 4th → avoids relegation matches Almost zero "dead" games in Round 3. Balanced number of games: 3-6 matches per team. alwaysasub (Wexford) - Posts: 575 - 10/12/2025 13:15:00 2647812 Link
Replying To Formertownie: "Be a great family day out before Christmas . Looking at all the houses lit up on way home going through some of the villages etc too . Make a day of it head off early stop in kilkenny get the breakfast /brunch . pick your route to govthriugh towns for the atmosphere The magic of Christmas mixed with the magic of hurling . Sure what else could be better on a weekend before Christmas with the kids . Weather permitting of course" For sure. I always go New Ross, Inistioge, Thomastown, Bennetsbridge, Kilkenny, Freshford, Urlingford, Thurles. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17762 - 10/12/2025 14:03:21 2647826 Link