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Replying To Viking66: "Kilkenny dont have the same championship structure as us. Their group stage is their hurling League. The winners of each Group play a League final. The winners are that years League Champions.
Kilkennys Championship is knockout." But our Championship for the last two years was basically knockout too, no-one got knocked out after the group stages and the group stages basically determined the seeding for the knockout stages
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1285 - 20/05/2026 18:46:27
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Replying To Doylerwex: "Speaking for Wexford town we've big numbers at nursery to under 12. The drop off begins at 14 then plummets at minor. One soccer club is making things very difficult for us." Are they not letting anyone play soccer if they play another sport?
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1285 - 20/05/2026 18:47:34
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "But our Championship for the last two years was basically knockout too, no-one got knocked out after the group stages and the group stages basically determined the seeding for the knockout stages" Noone got knocked out after the group stages. So it wasnt knockout.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19723 - 20/05/2026 21:46:50
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Galway beat KK by 9 in the Leinster U20 Final
Were about 3 points up with a quarter of the game left to play and they pulled away from there
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1285 - 20/05/2026 21:47:49
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Are they not letting anyone play soccer if they play another sport?" Let's just say they make things difficult
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4522 - 20/05/2026 22:29:53
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Replying To countyman2022: "Well put it this way- it has done nothing to improve the standard of hurling in Wexford. Or our results. If people are happy just to give everyone a game and a medal at the countys detriment, thats fine. Look at all the players who were the backbone of the senior team who were born in 1990, 1991, 1992. As an example. Even the 3 in a row u-21 Leinster team. When these different groups played underage into senior hurling- there were no shields. There was no medal handouts. And there also wasn't an adult structure where everybody got thru the groups. All games had consequence. These groups all started hurling adult from 17 too dont forget. Another factor in our current demise- not allowing players play until 18/19." So, in a nutshell, you don't have any actual proposals for "cut-throat" and "consequences to results" structures for our underage championships. Or none that you've outlined here anyway.
Thank you.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3673 - 20/05/2026 23:04:58
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Replying To alwaysasub: "Those championships used to be 8 teams per group. Now we have this league which is a complete waste of time, players take it as joke. Most games out 13 a side stuff. I can't understand why we can't we have proper championship matches for u16 and u18 before the leaving cert! And before someone say what about players with the county minor team? I'd say what about it. Why are minors having to train like adults? It hasn't brought us any more success at that level. I can't understand why we can't play championship matches in between those Wexford minor games. At least it would give each minor and U16 more meaningful games and not what we have now which is 3 games and then a quarter final of a championship. Could we start the minor/u16 earlier?? There has to be a better competition structure than the one that is there now" Yes, our club U16 & U18 championships used to be up to eight teams per group. But significantly, that was in the days before the inter-county minor championships moved to group stages, back doors, Tier 2 & Tier 3 for the football, etc.
Back then, you could play two or three club championship games in both codes during March and April. You can't do it now.
For example, and specifically with regard to your line "I can't understand why we can't play championship matches in between those Wexford minor games" - here are the dates that Wexford minor hurlers & footballers were in action this year:
- Minor Footballers in Leinster Development League on three dates across February and early March that I don't have to had. And championship dates:
- Tuesday March 24 (Football)
- Tuesday April 7 (Football)
- Thursday April 16 (Football)
- Saturday April 18 (Hurling)
- Saturday April 25 (Hurling)
- Saturday May 2 (Hurling)
- Saturday May 9 (Both hurling and football)
- Another hurling one coming up this Saturday, May 23
- Possibly (hopefully!) more after that, depending on how they fare.
Please tell how or where you'd fit a series of club matches in between those dates, while still allowing our county squads to train together as regularly and earnestly as all the opposition sides they'd be coming up against?
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3673 - 20/05/2026 23:19:21
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Replying To Doylerwex: "Let's just say they make things difficult" Bit ironic that coming from a Harriers man
btwex90 (Wexford) - Posts: 51 - 21/05/2026 11:14:14
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Replying To Pikeman96: "So, in a nutshell, you don't have any actual proposals for "cut-throat" and "consequences to results" structures for our underage championships. Or none that you've outlined here anyway.
Thank you." I'm just amazed he is not his club county board rep since he has all the answers.
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2060 - 21/05/2026 11:14:37
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Replying To StoreysTash: "I'm just amazed he is not his club county board rep since he has all the answers." How many championship appearances have you made for Wexford?
countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 1006 - 21/05/2026 11:37:46
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Replying To StoreysTash: "I'm just amazed he is not his club county board rep since he has all the answers." His club has a very good CB Rep
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19723 - 21/05/2026 11:38:16
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Replying To countyman2022: "Well put it this way- it has done nothing to improve the standard of hurling in Wexford. Or our results. If people are happy just to give everyone a game and a medal at the countys detriment, thats fine. Look at all the players who were the backbone of the senior team who were born in 1990, 1991, 1992. As an example. Even the 3 in a row u-21 Leinster team. When these different groups played underage into senior hurling- there were no shields. There was no medal handouts. And there also wasn't an adult structure where everybody got thru the groups. All games had consequence. These groups all started hurling adult from 17 too dont forget. Another factor in our current demise- not allowing players play until 18/19." Maybe it's time to address the narrative of "Another factor in our current demise- not allowing players play until 18/19", because it's a very lazy analysis of things.
Fact of the matter is that the GAA is 142 years old, and for 139 of them, there was absolutely nothing stopping a lad in this 18th year (i.e. 17 on the 1st January, turning 18 sometime before the following 1st January) from playing in the adult championships.
Club Minor Championships operated as U18 up to 2017 and there was nothing to stop a Minor from playing adult.
It then switched to U17 for the years 2018 to 2022. A big part of the reason for this was to allow lads in their 18th year to play adult grades, without Minor championships being held up by adult ones, or vice versa.
It was only from when club championships switched back to U18 from 2023 to when the rule was changed for this year that the issue ever arose. Again, just three years in the entire history of the Association where a lad in his 18th year couldn't play in the Wexford adult club championships - 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The only players ever affected by it are still only between 18 and 21 years old. Clearly far too early to say it's brought a major impact to the fortunes of our senior team. How many players of that age would you realistically expect to be making serious contributions to a senior inter-county squad, and particularly one with title-winning ambitions?
Or same point, expressed differently -
For the vast majority of the 139 years that lads in their 18th year could play adult grades, we weren't exactly at the top table either. It's not as though we've suddenly dropped off a cliff as a direct result of the three years they couldn't play. Is it?
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3673 - 21/05/2026 11:45:43
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Maybe it's time to address the narrative of "Another factor in our current demise- not allowing players play until 18/19", because it's a very lazy analysis of things.
Fact of the matter is that the GAA is 142 years old, and for 139 of them, there was absolutely nothing stopping a lad in this 18th year (i.e. 17 on the 1st January, turning 18 sometime before the following 1st January) from playing in the adult championships.
Club Minor Championships operated as U18 up to 2017 and there was nothing to stop a Minor from playing adult.
It then switched to U17 for the years 2018 to 2022. A big part of the reason for this was to allow lads in their 18th year to play adult grades, without Minor championships being held up by adult ones, or vice versa.
It was only from when club championships switched back to U18 from 2023 to when the rule was changed for this year that the issue ever arose. Again, just three years in the entire history of the Association where a lad in his 18th year couldn't play in the Wexford adult club championships - 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The only players ever affected by it are still only between 18 and 21 years old. Clearly far too early to say it's brought a major impact to the fortunes of our senior team. How many players of that age would you realistically expect to be making serious contributions to a senior inter-county squad, and particularly one with title-winning ambitions?
Or same point, expressed differently -
For the vast majority of the 139 years that lads in their 18th year could play adult grades, we weren't exactly at the top table either. It's not as though we've suddenly dropped off a cliff as a direct result of the three years they couldn't play. Is it?" How did our u-20 teams do over the years that players could not play adult until 19 before that championship year? Dont forget- there is a lead time of a year in into it. Let me delve into it over the last 3 years for you.
Beaten by Kk by 13 points and by 8 points. Beaten by Galway by 14 points and 7 points, knocked out by LAOIS by 6 points, knocked out by Dublin by 4 points (which was flattering btw). Played 10- have 3 wins. 1 win against Kildare this year and 1 win against Laois this year. So yes- in u-20 there has been a sudden drop off since this came in. That coupled with poor underage coaching and structures.
countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 1006 - 21/05/2026 13:10:45
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Replying To countyman2022: " Replying To Pikeman96: "Maybe it's time to address the narrative of "Another factor in our current demise- not allowing players play until 18/19", because it's a very lazy analysis of things.
Fact of the matter is that the GAA is 142 years old, and for 139 of them, there was absolutely nothing stopping a lad in this 18th year (i.e. 17 on the 1st January, turning 18 sometime before the following 1st January) from playing in the adult championships.
Club Minor Championships operated as U18 up to 2017 and there was nothing to stop a Minor from playing adult.
It then switched to U17 for the years 2018 to 2022. A big part of the reason for this was to allow lads in their 18th year to play adult grades, without Minor championships being held up by adult ones, or vice versa.
It was only from when club championships switched back to U18 from 2023 to when the rule was changed for this year that the issue ever arose. Again, <b>just three years in the entire history of the Association where a lad in his 18th year couldn't play in the Wexford adult club championships</b> - 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The only players ever affected by it are still only between 18 and 21 years old. Clearly far too early to say it's brought a major impact to the fortunes of our senior team. How many players of that age would you realistically expect to be making serious contributions to a senior inter-county squad, and particularly one with title-winning ambitions?
Or same point, expressed differently -
For the vast majority of the 139 years that lads in their 18th year could play adult grades, we weren't exactly at the top table either. It's not as though we've suddenly dropped off a cliff as a direct result of the three years they couldn't play. Is it?"</div>How did our u-20 teams do over the years that players could not play adult until 19 before that championship year? Dont forget- there is a lead time of a year in into it. Let me delve into it over the last 3 years for you.
Beaten by Kk by 13 points and by 8 points. Beaten by Galway by 14 points and 7 points, knocked out by LAOIS by 6 points, knocked out by Dublin by 4 points (which was flattering btw). Played 10- have 3 wins. 1 win against Kildare this year and 1 win against Laois this year. So yes- in u-20 there has been a sudden drop off since this came in. That coupled with poor underage coaching and structures." What about the 3 years previous to that?
Paull (Wexford) - Posts: 280 - 21/05/2026 13:21:47
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@countyman2022 - Yes, those are the results of the past few years. But have you considered the other side of the same coin?
2021 - lost to Kildare in our one and only match.
2020 - lost to Dublin in our one and only match.
2019 - a moderately successful year, but ultimately disappointing. Beat an improving Offaly side by five in the Leinster semi-final, before losing to Kilkenny by two in the final.
2018 - also moderately successful but ultimately disappointing. Beat Dublin by three in the semi-final before Galway needed extra time to beat us in the final.
2017 - beaten and totally outplayed by Kilkenny (0-30 to 1-15) in the Leinster Final in our only match against "serious" opposition, having played only a weak Offaly side and then Carlow to get to the final.
2016 - lost by seven points to Dublin (2-12 to a pitiful 1-8) in our one and only match.
And here's the key point: all the players on all those teams were allowed play in the adult grades while in their 18th year.
Reality is we've a long pattern of two or three bad or disappointing years at U20/U21 level, followed by two or three better ones. No matter what age the players were allowed to start adult hurling at.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3673 - 21/05/2026 13:52:07
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Maybe it's time to address the narrative of "Another factor in our current demise- not allowing players play until 18/19", because it's a very lazy analysis of things.
Fact of the matter is that the GAA is 142 years old, and for 139 of them, there was absolutely nothing stopping a lad in this 18th year (i.e. 17 on the 1st January, turning 18 sometime before the following 1st January) from playing in the adult championships.
Club Minor Championships operated as U18 up to 2017 and there was nothing to stop a Minor from playing adult.
It then switched to U17 for the years 2018 to 2022. A big part of the reason for this was to allow lads in their 18th year to play adult grades, without Minor championships being held up by adult ones, or vice versa.
It was only from when club championships switched back to U18 from 2023 to when the rule was changed for this year that the issue ever arose. Again, just three years in the entire history of the Association where a lad in his 18th year couldn't play in the Wexford adult club championships - 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The only players ever affected by it are still only between 18 and 21 years old. Clearly far too early to say it's brought a major impact to the fortunes of our senior team. How many players of that age would you realistically expect to be making serious contributions to a senior inter-county squad, and particularly one with title-winning ambitions?
Or same point, expressed differently -
For the vast majority of the 139 years that lads in their 18th year could play adult grades, we weren't exactly at the top table either. It's not as though we've suddenly dropped off a cliff as a direct result of the three years they couldn't play. Is it?" Its not lazy analysis. It stands to reason that a lad who has played adult would be used to more physicality than otherwise. And our 2024 and 2025 u20 teams got bullied that way.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19723 - 21/05/2026 13:57:45
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Replying To countyman2022: "How many championship appearances have you made for Wexford?" Probably the same amount as you.
And if you have so many, tell us who you are then. Otherwise "random anonymous man on internet claims...."
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2060 - 21/05/2026 14:55:05
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I for once agree countyman has a point re being allowed to play adult. Who knows if it will help our results but you are playing against a man from Galway or wherever with a year of adult hurling behind him, conditioned to the rough and tumble of adult hurling.
Much of the rest is pure bluster.
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2060 - 21/05/2026 14:58:19
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@Viking66 - I still maintain that it's lazy analysis because it ignores the fact that results weren't much different for several earlier U21 teams, whose players had indeed been allowed to play at adult grades while they were still minors. And that those earlier teams were often "bullied" en route to the defeats they suffered too.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3673 - 21/05/2026 15:15:01
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Replying To Pikeman96: "@countyman2022 - Yes, those are the results of the past few years. But have you considered the other side of the same coin?
2021 - lost to Kildare in our one and only match.
2020 - lost to Dublin in our one and only match.
2019 - a moderately successful year, but ultimately disappointing. Beat an improving Offaly side by five in the Leinster semi-final, before losing to Kilkenny by two in the final.
2018 - also moderately successful but ultimately disappointing. Beat Dublin by three in the semi-final before Galway needed extra time to beat us in the final.
2017 - beaten and totally outplayed by Kilkenny (0-30 to 1-15) in the Leinster Final in our only match against "serious" opposition, having played only a weak Offaly side and then Carlow to get to the final.
2016 - lost by seven points to Dublin (2-12 to a pitiful 1-8) in our one and only match.
And here's the key point: all the players on all those teams were allowed play in the adult grades while in their 18th year.
Reality is we've a long pattern of two or three bad or disappointing years at U20/U21 level, followed by two or three better ones. No matter what age the players were allowed to start adult hurling at." We didnt get physically bullied in any of those losses though, even though we were physicallysmaller due to the abject lack of understanding of S and C in the county at the time..
In 2016 we lost to Dublin who won the Leinster u21 championship, and brought Galway to ET in the AISF.
In 2017 we lost to a Kilkenny side on a mission after being knocked out by Westmeath the previous year, and who lost to Limerick in the AIF, a Limerick side stacked with lads who went on to become 1 of the best Senior sides of all time.
2018 was arguably our best u21 side since the side that narrowly lost the AI final in 2001.
2019 we only narrowly lost to Kilkenny in the u21 final.
2020, an odd year all round, we got a bye into a semifinal that was played the week before Xmas, with a team full of lads that had had no competitive games at all in over a year. We lost to a Dublin team who had already played 2 games in the u21 championship and that went on to win Leinster, and pushed Cork all the way in the AI final.
Less said about 2021 the better. But the lads didnt play adult championship the previous year as there was no adult championship.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19723 - 21/05/2026 15:27:07
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