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Wexford is a terrible county for "I know 15 lads who are better than anyone on that starting team". That is barstool talk.
I absolutely refuse to believe that any manager over a county team would put anything other than the best starting 15 on to the field. If you showed 10 of us a group of 30 hurlers, we'd pick 10 different teams.
Lots of players have "potential" but some just are not willing to commit and sacrifice to make it. In every club, in every county, in every sport. Wayne Rooney always says there were 3 better trainees at Everton. There are 2 of these in my own club whose idea of S&C is lifting pints but both are "potentially" top hurlers, definitely could be on the county u20 team but not bothered with the effort involved.
Is that what people mean by players being better?
I'm not saying players they should sacrifice everything for GAA but then you choose your lifestyle according to what you want to get out of the game. Because players who won't give you everything and won't make sacrifice to better the team are essentially no use to you at the end of the day.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1522 - 11/12/2025 12:12:35
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Replying To Paull: "Not going to mention names here but I am confident I could have picked 15 players 19 or 20 who didn't start v Laois that would be very competitive against the team that did start. Some of the players I am talking about did not even make their squad." Did they go to the trials? I know of a lad who did well in the Championship this year but didnt trial for the u20s in either code?
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 11/12/2025 12:47:44
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Replying To alwaysasub: " Replying To alwaysasub: "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.
<b>Best Overall Format: 3 Groups of 4 (Most Competitive Until the End)</b>
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."</div>Further to this, I dont know how the fixtures committee are going to fit in both minor and U21 championships, if you go back to two groups of 6, U21 will not be played until after the adult and minor is finished. So I have went if the format above was approved for this instance where both u21 and minor can be fitted in. Bit of a breaks here and there and you can add in another one or two if needed, maybe one for minors after eth bank holiday weekend as some players could have three games in a short space of time., this was done quickly so apologies for errors.
2026 Championship
27-28 June Hurling R1
1-July Minor Hurling R1
4-5 July Hurling R2
8 July U21 Hurling R1
11-12 July Break weekend
15 July Minor Football R1
18-19 July Football R1
22 July U21 Football R1
25-26 July Football R2
29 July Minor Hurling R2
1-2-3 Aug Bank Holiday Adult Break/U21 Hurling QF
5 Aug Minor Football R2
8-9 Aug Hurling R3
12-Aug U21 Football QF
15-16 Aug Football R3
19-Aug Minor Hurling R3
22-23 Aug Hurling Pre-liminary Quarter Final
26-Aug Minor Football R3
29-30 Aug Adult Break - Electric Picnic
2-Sept Minor Hurling Placement Games
5-6 Sep Football Pre-liminary Quarter Final
9-Sept Minor Football Placement Games
12-13 Sept Hurling Quarter Final / Relegation Semi Final
16-Sept Minor Hurling Quarter Final
19-20 Sept Football Quarter Final / Relegation Semi Final
23-Sept Minor Football Quarter Final
26-27 Sept Hurling Semi Final/Relegation Final
30 Sept Minor Hurling Semi Final
3-4 Oct Football Semi Final/Relegation Final
7th Oct Minor Football Semi Final
10-11 Oct Minor Hurling Final (Before Senior Final)
10-11 Oct Hurling Finals
17-18 Oct Minor Football Final (Before Senior Final)
17-18 Oct Football Final
24-Oct U21 Hurling Semi Finals (dependent on involvement in Leinster)
31-Oct U21 Football Semi Finals
7-8 Nov U21 Hurling Final
7-8 Nov U21 Football Final" That's not going to work Alwaysasub because we will be in an AISF next year............!!!!!!! How about that for positive thinking?!
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 11/12/2025 12:49:33
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Replying To Paull: "They played 7 or 8 boys who were 18 or less in that match. That was more than Cork,Kilkenny, Galway, Clare and Tip combined in their last games. No point in naming anyone here. That fact alone is enough to admit they got it badly wrong." True. 5 started and 3 came on. I agree, I think Id only have started 2 of them. Well maybe Carley too. But as I said, I wasn't at trials, or at training.
On a slightly different tack, and I know it would affect every county, but its a fact that there are lads who look way better in Ocober/November than they do in April/May/June.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 11/12/2025 13:00:31
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Like Paull, I'm not going to get into picking teams with hindsight or naming names either.
Am just pointing out that by all accounts, including your own, the U20 players with adult hurling experience behind them didn't set the world on fire this year. And in the manager's eyes at least, that adult hurling experience was worth so little to them that many others with no adult hurling experience at all were still ahead of them in the reckoning." I think our minor teams in 2022 and 2023 weren't as good as our 2024 minors.
Our 2022 minors got knocked out by Laois, I think the only tier 1 county they beat all season was Dublin, who were poor that year too.
Our 2023 minors beat a poor Offaly team, and Dublin again, but in the group stage, not knockout. And noone else except for Kerry.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 11/12/2025 13:11:03
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Like Paull, I'm not going to get into picking teams with hindsight or naming names either.
Am just pointing out that by all accounts, including your own, the U20 players with adult hurling experience behind them didn't set the world on fire this year. And in the manager's eyes at least, that adult hurling experience was worth so little to them that many others with no adult hurling experience at all were still ahead of them in the reckoning." I think our minor teams in 2022 and 2023 weren't as good as our 2024 minors.
Our 2022 minors got knocked out by Laois, I think the only tier 1 county they beat all season was Dublin, who were poor that year too.
Our 2023 minors beat a poor Offaly team, and Dublin again, but in the group stage, not knockout. And noone else except for Kerry.
Our 2024 minors beat both Kilkenny and Cork pretty convincingly, we were around 12 points up against both in both second halves, the latter in a knockout game.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 11/12/2025 13:15:37
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Replying To Viking66: "The 19 year olds hadn't played any adult hurling either. I agree though, the only 2 u18s Id of picked were Eoin Hughes and Paddy Quigley.
But then me and you don't know how lads were going in training....." Don't take this personally as it's more of a general observation of how people often say one thing when what they mean is another, and in this sort of context, it's important to have it right.
Basically, you can't make a sweeping statement of "the 19-year-olds hadn't played any adult hurling either".
Somebody who was 19 on 1st January last and didn't turn 20 until June (for example) would have been eligible for adult hurling last year, and would still have been 19 while playing with the county U20s this year.
However, you can say "This year's U19s hadn't played any adult hurling". They're the lads you mean, who would have been 18 on 1st January last, and therefore just out of Minor.
I know this is pedantic but it's an important point. Something similar kept being said in the debate about allowing second year Minors to play adult. People kept saying things like "the 18-year-old player should be able to play up".
What if a chap is still only 17 for his entire second year of Minor, because his 18tth birthday won't happen until December 31st????
Obviously he can play up as well, but on the face of it, the statement "the 18-year-old player can play adult" doesn't apply to him. That's why it's important to state such things correctly. People should instead say "second year Minors can play adult".
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3310 - 11/12/2025 13:38:40
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Don't take this personally as it's more of a general observation of how people often say one thing when what they mean is another, and in this sort of context, it's important to have it right.
Basically, you can't make a sweeping statement of "the 19-year-olds hadn't played any adult hurling either".
Somebody who was 19 on 1st January last and didn't turn 20 until June (for example) would have been eligible for adult hurling last year, and would still have been 19 while playing with the county U20s this year.
However, you can say "This year's U19s hadn't played any adult hurling". They're the lads you mean, who would have been 18 on 1st January last, and therefore just out of Minor.
I know this is pedantic but it's an important point. Something similar kept being said in the debate about allowing second year Minors to play adult. People kept saying things like "the 18-year-old player should be able to play up".
What if a chap is still only 17 for his entire second year of Minor, because his 18tth birthday won't happen until December 31st????
Obviously he can play up as well, but on the face of it, the statement "the 18-year-old player can play adult" doesn't apply to him. That's why it's important to state such things correctly. People should instead say "second year Minors can play adult"." I know what you mean, but everyone knows what I meant also. This year the only lads who were eligible for u20 who had played adult were the lads who were up to the age minor in 2022. Alot of our 2022 minor team weren't up to the age minors, and a large percentage of the lads who were up to the age minor in 2022 missed most or all of this years u20 competition, through injury or just not wanting to hurl u20, including some of the best players. And it wasn't a strong minor team to begin with.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 11/12/2025 14:37:39
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Replying To Viking66: " Replying To Pikeman96: "Like <b>Paull</b>, I'm not going to get into picking teams with hindsight or naming names either.
Am just pointing out that by all accounts, including your own, the U20 players with adult hurling experience behind them didn't set the world on fire this year. And in the manager's eyes at least, that adult hurling experience was worth so little to them that many others with no adult hurling experience at all were still ahead of them in the reckoning."</div>I think our minor teams in 2022 and 2023 weren't as good as our 2024 minors.
Our 2022 minors got knocked out by Laois, I think the only tier 1 county they beat all season was Dublin, who were poor that year too.
Our 2023 minors beat a poor Offaly team, and Dublin again, but in the group stage, not knockout. And noone else except for Kerry." Going around in circles. Basically ever other County that had a stronger minor team than us in 2024 could only find 1 , max 2 players from that team good enough to play U20 in 2025. We played 8. You can spin that whatever way you want to justify it. The end game is we were humiliated at home by a 14 man Laois (6 pts) who were subsequently annihilated by Kilkenny (14 pts). And on another point there were very little if any open trials. You basically had to be asked to trial. And I can tell you I know lots who were not asked. And plenty of them were regulars on Intermediate and Senior teams this year.
Paull (Wexford) - Posts: 236 - 11/12/2025 14:37:44
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We are going around in circles for sure Paull. But those stronger 2024 minor teams other counties had were preceded by stronger 2023 and 2022 minor teams than we had. So those counties didnt need to call in as many as we did.
The main problem our 2024 minors had was inconsistency, but all the same they were our first minor team to beat a Munster minor team in Championship since 1968.
The 2024 county minors wouldnt have been allowed play adult before this years u20 championship anyway even if the new rules applied last year. Its a shame they werent allowed to play club adult this year, which would have helped their development for next year. Next years 2026 u20s will again only have the up to the age u20s with any club adult experience, and again, our 2023 minors featured a few u16s, who wont have any adult club experience yet. And our 2027 u20 team will be the same, only the up to the age lads will have hurled club adult. At least the lads coming up out of county minor now will be allowed to do so next year if they are good enough. so a good few lads hurling intercounty u20 in 2028 will have 2 years adult club experience, and we will have u19s who will have 1 years club adult done .
As regards trials and invitations it would surely be up to the clubs concerned to put forward lads they think are good enough? The u20 management team were announced well in advance of the season, and I know from personal experience it wasn't impossible to get a number for one of them if you wanted to.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 11/12/2025 15:28:54
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Replying To Viking66: "We are going around in circles for sure Paull. But those stronger 2024 minor teams other counties had were preceded by stronger 2023 and 2022 minor teams than we had. So those counties didnt need to call in as many as we did.
The main problem our 2024 minors had was inconsistency, but all the same they were our first minor team to beat a Munster minor team in Championship since 1968.
The 2024 county minors wouldnt have been allowed play adult before this years u20 championship anyway even if the new rules applied last year. Its a shame they werent allowed to play club adult this year, which would have helped their development for next year. Next years 2026 u20s will again only have the up to the age u20s with any club adult experience, and again, our 2023 minors featured a few u16s, who wont have any adult club experience yet. And our 2027 u20 team will be the same, only the up to the age lads will have hurled club adult. At least the lads coming up out of county minor now will be allowed to do so next year if they are good enough. so a good few lads hurling intercounty u20 in 2028 will have 2 years adult club experience, and we will have u19s who will have 1 years club adult done .
As regards trials and invitations it would surely be up to the clubs concerned to put forward lads they think are good enough? The u20 management team were announced well in advance of the season, and I know from personal experience it wasn't impossible to get a number for one of them if you wanted to." Sorry in 2027 our u19s will have hurled club adult this year.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 11/12/2025 19:42:44
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Hurling TOTY named. Only 5 of the 26 were on our Senior hurling panel this year, and only 2 of them started a Leinster championship game. Neither started every game in the round robin either.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 12/12/2025 06:28:08
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Replying To Viking66: "Hurling TOTY named. Only 5 of the 26 were on our Senior hurling panel this year, and only 2 of them started a Leinster championship game. Neither started every game in the round robin either." You are always going to have debates - Rory and Jack not included and no Chin either. But then Martins and Rathnure were the two stand out teams of the year so hard to ignore that most players are from both clubs. I do think Rory or Jack should have been included in at least the subs. That said I'd expect one or both of them to get awards from GAA for their exploits in Leinster championship. Chin scored a lot for Harriers but also scored a lot from frees.
Will be interesting to see nominations for player of the year and young player of the year.
I think Barry O Connor will easily get player of the year especially after MOTM county final performance.
Luke Codd young player of the year. His performance in the U21 semi final / final will possibly tip him ahead of Simon Roche if they take that into account. He was also super in the county semi final against Gorey.
MyOhMi (Wexford) - Posts: 275 - 12/12/2025 10:22:40
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Replying To MyOhMi: "You are always going to have debates - Rory and Jack not included and no Chin either. But then Martins and Rathnure were the two stand out teams of the year so hard to ignore that most players are from both clubs. I do think Rory or Jack should have been included in at least the subs. That said I'd expect one or both of them to get awards from GAA for their exploits in Leinster championship. Chin scored a lot for Harriers but also scored a lot from frees.
Will be interesting to see nominations for player of the year and young player of the year.
I think Barry O Connor will easily get player of the year especially after MOTM county final performance.
Luke Codd young player of the year. His performance in the U21 semi final / final will possibly tip him ahead of Simon Roche if they take that into account. He was also super in the county semi final against Gorey." I think Barry was actually motm in every knockout game they played bar the Leinster final which is nuts.
The toty is always a funny one. You could probably challenge every single position but that's a good place to be.
It's my understanding that Rossi has cast a very wide net and people just don't want to come in which is a terrible shame. If we got them all together we could have a really good shout in 26.
Anyway... Let's just wait and see who turns up in Jan.
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4067 - 12/12/2025 11:44:19
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Replying To MyOhMi: "You are always going to have debates - Rory and Jack not included and no Chin either. But then Martins and Rathnure were the two stand out teams of the year so hard to ignore that most players are from both clubs. I do think Rory or Jack should have been included in at least the subs. That said I'd expect one or both of them to get awards from GAA for their exploits in Leinster championship. Chin scored a lot for Harriers but also scored a lot from frees.
Will be interesting to see nominations for player of the year and young player of the year.
I think Barry O Connor will easily get player of the year especially after MOTM county final performance.
Luke Codd young player of the year. His performance in the U21 semi final / final will possibly tip him ahead of Simon Roche if they take that into account. He was also super in the county semi final against Gorey." I wonder did Luke Codd refuse to join this years U20 County panel or considered not good enough by management? Assuming he was underage that is.
Paull (Wexford) - Posts: 236 - 12/12/2025 13:19:23
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Who has declined Keith's offer? How many of these were already on the panel?
Feel like I hear some version of "A lot of lads turning down the offer" a lot of the time without really referencing who we will be without! At least with Kilkenny, we know they'll be without Huw Lawlor and Billy Ryan, a lot of the comments on here about who won't be hurling for Wexford next year are very vague
From what I can gather on here, is it right to say the following will be unavailable?
Liam Ryan
Conor Mac
Shane Reck
Eoin Ryan
Mikie Dwyer
Charlie McGuckian
AJ Redmond
Cathal Dunbar
Then those unlikely to commit….
Barry O'Connor
Joe Barrett
James Lawlor
Aaron Duggan
Niall Murphy
Then the question marks….
Damien Reck
Rory O'Connor
Jack O'Connor
Who am I missing? Feels like all of the above have been speculated at the very least at some stage
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 736 - 12/12/2025 13:25:26
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Who has declined Keith's offer? How many of these were already on the panel?
Feel like I hear some version of "A lot of lads turning down the offer" a lot of the time without really referencing who we will be without! At least with Kilkenny, we know they'll be without Huw Lawlor and Billy Ryan, a lot of the comments on here about who won't be hurling for Wexford next year are very vague
From what I can gather on here, is it right to say the following will be unavailable?
Liam Ryan
Conor Mac
Shane Reck
Eoin Ryan
Mikie Dwyer
Charlie McGuckian
AJ Redmond
Cathal Dunbar
Then those unlikely to commit….
Barry O'Connor
Joe Barrett
James Lawlor
Aaron Duggan
Niall Murphy
Then the question marks….
Damien Reck
Rory O'Connor
Jack O'Connor
Who am I missing? Feels like all of the above have been speculated at the very least at some stage" Lawlor & Ryan are massive losses for KK. Thought TJ looked on his last legs in the club game last week They will just get on with it though. On the face of it, all the Leinster teams look like they will struggle next year to compete for an AI but I guess Tipp showed fortunes can change quickly with a committed group of players and management.
In terms of having a committed group of Wexford players next year, the rumour mill is concerning for sure. Unlike Tipp we don't have young guys stepping out of successful underage squads to push older lads off the panel. There might be a few like Barrett and Barry O'Connor who are good enough to be on a championship panel but not many.
Many of those in the first group above have been riddled with injuries for a few seasons now, Mac and Liam Ryan. If the body isn't able for playing week to week, like the round robin calls for, then I could understand if they walked away. Shane Reck would be a massive loss, he's our best defender/man marker. Id like to think he has more to give. The two other Gorey lads have been given every chance but have never consistently brought their club form to county level.
Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 475 - 12/12/2025 14:54:55
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https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41758427.html Good read lads!
bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 465 - 12/12/2025 15:06:26
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Replying To Paull: "I wonder did Luke Codd refuse to join this years U20 County panel or considered not good enough by management? Assuming he was underage that is." Think he was u20 at the start of the year. Not sure though. Don't know if he turned down a call up. But he seems to have been a late developer, he was ok last year at Intermediate but not outstanding when I saw them. And he didnt hurl county minor.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 12/12/2025 15:45:47
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Who has declined Keith's offer? How many of these were already on the panel?
Feel like I hear some version of "A lot of lads turning down the offer" a lot of the time without really referencing who we will be without! At least with Kilkenny, we know they'll be without Huw Lawlor and Billy Ryan, a lot of the comments on here about who won't be hurling for Wexford next year are very vague
From what I can gather on here, is it right to say the following will be unavailable?
Liam Ryan
Conor Mac
Shane Reck
Eoin Ryan
Mikie Dwyer
Charlie McGuckian
AJ Redmond
Cathal Dunbar
Then those unlikely to commit….
Barry O'Connor
Joe Barrett
James Lawlor
Aaron Duggan
Niall Murphy
Then the question marks….
Damien Reck
Rory O'Connor
Jack O'Connor
Who am I missing? Feels like all of the above have been speculated at the very least at some stage" I'm not going to speculate, there's really no point, but from what Ive been told at least one of your first list will play next year. Your 2nd list has nearly more lads who definitely won't play than your first list, but one will commit. And Id be surprised if your last 3 lads don't play next year.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17775 - 12/12/2025 15:50:21
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