I don't know if anyone can definitively say that there are no young hurlers coming through, although I think what you can say is that there are no 22yos, 23yos, and 24yos coming through. James Lawlor was our only starter today from those three age groups so that's where we're really struggling right now. I think we have three stand-out 21yos but for whatever reason, two of them aren't on the panel and the other one missed the entire League and was only making his first start at Championship level today. We've already debuted Conor Foley at Senior level and have Corey Byrne-Dunbar, Cian Byrne, Oisín Pepper, Jack Redmond, and Darragh Carley coming through as 20yos, plus next year's U20 teams were only just beaten by Kilkenny in the 2021 Leinster Minor Final. I think a bigger concern would be that as these players enter the fray, some of our older stalwarts (MOH, DOK, Liam ÓG, Lee Chin) will be making their way out. Again, the real problem is our 22yos, 23yos, and 24yos, that's why we're flatlining right now and might continue to flatline into the future.

I didn't understand why we played a sweeper today. It didn't achieve much as Dublin were always keeping their noses just in front of us. When we dropped it around 55-60 mins into the game, I thought we competed much better for possession in the middle third and we were able to pose more of a threat in the full-forward line. Prior to that, we were starving Rory and Lee inside.

If we don't beat Westmeath, we're in proper relegation trouble. I can't see Dublin winning at Nowlan Park so in all likelihood, the table could look like this heading into the last round:

Kilkenny - 7
Galway - 7
Dublin - 5
Wexford - 4
Antrim - 1
Westmeath - 0

Three-way ties will be decided on score difference in the games between the tying teams so if Kilkenny beat Dublin, Dublin beat Galway, and we beat Kilkenny, Kilkenny would still qualify for the Leinster Final as Kilkenny, Galway, and Dublin would all be tied on 7 points but Kilkenny would have a positive score difference versus Galway and Dublin. That means our game against Kilkenny could effectively be a dead rubber for them whereas the match against Dublin won't be a dead rubber for Galway. That's realistically our best hope of qualifying in 3rd: beat Westmeath and Kilkenny, with Dublin losing to both Kilkenny and Galway.

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 575 - 06/05/2023 21:54:17    2476202

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 427 - 06/05/2023 21:54:30    2476203

I usually try to be positive and see the silver lining but jaysus walking outta croker this evening that silver lining is rather difficult to find. We did our absolute best to lose that game today, sitting close to Adrian fenlon he was spitting feathers about the space being allowed to Dublin for their own puck outs and that didn't change for the entire game, can the management team not see these kind of things or rather more worryingly do they not have the tactical nous to rectify them in game ?

Loyalmodel (Wexford) - Posts: 18 - 06/05/2023 21:54:30    2476204

TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1760 - 06/05/2023 21:55:34    2476206

Most frustrated I've been after a game since April last year when we threw away a game against Dublin in almost identical circumstances.

TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1760 - 06/05/2023 21:57:09    2476207

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 427 - 06/05/2023 21:57:28    2476208

Well lads just a couple of pointers again as I was at game and sick is a understatement.
D o keefe not starting was he injured?? Kevin foley coming in and playing very well… is d o not a regular started anymore have his legs gone??
20 wides again like the league are we not practicing our shooting or what in training
Damien reck clearly wasn't fit from the start and well off the pace
No one in full forward line at times in 2nd half was shocking conceding puck outs again and overpassing the ball in the wrong areas of the field..
jack o Connor again being so frustrating to watch knowing there is a good hurler in there but don't know what is wrong with him
Egan for me has to go at end of year at the end of the day we beat kk in a Walsh cup game with a lucky break at the end of the game lost to Laois beat Offaly beat Westmeath and beat Antrim not good signs for me as we have only beating Kilkenny a big name team in a championship game in 3 years

gannett83 (Wexford) - Posts: 322 - 06/05/2023 22:12:19    2476213

Purpleandgold72 (Wexford) - Posts: 274 - 06/05/2023 22:12:45    2476215

HurlingBuzz (Wexford) - Posts: 554 - 06/05/2023 22:15:05    2476219

TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1760 - 06/05/2023 22:16:45    2476221

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2405 - 06/05/2023 22:19:18    2476222

I've been harsh on Egan previously but players also need to take responsibility today.
I hate to be too critical about players. I know a few of them well. Creating all those scoring chances. Some terrible wides.

Never been a frustrated when we continued to allow dublin win their own puck out. Time after time. They then played accurate ball into half forwards who were considerably better than us in the air.

My birthday today. Was going to go for pints. Going to bed instead. Need to stop caring so much about a sport.

Yellowhelmet (Australia) - Posts: 153 - 06/05/2023 22:22:53    2476224

Depressing stuff. 50% more scoring chances yet still couldn't win? Lads out there who were clearly carrying injuries, giving dubs as much space as they'd like on puck outs. If there was a game plan I couldn't see it. Future is looking bleaker than it has for some time.

FearBeag (Mayo) - Posts: 91 - 06/05/2023 22:31:21    2476225

Looking back on the team selection, Mac for me was a bit hard done by not getting a start and proved it when he came in. Not many other hard luck stories. Richie Lawlor is clearly a talented lad but was miles off it in midfield. Midfield partnership with Dunbar was always going to be too lightweight. Damien Reck also was nowhere near the pace until he limped off. Liam Ryan was very good until he got an injury before half time. All three for me should have been hooked at half time. This craic of playing injured players has to end, it demonstrates no faith in the squad for starters

Tactics were absolutely shocking. To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if some players decided to hell with the tactics for last 15-20 mins, sweeper went anyway and we took over in the middle. Just some shocking misses prevented an undeserved win. James Lawlor made a really poor error for their goal too. The stats from the game make depressing reading. Bad and all as we were, a small bit of composure would have been enough to win.

After playing so well v Antrim, Jacko and Oisin Foley were dreadful I thought. Lee Chin carried us in the first half but had no impact at full forward in the second. If he's not fit enough to play at 11 then take him off.

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 427 - 06/05/2023 22:34:38    2476226

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2316 - 06/05/2023 22:45:02    2476229

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 427 - 06/05/2023 22:46:51    2476230

HurlingBuzz (Wexford) - Posts: 554 - 06/05/2023 22:51:53    2476233

Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 321 - 06/05/2023 22:54:16    2476234

Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 321 - 06/05/2023 22:59:31    2476236

Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 321 - 06/05/2023 23:04:48    2476239