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Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "You took care of business on Saturday, if Kildare were resting players etc then that's a fools errand in my opinion.
Of course if Kildare beat Wexford in 3-4 weeks time it will be a master stroke. But all the doubts are in their heads now, resting players or not.
The best approach for me is to go out in every game, put out your best team and try win it. You gain more by at least being close than getting a hiding and "we rested Muiris Curtin, Cian Boran, etc".
If Wexford win that game v Kildare, your season is up and running and even a loss to Kilkenny will set you up for a home game v us with coming out of Leinster at stake. Lose that opening game and you are under water from the off.
Lots of new faces from the league, but we will find out how good they REALLY are in April/May/June."
Don't think they were resting any more than us tbh

I'd say 9 players off both teams will start come April and two of the subs they brought on will start

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1005 - 23/03/2026 11:31:56    2662470

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "The s and c thing is funny. The needs of the two sports quite different and I'd guess the football lads are probably starting a little earlier"
I'd say the average inter-county footballer is bigger than his hurling counterpart too so not sure it's just a Wexford thing

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1005 - 23/03/2026 11:35:17    2662471

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "I'd say the average inter-county footballer is bigger than his hurling counterpart too so not sure it's just a Wexford thing"
Maybe im being harsh on the hurlers . I couldnt get over the size of some of our footballers yesterday

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 945 - 23/03/2026 12:29:20    2662492

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Maybe im being harsh on the hurlers . I couldnt get over the size of some of our footballers yesterday"
Hurlers are probably on the small side compared to other counties tbf, wouldn't be as bad if we get Jippo, Jacko, and Cian Molloy back in the team alright but even with them, the XV would be average in size compared to other counties

Mind you, size isn't everything, ideally you're looking for a tall hurler but they need to have good skills and athleticism too, a tall hurler without the skills isn't that much use to anyone

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1005 - 23/03/2026 13:07:24    2662508

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Don't think they were resting any more than us tbh

I'd say 9 players off both teams will start come April and two of the subs they brought on will start"
Well if we are not abe to beat kildare then we are at nothing and thats not disrepecting kildare they are improving but a long way off the top table.

Tiger1 (Wexford) - Posts: 435 - 23/03/2026 13:09:03    2662510

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Replying To richiepmurphy:  "Do you think everyone knows who you're talking about when you put up player's nicknames? What's wrong with the names they were christened?"
Why do you need to know who I am talking about? Anyone from down here does.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 14:06:05    2662537

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Maybe im being harsh on the hurlers . I couldnt get over the size of some of our footballers yesterday"
In general our hurling team are very young, while many of the footballers are in their prime and as.result have more S and C done.

hunting (Wexford) - Posts: 1188 - 23/03/2026 14:10:21    2662539

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "A good weekend of games in the park. Was happy we put Kildare to the sword Saturday, Was a strange game . Think Kildare are much better than they showed and will be a different proposition in Newbridge. Still if we hurl like we can we have enough to be winning in Newbridge. Get out of Newbridge with a win and throw everything at Kilkenny in Nowlan Park has to be our aim. We have used a huge amount of players over the league and overall its been a decent campaign. If our key men can stay injury free I think we have a chance of pushing for 3rd. Hard to see us being consistent enough to push for or win a Leinster title but getting into the top 3 and being really competed in all games has to be goal. I know the lads are in Portugal now hopefully they enjoy it and get loads of work done. Well done to the footballers yesterday. Was great to be in the park yesterday aswell to witness it. I hope we witness one or two moments like that for the hurlers this summer too. As someone who doesnt go to many football games I was really impressed with their physical conditioning. Maybe im being harsh on the hurlers but physically the footballers look in a different league altogether, are they not on a similar s and c plan or am I the only one who thinks this?"
They are, but alot of lads who are growing fast, peak PHV, between 12 and 16 tend to look at little uncoordinated as a result. They are then deemed not to have the hurling. This is changing a little these days. Allowances are being made, and growth and maturation are much better understood.
Of course some of them just prefer Football too.
The Athletic Development programmes are the same for both the Football and Hurling Development squads.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 14:12:47    2662540

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Its good to see a lot of these lads got decent game time at this level during the league. Think Cillian Byrne and Sean Rowley could be real bolters for us come championship starting 15. All being said I agree with you our strongest 15 considering everyone is fit is looking like
Fanning
S Reck
Jippo
Donohoe
Molloy
D Reck
C Foley
Hearne
R Lawlor
Jacko
Roche
Chin
Cian Byrne
Jack Redmond
K Foley

Wouldnt be surprised to see one or two of Darragh Carley, Diarmuid O Leary, Sean Rowley & Cillian Byrne started either. A lot will depend on the one or two challenge games we have before championship. Shane Reck, Jippo, Molloy and Jacko havent played at all yet this year and may not be ready to play a full 70 at championship pace in Newbridge"
Hopefully the in house training sessions will be played with great intensity as lads fight for their spots!.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 14:14:19    2662542

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "You took care of business on Saturday, if Kildare were resting players etc then that's a fools errand in my opinion.
Of course if Kildare beat Wexford in 3-4 weeks time it will be a master stroke. But all the doubts are in their heads now, resting players or not.
The best approach for me is to go out in every game, put out your best team and try win it. You gain more by at least being close than getting a hiding and "we rested Muiris Curtin, Cian Boran, etc".
If Wexford win that game v Kildare, your season is up and running and even a loss to Kilkenny will set you up for a home game v us with coming out of Leinster at stake. Lose that opening game and you are under water from the off.
Lots of new faces from the league, but we will find out how good they REALLY are in April/May/June."
We have a good chance of winning our 1st 2 games in Leinster. Our only 2 Championship losses in Nowlan Park in the last 10 years were only by a point, and one of them we were just unlucky.
I was talking to a friend in Naas who used to hurl for Kildare. He reckoned at least 12 of the lads who played Saturday will start in Newbridge, maybe more. He is hoping Qualter is fit to start, an important player for them.
He was really disappointed with the manner of the defeat. He is sure that it will be a different game in Newbridge, but reckons we will be a bridge too far.
As regards our team Id say only 6 of the 20 lads who played Saturday will definitely be starting in Newbridge, while Id be hoping Jack Redmond and Cian Byrne would be too. After that its all up for grabs. Plenty to play for for all those lads. Hopefully they fight like dogs in the challenge and in house games for a place.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 14:36:28    2662553

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Maybe im being harsh on the hurlers . I couldnt get over the size of some of our footballers yesterday"
No its a good point you made.

The footballers and hurlers are on different s and c programmes at senior level.

I've always felt we struggle with size and physicality in our senior hurling squad and its been an issue, take the physical condition the Limerick hurlers are in for example, its pretty similar to our footballers. Chin aside we dont match up.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1629 - 23/03/2026 14:40:08    2662557

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Don't think they were resting any more than us tbh

I'd say 9 players off both teams will start come April and two of the subs they brought on will start"
Maybe 9 of the 20 will start for us, but only 6 are nailed on Id be guessing .
Alot more of the Kildare lads are pretty much nailed on to start.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 15:00:20    2662566

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Replying To Viking66:  "Hopefully the in house training sessions will be played with great intensity as lads fight for their spots!."
Hopefully Viking. If he keep our heads down and get the win in Kildare I can see us pushing on and getting the win against at least one of DUBLIN/KILKENNY/GALWAY. I would be as worried about the Offaly game as playing the big 3 Wexford and Offaly games are always tight and will be no different this year

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 945 - 23/03/2026 15:00:30    2662567

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Replying To hunting:  "In general our hurling team are very young, while many of the footballers are in their prime and as.result have more S and C done."
Absolutely. That makes a huge difference.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 15:02:12    2662568

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Hopefully Viking. If he keep our heads down and get the win in Kildare I can see us pushing on and getting the win against at least one of DUBLIN/KILKENNY/GALWAY. I would be as worried about the Offaly game as playing the big 3 Wexford and Offaly games are always tight and will be no different this year"
There will be no easy games for us this year. We will need to prepare properly for each of them, and play our best in all of them. And we will need a little luck, with injuries and/or the bounce of the ball.
If we get all that we will win at least 4 games.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 15:35:21    2662589

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Replying To Viking66:  "We have a good chance of winning our 1st 2 games in Leinster. Our only 2 Championship losses in Nowlan Park in the last 10 years were only by a point, and one of them we were just unlucky.
I was talking to a friend in Naas who used to hurl for Kildare. He reckoned at least 12 of the lads who played Saturday will start in Newbridge, maybe more. He is hoping Qualter is fit to start, an important player for them.
He was really disappointed with the manner of the defeat. He is sure that it will be a different game in Newbridge, but reckons we will be a bridge too far.
As regards our team Id say only 6 of the 20 lads who played Saturday will definitely be starting in Newbridge, while Id be hoping Jack Redmond and Cian Byrne would be too. After that its all up for grabs. Plenty to play for for all those lads. Hopefully they fight like dogs in the challenge and in house games for a place."
I think Carroll, Goss, and James Dolan drop out for them as well as Mark Doyle who they had in goal, Melville and Ó Briain could drop out too. McKenna will be their GK and then Cian Boran, Conan Boran, Muiris Curtin, and Cathal Dowling probably all come in. Wish him the best but that looked like a bad enough concussion for Qualter, they need him as they struggle on the frees without him

For us, I think Fanning, Conor Foley, Richie Lawlor, Damien Reck, Conor Hearne, Lee Chin, Simon Roche, and Jack Redmond definitely start, then one of Cian Byrne and Seán Rowley starts. Carley could be a starter and Diarmuid O'Leary could be a bolter

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1005 - 23/03/2026 18:09:28    2662649

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Replying To tearintom:  "No its a good point you made.

The footballers and hurlers are on different s and c programmes at senior level.

I've always felt we struggle with size and physicality in our senior hurling squad and its been an issue, take the physical condition the Limerick hurlers are in for example, its pretty similar to our footballers. Chin aside we dont match up."
Is the S&C the issue or is it just a lack of height in general?

I think Carley, Conor Foley, Richie Lawlor, and Simon Roche all have good S&C work done and Jack Redmond naturally has a strong build to him, Redmond is 6'2 and Foley is 6'0/6'1 but no matter how much S&C work someone has done, they're not going to increase their height

We don't have the players right now to put out near as tall a team as say Limerick or Cork

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1005 - 23/03/2026 18:13:00    2662651

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Congratulations to Jack Redmond on getting nominated for Hurler of the Week. Congratulations also to Damien Reck for making the GAA HTOTW!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 18:19:25    2662655

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Here's one for ye....

So on Saturday, towards the end of the second half, we had Cillian Byrne, Cian Byrne, and Darragh Carley all on the pitch

It's certainly not the first time we've had a set of brothers on the pitch (Are Diarmuid O'Leary and Eoin O'Leary brothers too?) but can't have been that many times before where we had a set of brothers playing with their cousin at the same time?

And is Colin Carley a brother of Darragh Carley?

Speaking of brothers, was just thinking about it but think four of the Quigleys started in the 1970 AI Final, that must be some sort of record

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1005 - 23/03/2026 18:19:37    2662656

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Is the S&C the issue or is it just a lack of height in general?

I think Carley, Conor Foley, Richie Lawlor, and Simon Roche all have good S&C work done and Jack Redmond naturally has a strong build to him, Redmond is 6'2 and Foley is 6'0/6'1 but no matter how much S&C work someone has done, they're not going to increase their height

We don't have the players right now to put out near as tall a team as say Limerick or Cork"
Cork Clare and Limerick aren't all over 6ft. Far from it especially with Limerick and Clare. But what all 3 counties have is 3 or 4 lads who are 6ft 3 to 6ft 6. Thats what we dont have any of. Jacko is our tallest player and hes at the bottom end of that range.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18897 - 23/03/2026 21:44:29    2662692

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