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Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "What crowd?? 2 empty terraces and a half empty stands"
I take it you weren't at the match if you think the covered and open stand were only half full

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 1063 - 12/05/2026 08:03:33    2672492

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Dublin has a much bigger population but it's also a much smaller area and has much better public transportation links

Going forward, Wexford should have three schools in Senior A each year (Peter's, Good Counsel, & Enniscorthy CBS), FCJ Bunclody will be Senior A next year, Dublin in comparison only has two schools in Senior A and that could drop to down to one some years as I don't think they even had a team in Junior A this year"
I wasn't comparing the 2 counties. I waa suggesting splitting your combined schools teams into 2 or even more to expose as many young hurlers to higher levels and collective training as possible. There are many excuses out there. There is only one reason to do it right.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 388 - 12/05/2026 08:23:18    2672494

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "I take it you weren't at the match if you think the covered and open stand were only half full"
Covered stand was only 3/4 full. Open side was full ok.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19533 - 12/05/2026 09:25:05    2672502

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Replying To Spuds&GAA:  "I was sitting on the open side ,Ample amount of green grass out there in both halves, we persisted through congested areas. The 2 Byrne's and Simon Roche ain't gonna win any ball in congested areas of the pitch."
No they arent. We dont have big men who can catch high ball to play a constant long game, and we dont look to have done any amount of work on long puckouts anyway. We very rarely get men on all the quarters as the ball drops, so we dont win much breaking ball.
So.... We need to make space in our opponents half. Withdraw our half forward line, then hit the spaces early with low hard flat ball.
For that we need a keeper who can ping it 50 yards into someone's hand. Statistically speaking the best success comes when there are only 2 passes preceding a shot/score.
All that is great in theory, but the problem there is we dont have a keeper who can execute that kind of pass. If you hit it to a cornerback on the 21 you generally need more passes, your opponents then have more opportunities to turn you over at each pass, your execution has to be more perfect, and your opponents have more time to close up the spaces your forwards can operate in.
None of the above is rocket science. If its pretty obvious to a fat middle aged ex rugby player it should be obvious to any good hurling coach.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19533 - 12/05/2026 09:35:05    2672503

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "I take it you weren't at the match if you think the covered and open stand were only half full"
I was at the match yes. In the open stand and looking across at the covered there was plenty of seating visible.

Goreylad1985 (Wexford) - Posts: 41 - 12/05/2026 09:36:01    2672504

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Replying To Goreylad1985:  "I was at the match yes. In the open stand and looking across at the covered there was plenty of seating visible."
Covered stand was 3/4 full just a good few seats available in both end sections . Open stand was full. There was plenty of a crowd there to generate an atmosphere but we never got the crowd involved due to our poor play.

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 1063 - 12/05/2026 10:10:02    2672512

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What team would you go with in Tullamore lads? Can we somehow salvage our season and bring it down to the last day against Galway?

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 1063 - 12/05/2026 10:13:56    2672514

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Replying To Timbertony:  "We had the most of them in Parnell Park the previous year and very few performed that day either."
We didnt have Barry that day. And Jippo only came on for a cameo. Rory scored 1-02 so hardly didnt perform. Eoin Ryan and Patsy Molloy were decent that day too.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19533 - 12/05/2026 10:26:50    2672523

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Replying To tearintom:  "Development squads are not the answer. They're really not but I bet thats what the "experts" are thinking is the answer along with the genius idea previously of just have more hurling games even when it meant turning our championships into games that were a little above league games with no jeopardy involved.

Nothing wrong with them but we need to be looking far beyond them as a solution. We've gone down the path of just doing more of what we are doing already, its our go to!!"
No one thing on its own is the answer, the answer is a combination of primary schools, secondary schools, clubs, development squads, and then Minor/U20/Senior squads

Improvements have to be made at all levels, I don't think prioritising changes on one of those things above all others will really help us

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1192 - 12/05/2026 10:27:56    2672524

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I wasn't comparing the 2 counties. I waa suggesting splitting your combined schools teams into 2 or even more to expose as many young hurlers to higher levels and collective training as possible. There are many excuses out there. There is only one reason to do it right."
Fair enough but I think atm, we should try one combined schools team and if that's a massive success, then try two combined schools team

But in all honesty, as much as having two combined schools teams at 2nd Year, Junior, and Senior level would be great to have (Would mean another 30 Wexford lads playing at A level), I'm not too sure there would be enough good hurlers out there for it to be a thing if there were three schools hurling in A (Peter's, Counsel, and Enniscorthy CBS)

That would mean five Wexford teams hurling at A level so you'd be talking in or around 65-70 Wexford lads hurling at A level (Assuming Counsel would always have a strong KK contingent and that a few KK and Carlow and maybe even Wicklow lads would get on to the combined colleges team)

If there were 65-70 Wexford lads good enough to hold their own at A level, we'd end up dominating at Senior level!

Think 50-55 Wexford lads hurling at A level is a reasonable target for now though, let's see how that goes first

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1192 - 12/05/2026 10:35:20    2672527

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Replying To tearintom:  "Development squads are not the answer. They're really not but I bet thats what the "experts" are thinking is the answer along with the genius idea previously of just have more hurling games even when it meant turning our championships into games that were a little above league games with no jeopardy involved.

Nothing wrong with them but we need to be looking far beyond them as a solution. We've gone down the path of just doing more of what we are doing already, its our go to!!"
Nearly all our competitors who are better than us have larger development squads than us.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19533 - 12/05/2026 10:41:10    2672530

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Replying To tearintom:  "Development squads are not the answer. They're really not but I bet thats what the "experts" are thinking is the answer along with the genius idea previously of just have more hurling games even when it meant turning our championships into games that were a little above league games with no jeopardy involved.

Nothing wrong with them but we need to be looking far beyond them as a solution. We've gone down the path of just doing more of what we are doing already, its our go to!!"
Nearly all our competitors who are better than us have larger development squads than us.
What would you propose replacing them with?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19533 - 12/05/2026 10:41:33    2672531

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I wasn't comparing the 2 counties. I waa suggesting splitting your combined schools teams into 2 or even more to expose as many young hurlers to higher levels and collective training as possible. There are many excuses out there. There is only one reason to do it right."
How come Limerick dont have a combined schools team? Or Clare, Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Waterford, or Galway?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19533 - 12/05/2026 10:42:58    2672532

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Tbh, I think we're operating at 50% as a county, Limerick were maybe hurling great under-achievers up until 2018 but since then, we've taken up the mantle as biggest under-performers

Not very many counties take hurling seriously and out of the ones that do, a good few of them have smaller populations than us and wouldn't have a stronger hurling culture

Cork are bigger and have a better hurling culture, Tipp are the same size and have a better hurling culture, KK are smaller but have a better hurling culture, Limerick are bigger and probably have a better hurling culture these days, Clare are smaller and probably have a better hurling culture these day, Waterford are smaller and have a similar hurling culture, Dublin are much bigger but have a worse hurling culture, Kildare are bigger but have a worse hurling culture, Offaly have a smaller population and maybe have a slightly worse hurling culture (They're closer to being a genuine dual county IMO), Galway are bigger and maybe have a better hurling culture (Again, they're closer to being 50/50 between hurling and football than we are)

IMO, only three counties could be realistically expected to bring a crowd of at least 40k on their own to an AISF: Cork, Limerick, and us. We have the potential to have a really strong hurling culture but the fact is a lot of that support is bandwagon support and our recent crowds would prove that

I'll use two examples. One of Cork's better U20 hurlers last year was a lad called John Wigginton Barrett from the Barr's. His grandfather, Dave Wigginton came over from England and was top scorer for Cork Hibs back in the day, ended up winning a league with him. The fact is, even with a strong soccer background (And an English background to boot), the pull of hurling is so strong in Cork that his grandson ends up being obsessed with hurling.

In Wexford, I feel like we've an awful lot of examples of fathers & sons playing for Wexford as well as brothers. For me however, this shows that our hurling culture is weaker than other counties. These great Wexford hurling families aren't great because of genetics IMO, it's more likely that a father who was a great hurler will be more keen to get his sons interested in hurling and also, if a lad sees his brother hurling all the time at a young age, he'll want to join in because kids like being social and doing what their peers are doing. You go to KK/Cork/Tipp on the other hand and people are obsessed with hurling even if their family doesn't have a strong hurling background. This doesn't really happen in Wexford IMO and it's why we are where we are

My second example is that I see this lad from Tipp on Twitter, always tweets about hurling matches. If you look at his bio on Twitter, it says "From Tipp so by definition interested in all things hurling". Some don't like Liam Griffin going on about "Hurling as a way of life" being in danger of extinction in Wexford but the fact is hurling is a way of life in Tipp, KK, and Cork, that's why they've won more than anywhere else. For these people, hurling is a core part of their identity; they cannot describe being from their county without making reference to hurling. How many Wexford would describe their own identity without making reference to hurling? The sad reality is that too many would and that's what we need to change ASAP

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1192 - 12/05/2026 11:06:57    2672536

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Replying To Viking66:  "How come Limerick dont have a combined schools team? Or Clare, Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Waterford, or Galway?"
Maybe we should but it doesnt happen in Munster. I think waterford did it years ago but afaik its not allowed anymore.
I made a suggestion based on the issues raised in the comments. Nothing more.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 388 - 12/05/2026 11:38:53    2672552

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Replying To Viking66:  "We didnt have Barry that day. And Jippo only came on for a cameo. Rory scored 1-02 so hardly didnt perform. Eoin Ryan and Patsy Molloy were decent that day too."
That's the thing. The result in Parnell was very similar but I'd argue the performance levels were worlds apart.

This is quite painful to be honest, but I do feel our season is over. I will go to the remaining games with no expectations. Doing that as a Wexford follower all my life has served me well.

I think we need a change now though. I don't think Rossi can recover this.

I said last year he was saying all the right things and seemed to be learning. I think we've regressed on the pitch in terms of set up and organisation which for me is not acceptable.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4503 - 12/05/2026 11:42:33    2672557

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Fair enough but I think atm, we should try one combined schools team and if that's a massive success, then try two combined schools team

But in all honesty, as much as having two combined schools teams at 2nd Year, Junior, and Senior level would be great to have (Would mean another 30 Wexford lads playing at A level), I'm not too sure there would be enough good hurlers out there for it to be a thing if there were three schools hurling in A (Peter's, Counsel, and Enniscorthy CBS)

That would mean five Wexford teams hurling at A level so you'd be talking in or around 65-70 Wexford lads hurling at A level (Assuming Counsel would always have a strong KK contingent and that a few KK and Carlow and maybe even Wicklow lads would get on to the combined colleges team)

If there were 65-70 Wexford lads good enough to hold their own at A level, we'd end up dominating at Senior level!

Think 50-55 Wexford lads hurling at A level is a reasonable target for now though, let's see how that goes first"
We already probably had more than 50 Wexford lads hurling at A this year in most age grades. The 3 schools don't pick the same 15s every week. And all of them bring on subs.
Also there's an increased Wexford presence on the Junior A and Senior A GCC teams. Wexford have won the Madigan Cup there the last 2 years, and have a good chance of winning it the next 2 years also. Currently its 11 wins apiece in the roll of honour.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19533 - 12/05/2026 11:44:59    2672559

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Maybe we should but it doesnt happen in Munster. I think waterford did it years ago but afaik its not allowed anymore.
I made a suggestion based on the issues raised in the comments. Nothing more."
If we do do it we need the schools, teachers and parents concerned to back it wholeheartedly, and stick with it for a period of years.
None of the above happened the last time it was tried here.
And just to throw in my tuppence worth if we do do it why not open it to lads who are on the B teams at the A colleges? Then there would be the numbers for North and South combined schools teams?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19533 - 12/05/2026 11:52:32    2672562

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "That's the thing. The result in Parnell was very similar but I'd argue the performance levels were worlds apart.

This is quite painful to be honest, but I do feel our season is over. I will go to the remaining games with no expectations. Doing that as a Wexford follower all my life has served me well.

I think we need a change now though. I don't think Rossi can recover this.

I said last year he was saying all the right things and seemed to be learning. I think we've regressed on the pitch in terms of set up and organisation which for me is not acceptable."
Have to agree with you. I feel for Rossi with the amount of players who have stepped away but its year 3 . We lack any kind of game plan and some of our basic skills are poor. I really hope there is a kick in us the last 2 games but its hard to see judging on what we have seen.

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 1063 - 12/05/2026 11:53:33    2672563

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Aside from schools, it all begins in the clubs. We need everybody in every club relentlessly pushing each other in in the club and then every club pushing each other on.
My father was saying that in the last 2-3 years Oylegate, Cushinstown and Monageer are winning the premier titles at underage levels.
None of these clubs were playing premier underage hurling 10-20 years ago and brilliant to see them raising their standard to be able to get up to that level and win them.
But......(and no disrespect intended to any of these clubs) have they raised their standards that high OR have the standards in other clubs dropped to the point that these clubs have overtaken them?
I don't know the answer to confirm who won what and Google is not helping me. Sorry if I have the details wrong, Viking will know.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2038 - 12/05/2026 12:23:02    2672567

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