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Replying To StoreysTash: "Last post of the night.
Since Wexford won their last All-Ireland in 1996, every real hurling county has won an All-Ireland at some level. Offaly won senior and u20 All-Irelands, Waterford won minor in last couple of years, Clare have been up the Hogan stand three times since, Limerick have filled their boots, Galway have umpteen underage and a senior All-Ireland.
In those 30 years we have won correct if wrong 6 x Leinster U20/21's (and three of those were in 3 years), and one minor Leinster. And in the 2 U20 finals we were resoundly beaten, beaten by Antrim another year, and the minors were hockeyed by Galway in the semi final.
That is a diabolical record, to call a spade a spade. How can we honestly believe we should be competing for senior honours with that record? I think we are delusional as a county but the hard facts are staring us in the face.
And no All-Ireland in that time yet talk to anybody old enough to remember 1996 they'll bore you with story after story about it. Its 30 years ago, why didn't you create the next generation in the meantime?" There are plenty here with delusions of grandeur. We havent been a top top hurling county since the 1960s. The only other decade we were was the 1950s.
We have been competitive in years, but not consistently, outside of that.
If we get enough lads, especially good hurling people,to work hard at it from the bottom up we could at least become properly competitive again. But will those people bother?
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 14:30:24
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Replying To OpenStandWall: "Andy Ronan" Thanks, couldnt remember his name
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 14:40:44
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Replying To Timbertony: "We need a lot more from those lads 22-25. Just looking through our u20 team that lost to Offaly in 2023 and 2019 minor team, we seem to have lost a lot of players. Lawlor, Molloy, Cian Byrne, Redmond, Carley, Foley, Rowley all should be further along in their development. Would be a lot easier coming into a team with an experienced spine but conditioning wise alone that group are a long way off Cork or Limerick." Rowley is only 21 this year. Same as Cillian Byrne and Simon Roche. They were only u18s when they started in the 2023 Leinster u20 championship.
Just out of interest do we have that kind of competitive physical culture that other counties have? Lads wanting to be faster over 20 or 40 metres than the next lad, jump longer broad jumps or jump higher vertical jumps than the next lad, bench more, run further etc? Was a big thing with Limericks lads coming up in the teens.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 14:48:17
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Replying To OpenStandWall: "Only positive is Offaly showed that it's possible to turn a demise around which is what this is now unfortunately, 2019 the night we qualified for a Leinster final, they were relegated to the Christy ring…fast forward 7 years later and we seem to be going in polar opposites. Will be no overnight fix either.
Stating the obvious and probably like a broken record, but until we're seeing success at underage like we did in the 2010s, nights like last night will be the norm unfortunately." How successful were we in those 2010s? How many times did we beat Galway at minor or u20/1? Or a Munster county? I dont think we beat Galway or any Munster county at either grade in the 2010s.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 14:52:15
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Was that a mixed Wexford team that beat them or was it a Wexford A team?
And what sort of team did Tipp have out in the Celtic Challenge team that beat us by two points a few weeks ago?" They were mixed teams. Both played both Tipp teams, who were also mixed. We did sideline 5 of our 6 biggest lads on one of the teams for one half of one of the games. It was like a bio banded half. Worked out pretty well for the smaller lads on both sides.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 14:55:53
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Replying To StoreysTash: "Last post of the night.
Since Wexford won their last All-Ireland in 1996, every real hurling county has won an All-Ireland at some level. Offaly won senior and u20 All-Irelands, Waterford won minor in last couple of years, Clare have been up the Hogan stand three times since, Limerick have filled their boots, Galway have umpteen underage and a senior All-Ireland.
In those 30 years we have won correct if wrong 6 x Leinster U20/21's (and three of those were in 3 years), and one minor Leinster. And in the 2 U20 finals we were resoundly beaten, beaten by Antrim another year, and the minors were hockeyed by Galway in the semi final.
That is a diabolical record, to call a spade a spade. How can we honestly believe we should be competing for senior honours with that record? I think we are delusional as a county but the hard facts are staring us in the face.
And no All-Ireland in that time yet talk to anybody old enough to remember 1996 they'll bore you with story after story about it. Its 30 years ago, why didn't you create the next generation in the meantime?" And for 30 years we've been listening to the same people telling us what we should be doing and continue to do so with their word taken as gospel every time they speak.
Perhaps its time to move on!
tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1658 - 17/05/2026 14:59:42
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Was that a mixed Wexford team that beat them or was it a Wexford A team?
And what sort of team did Tipp have out in the Celtic Challenge team that beat us by two points a few weeks ago?" The u14s were mixed teams. Both played both Tipp teams, who were also mixed. We did sideline 5 of our 6 biggest lads on one of the teams for one half of one of the games. It was like a bio banded half. Worked out pretty well for the smaller lads on both sides. Our u14s were excellent last year, they won 3 out of 4 of their games against Cork also, including beating the Cork East team who won the Tony Forristal Cup, which wasnt open to Leinster Counties last year.
Tipp had a strong Celtic Challenge team out against us, they had 2 teams in the Celtic Challenge this year and the one we lost to was the stronger one. The other got knocked out pretty early on.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 15:03:09
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Replying To Viking66: "Charlie Roark could become an excellent fullback" He could, I think he needs time though because while he has good size to him, he's so tall that it's going to take him time to properly fill his frame
Charlie Mooney is similar too, would say Ciarán Doyle is the readiest of the 20yos this year, would like to see him start in next year's League
Would have Carley, Nolan, and O'Brien in the Senior panel as well, wouldn't play O'Brien but would him there just for training like Tipp did with Darragh McCarthy in 2024, Carley could be a starter next year as he offers us something we're badly lacking, would like to see him base his game on Bonner Maher, think that's the profile of player that suits him best
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1256 - 17/05/2026 15:06:15
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Tbf, that Offaly team was a bit of a one-off at Minor and U20, they're turned it around more down to luck than proper structures (Or at least that's how it seems to me)" Think we beat their other teams by double digits this decade on average from u14 to u20 apart from that 1 good team. This year our u14s absolutely hammered Offalys a few weeks ago.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 15:06:36
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Replying To Viking66: "We could win Leinster with better management and more of our better players committing." Yeah and those two things mightn't be unrelated either
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1256 - 17/05/2026 15:07:35
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Rowley is 21 and missed games during the league because of a concussion, last night was Molloy's first game back all season, last night was also Cian Byron's first Championship appearance all season and he didn't play that much in the league either, Lawlor played well enough last night IMO as did Carley
Molloy actually looked like a unit last night when he came on, he's really filled out, Carley' S&C work has come on a good bit since last year, Rowley has done decent enough work too, he's on the right track physically" We seem disproportionately impacted by injuries going on injuries. Has to be more than just bad luck. Need these lads to drive on the team now.
Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 577 - 17/05/2026 15:09:59
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Suppose there are three time periods we need to look at: short-term, medium-term, and long-term
Short-term: New manager for the Senior team, making sure the best hurlers in Wexford are all hurling for Wexford, blooding through young players, working on a clear style of play, improving S&C, playing with more intensity
Medium-term: Winning a Leinster title at the very least at Minor & U20 level in the next three-to-five years, blooding these players in Senior level, getting bigger as a team, better S&C work, more X-factor hurlers
Long-term: Aim has to be dominating like Limerick have been in the last decade, you could fall just below that standard and still be a very successful team so set very high aims and then impose very high standards. If we had two/three lads from every age group at every club hurl off their own wall for 30 minutes a day every day for 10 years, we would be #1 in Ireland, no doubt about that, issue is getting there. It's not rocket science but it's a lot of hard work. Longer club seasons at underage level, better coaching at development squad level, better coaching at club level, off-season development programmes for U10-U13 hurlers, better S&C work at clubs in addition to the work going on at schools, more time spent hurling at schools through more training sessions and the lads hurling during breaks/lunch, District competitions for development squads in the early Spring as a precursor to trials, expand the size of our development squad to at least 72 to be more in-line with other counties, Combined Colleges at Second Year and Junior level and not just at Senior level
Do all that and we win. Simple in theory, hard in practice
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1256 - 17/05/2026 15:18:14
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Suppose there are three time periods we need to look at: short-term, medium-term, and long-term
Short-term: New manager for the Senior team, making sure the best hurlers in Wexford are all hurling for Wexford, blooding through young players, working on a clear style of play, improving S&C, playing with more intensity
Medium-term: Winning a Leinster title at the very least at Minor & U20 level in the next three-to-five years, blooding these players in Senior level, getting bigger as a team, better S&C work, more X-factor hurlers
Long-term: Aim has to be dominating like Limerick have been in the last decade, you could fall just below that standard and still be a very successful team so set very high aims and then impose very high standards. If we had two/three lads from every age group at every club hurl off their own wall for 30 minutes a day every day for 10 years, we would be #1 in Ireland, no doubt about that, issue is getting there. It's not rocket science but it's a lot of hard work. Longer club seasons at underage level, better coaching at development squad level, better coaching at club level, off-season development programmes for U10-U13 hurlers, better S&C work at clubs in addition to the work going on at schools, more time spent hurling at schools through more training sessions and the lads hurling during breaks/lunch, District competitions for development squads in the early Spring as a precursor to trials, expand the size of our development squad to at least 72 to be more in-line with other counties, Combined Colleges at Second Year and Junior level and not just at Senior level
Do all that and we win. Simple in theory, hard in practice" Presume you mean District Competitions in early winter as a precursor to development squad trials?
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 16:59:49
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Yeah and those two things mightn't be unrelated either" .......
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 17:00:17
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "He could, I think he needs time though because while he has good size to him, he's so tall that it's going to take him time to properly fill his frame
Charlie Mooney is similar too, would say Ciarán Doyle is the readiest of the 20yos this year, would like to see him start in next year's League
Would have Carley, Nolan, and O'Brien in the Senior panel as well, wouldn't play O'Brien but would him there just for training like Tipp did with Darragh McCarthy in 2024, Carley could be a starter next year as he offers us something we're badly lacking, would like to see him base his game on Bonner Maher, think that's the profile of player that suits him best" Niall Furlong has potential also, might work out as a cornerback too.......
And I think Paddy Quigley should be in the Senior squad also.
Carleys mobility and workrate are much improved this year. If he keeps improving these at the same rate he will be a very good Senior player in a few years. Only other thing Id like to see him get better at is be more clinical when hes shooting.
Id like to see all the up to the age players off our u20s in the 60 odd lads in for the 1st part of the Senior season every year. That way they can all get a look at what's involved, and see is it for them. Those that like what they see are more likely to do the work to get to the next level. And likewise Senior management and backroom staff can get a look at all the lads also.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19655 - 17/05/2026 17:08:46
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Replying To Viking66: "How successful were we in those 2010s? How many times did we beat Galway at minor or u20/1? Or a Munster county? I dont think we beat Galway or any Munster county at either grade in the 2010s." Beat Galway in the 2014 U21 AISF in Thurles
About the only time I can ever remember a Wexford side beating Galway at Minor/U21 level
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1256 - 17/05/2026 19:00:46
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Replying To Viking66: "The u14s were mixed teams. Both played both Tipp teams, who were also mixed. We did sideline 5 of our 6 biggest lads on one of the teams for one half of one of the games. It was like a bio banded half. Worked out pretty well for the smaller lads on both sides. Our u14s were excellent last year, they won 3 out of 4 of their games against Cork also, including beating the Cork East team who won the Tony Forristal Cup, which wasnt open to Leinster Counties last year.
Tipp had a strong Celtic Challenge team out against us, they had 2 teams in the Celtic Challenge this year and the one we lost to was the stronger one. The other got knocked out pretty early on." Did they've any lads on their Minor panel playing on the Celtic Challenge?
Didn't we have lads from the Minor extended panel on our Celtic Challenge team?
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1256 - 17/05/2026 19:02:28
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Replying To Viking66: "Think we beat their other teams by double digits this decade on average from u14 to u20 apart from that 1 good team. This year our u14s absolutely hammered Offalys a few weeks ago." Tbf, when you look at it, it's a minor miracle that they have 4 AIs to their name when you consider their population and the fact they're a lot closer to being a true dual county than ourselves (Things changing a bit now, I think, as Tullamore grows and numbers in their traditional hurling areas shrink)
If they've won 4, we really should have a lot more than 6 to our name because they have a lot more genuine excuses for lack of success than we do
At the same time, that 1980-2000 team was a bit of an anomaly, they've never been anywhere near AI-winning class outside of that (We had our golden period too but would've been more competitive than them outside of our golden period)
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1256 - 17/05/2026 19:08:35
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Replying To Timbertony: "We seem disproportionately impacted by injuries going on injuries. Has to be more than just bad luck. Need these lads to drive on the team now." I don't think we are tbh, some of the players getting injured have a bad injury record and our injuries might seem worse simply because we were missing so many other players in the first place for all sorts of reasons
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1256 - 17/05/2026 19:10:51
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Replying To Viking66: "Presume you mean District Competitions in early winter as a precursor to development squad trials?" Yeah, get 120 lads in at U14, U15, and U16 and then maybe have six teams of 20 rather than four districts, play a round-robin series and then maybe a final so everyone would have six games, would give you a good indication of who the best players are, would also have lads hurling in winter when they weren't doing so previously, that cannot be a bad thing
Assuming they keep two development squads with 48 altogether, you could maybe cut the number of players from 120 down to 80 after that competition and then cut the 80 down to 48 after trials
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1256 - 17/05/2026 19:13:46
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