Replying To beano:  "As sickening a final defeat as any in recent memory. It was there for the taking when we pulled level and I thought history was repeating itself from last week. In hindsight, we probably should have taken that point chance rather than going for the late goal, and a couple of rookie mistakes (they happen at this level) thereafter sealed our fate.

Without sounding like an old schooler, I don't understand why we didn't go long a few times playing with the extra man. O'Hagan showed his aerial prowess in particular last week, Farrell is a big unit too, and surely Offaly are still spooked by the concession of that late goal in last year's minor final. In the end, the game's only goal chance went their way, and what a finish from Screeney- there is no shame getting picked apart by him as he looks a serious talent.

I thought Simon Roche was immense for us, mopped up a mountain of ball. Cian Byrne was obviously outstanding as well (one of the best losing performances from a Wexford player in ages)- he has to be fast-tracked into the senior set-up now if at all possible. Some of our other more prominent names weren't as good tonight but you can't fault anyone's application either. Felt Offaly got one or two 50-50 calls in their favour as well (was that a free on Screeney in the end? Not sure), but we got one or two softish frees as well.

Disappointing end for an otherwise talented crop of chaps though. Pride is restored in the jersey."

Replying To Magpie2:  "Larry you paint a very rosy picture.
First of all we were hugely outnumbered by Offaly last night. Everyone could see that.
I think you are been optimistic saying that we would have 10 lads on the senior panel in the next few years. In my honest opinion that would be pushing it. No doubt we have some good players and I would think 4 maybe 5 may make the cut.
Some of the team were not at the races last night.neither were they impressive in the last game. Yes we beat the cats and that's always great but we were a wee bit lucky.
Offaly were very fit and full of running as we were too and I don't believe the size of the pitch had any bearing on the result.
I wish that you were right about the above Larry but I'm afraid we will have to agree to disagree."

Replying To Formertownie:  "Yes was seated on opposite side at other end and at first thought I saw him award a free to us for overcharging"

Replying To Onion Breath:  "Yeah great … "The senior round robin will be good next year with Offaly back". Like they're already as good as there.

If Westmeath beat Wexford this weekend (draw last year if I recall) then you might get your wish to play Offaly next year … in the Joe McDonagh that is."

Replying To LarryOBrother:  "We were outnumbered yes but not hugely and that was probably as large a travelling crowd to an underage match ive seen in 20 years. Plus they brought their voices and colour which added to it.

10 of those lads will get a run with our senior team and its up to them to make the most of it. Some are ready now and some aren't but don't forget this is U20 as opposed to U21 so they have time make the cut.

I'll leave you there with the negativity - big crowd but not big enough, good players but not good enough, good results but lucky to get them.
The reality is that in the last two years these lads have lost by a point to the eventual AI Champions and this year i would argue was better, getting to play 6 games a Leinster final appearance and big match experience.
U20 is by far the most important age group to see what you have coming through and we seem to be in a decent shape."

Replying To Viking66:  "Cian Byrne has already played for the Senior team a few times in the last couple of years."

Replying To beano:  "I know he has, but I'd be calling up for the next batch of games now"

Replying To Viking66:  "Excuses. The first 10 of those apply to Offaly as well.
Wexford had better days in the last 10 years than Offaly have had this millennium.
Was it not a school night in Offaly as well? Offaly have had a hundred worse losses than Wexford had. Financial burden from all the other Wexford games nobody has gone to?
That rut will get worse if players decide "why bother, nobody supports us anyway".
I thought last night Wexford would have a massive support, it was in Carlow like not Cork or Thurles which are always bandied out as excuses for not going."]I was there and in Thurles last year . I m at a loss to why they don't travel.
I do find sometimes I ask myself why I go I ve been going for too long to remember not every game but enough to know the difference between excuses and reasons .
Think in last 10 years we ve seen some abject performances. One stands to mind most of all in Cork v clare qualifier 1/4 final was the closest I ever came to leaving a game at half time I thought we showed nothing and cared less I also then thought of the effort the lads put in over the year and said who am I to turn my back on my own .
. 2nd half was better .
Not everyone is die hard that's a fact every county has their die hards and the bandwagoners .
I merely trying to get my head around it .
I d guess the promotional aspect of this Offaly team have done a good job they ve certainly had great moments in last few years why would nt they draw a huge crowd with the success and future looking goid for this bunch
Side note one player also won an all ireland football u20 couple years ago too with offaly and played last night too name eludes me
The dual player Is dead in our intercounty set up after u13s"]Conor Murphy played for our u20 footballers last year."]I know he is a clubmate of yours, but I thought he struggled the last two games and would have been a better asset to the u20 footballers.

On the dual player issue, Eoin Whelan played both codes in 2021, along with Darby Purcell who was on the extended panel Wednesday night. Niall Furlong played full-back for the minors Tuesday night (and looked good) and was a starter for the minor hurlers as well. In fact he played two championship games on a bank holiday Monday and Wednesday a few weeks ago when other lads aren't allowed play two different grades across a longer time-frame. Jack Hennessy was also a dual player for the minors last year.

It may not be as prominent as it was, but its still a thing. Another encouraging aspect of our under-age set-ups lately is the number of non-traditional clubs being represented. Buffers Alley, Rathnure, Kilrush and Marshalstown supplied players for the minor footballers on Tuesday. Clongeen and Horeswood for our under-20s on Wednesday. I'd say it isn't too often that Fethard had the most representatives on any given Wexford team either.

Replying To Viking66:  "On point 2 I felt so sorry for Keith Rossiter. I made a point of going over and shaking his hand when I was out on the pitch with the kids and he was standing off by himself with his family after the presentation. He sent on Farrell for Dundon to move our extra man up the pitch and our backs repeatedly tried running or shortpassing the ball up the pitch instead of playing it in longer. I was standing right on the halfway line and Offaly had 5 lads in a line across the pitch there. Every time one of our lads ran into them or received a hospital pass there he was surrounded and turned over. Offaly broke fast and got frees, Screeney only missed one placed ball I think, or scored points, and their goal came from that area when they broke forward also. I think the atmosphere and size of the crowd got to some of our lads some looked nervous and there was an absence of the heads up hurling they showed in Nowlan Park. Now I haven't watched the game back but that was how it looked live."

Replying To beano:  "I know he has, but I'd be calling up for the next batch of games now"

Replying To Afinestick:  "That's exactly what happened. It's a pity management didn't get the message into the back to hit the ball long into space and not get bottled up around our 45 and 65"

Replying To Afinestick:  "No sign of him in the squad for Sunday unfortunately . Damien Reck is not named in the panel too. I can't see him being fully right for next week. Im hoping we can win our next 2 games without him and get through . That gives up a month to get ready for the preliminary quarter final against Carlow or Offaly"

Replying To beano:  "Excuses. The first 10 of those apply to Offaly as well.
Wexford had better days in the last 10 years than Offaly have had this millennium.
Was it not a school night in Offaly as well? Offaly have had a hundred worse losses than Wexford had. Financial burden from all the other Wexford games nobody has gone to?
That rut will get worse if players decide "why bother, nobody supports us anyway".
I thought last night Wexford would have a massive support, it was in Carlow like not Cork or Thurles which are always bandied out as excuses for not going."]I was there and in Thurles last year . I m at a loss to why they don't travel.
I do find sometimes I ask myself why I go I ve been going for too long to remember not every game but enough to know the difference between excuses and reasons .
Think in last 10 years we ve seen some abject performances. One stands to mind most of all in Cork v clare qualifier 1/4 final was the closest I ever came to leaving a game at half time I thought we showed nothing and cared less I also then thought of the effort the lads put in over the year and said who am I to turn my back on my own .
. 2nd half was better .
Not everyone is die hard that's a fact every county has their die hards and the bandwagoners .
I merely trying to get my head around it .
I d guess the promotional aspect of this Offaly team have done a good job they ve certainly had great moments in last few years why would nt they draw a huge crowd with the success and future looking goid for this bunch
Side note one player also won an all ireland football u20 couple years ago too with offaly and played last night too name eludes me
The dual player Is dead in our intercounty set up after u13s"]Conor Murphy played for our u20 footballers last year."]I know he is a clubmate of yours, but I thought he struggled the last two games and would have been a better asset to the u20 footballers.

On the dual player issue, Eoin Whelan played both codes in 2021, along with Darby Purcell who was on the extended panel Wednesday night. Niall Furlong played full-back for the minors Tuesday night (and looked good) and was a starter for the minor hurlers as well. In fact he played two championship games on a bank holiday Monday and Wednesday a few weeks ago when other lads aren't allowed play two different grades across a longer time-frame. Jack Hennessy was also a dual player for the minors last year.

It may not be as prominent as it was, but its still a thing. Another encouraging aspect of our under-age set-ups lately is the number of non-traditional clubs being represented. Buffers Alley, Rathnure, Kilrush and Marshalstown supplied players for the minor footballers on Tuesday. Clongeen and Horeswood for our under-20s on Wednesday. I'd say it isn't too often that Fethard had the most representatives on any given Wexford team either."]Not sure if it was nerves but he didn't look right Wednesday. I haven't been talking to him since. Thought he did what he was picked to do against Kilkenny, which was nullify their creative midfield threat. His man was scoreless while he was on the pitch and scored 2 after he was subbed off. In the Offaly game I thought their number 8 Spain was excellent. Another KK clubman and lightening fast like his clubmate Screeney. Not really the type of player that it suited him to mark. At the same time when they were winning all the ball around halfway during the 2nd half I thought Conor mightve helped the team by slowing that ball down if he was on the pitch. Offaly won all the 2nd ball and rucks and then broke forward, either getting scores or winning frees that Screeney scored. Of course we should've played more long ball in, especially after Keith Rossiter sent on Farrell instead of Dundon, but our lads played 14 men like you are coached to play against 14- keep possession and use the spare man. Think the Offaly manager, who obviously would know the usual way of playing against 14, countered it very well with the crowded midfield, and most importantly his lads played ferocious right up to the final whistle.
Agree 100% about the representation of clubs and credit is due to all the management teams for looking at lads from non traditional clubs.

Replying To TerribleFootwork:  "On the dual player thing mentioned previously, Cormac Egan initially was only on the u20 Offaly football panel this year but joined the hurling panel after the footballers were knocked out. Based on this years u20 campaign and last years club football championship there's a case to be made that Cian Byrne is the best u20 player in Wexford in both codes."

Replying To HurlingBuzz:  "Running the ball out of defence effectively and consistently requires a high skill set. A misplaced/miss hit pass or handling error and it breaks down. Huge amount of practice required to master it and have confidence in doing it"

Replying To Viking66:  "Excuses. The first 10 of those apply to Offaly as well.
Wexford had better days in the last 10 years than Offaly have had this millennium.
Was it not a school night in Offaly as well? Offaly have had a hundred worse losses than Wexford had. Financial burden from all the other Wexford games nobody has gone to?
That rut will get worse if players decide "why bother, nobody supports us anyway".
I thought last night Wexford would have a massive support, it was in Carlow like not Cork or Thurles which are always bandied out as excuses for not going."]I was there and in Thurles last year . I m at a loss to why they don't travel.
I do find sometimes I ask myself why I go I ve been going for too long to remember not every game but enough to know the difference between excuses and reasons .
Think in last 10 years we ve seen some abject performances. One stands to mind most of all in Cork v clare qualifier 1/4 final was the closest I ever came to leaving a game at half time I thought we showed nothing and cared less I also then thought of the effort the lads put in over the year and said who am I to turn my back on my own .
. 2nd half was better .
Not everyone is die hard that's a fact every county has their die hards and the bandwagoners .
I merely trying to get my head around it .
I d guess the promotional aspect of this Offaly team have done a good job they ve certainly had great moments in last few years why would nt they draw a huge crowd with the success and future looking goid for this bunch
Side note one player also won an all ireland football u20 couple years ago too with offaly and played last night too name eludes me
The dual player Is dead in our intercounty set up after u13s"]Conor Murphy played for our u20 footballers last year."]I know he is a clubmate of yours, but I thought he struggled the last two games and would have been a better asset to the u20 footballers.

On the dual player issue, Eoin Whelan played both codes in 2021, along with Darby Purcell who was on the extended panel Wednesday night. Niall Furlong played full-back for the minors Tuesday night (and looked good) and was a starter for the minor hurlers as well. In fact he played two championship games on a bank holiday Monday and Wednesday a few weeks ago when other lads aren't allowed play two different grades across a longer time-frame. Jack Hennessy was also a dual player for the minors last year.

It may not be as prominent as it was, but its still a thing. Another encouraging aspect of our under-age set-ups lately is the number of non-traditional clubs being represented. Buffers Alley, Rathnure, Kilrush and Marshalstown supplied players for the minor footballers on Tuesday. Clongeen and Horeswood for our under-20s on Wednesday. I'd say it isn't too often that Fethard had the most representatives on any given Wexford team either."]Not sure if it was nerves but he didn't look right Wednesday. I haven't been talking to him since. Thought he did what he was picked to do against Kilkenny, which was nullify their creative midfield threat. His man was scoreless while he was on the pitch and scored 2 after he was subbed off. In the Offaly game I thought their number 8 Spain was excellent. Another KK clubman and lightening fast like his clubmate Screeney. Not really the type of player that it suited him to mark. At the same time when they were winning all the ball around halfway during the 2nd half I thought Conor mightve helped the team by slowing that ball down if he was on the pitch. Offaly won all the 2nd ball and rucks and then broke forward, either getting scores or winning frees that Screeney scored. Of course we should've played more long ball in, especially after Keith Rossiter sent on Farrell instead of Dundon, but our lads played 14 men like you are coached to play against 14- keep possession and use the spare man. Think the Offaly manager, who obviously would know the usual way of playing against 14, countered it very well with the crowded midfield, and most importantly his lads played ferocious right up to the final whistle.
Agree 100% about the representation of clubs and credit is due to all the management teams for looking at lads from non traditional clubs."]Posting this again in reply to Beano as its way too much to read with all the previous posts-
Not sure if it was nerves but Conor Murphy didn't look right Wednesday. I haven't been talking to him since. Thought he did what he was picked to do against Kilkenny, which was nullify their creative midfield threat. His man was scoreless while he was on the pitch and scored 2 after he was subbed off. In the Offaly game I thought their number 8 Spain was excellent. Another KK clubman and lightening fast like his clubmate Screeney. Not really the type of player that it suited him to mark. At the same time when they were winning all the ball around halfway during the 2nd half I thought Conor mightve helped the team by slowing that ball down if he was on the pitch. Offaly won all the 2nd ball and rucks and then broke forward, either getting scores or winning frees that Screeney scored. Of course we should've played more long ball in, especially after Keith Rossiter sent on Farrell instead of Dundon, but our lads played 14 men like you are coached to play against 14- keep possession and use the spare man. Think the Offaly manager, who obviously would know the usual way of playing against 14, countered it very well with the crowded midfield, and most importantly his lads played ferocious right up to the final whistle.
Agree 100% about the representation of clubs and credit is due to all the management teams for looking at lads from non traditional clubs.

Replying To Afinestick:  "No sign of him in the squad for Sunday unfortunately . Damien Reck is not named in the panel too. I can't see him being fully right for next week. Im hoping we can win our next 2 games without him and get through . That gives up a month to get ready for the preliminary quarter final against Carlow or Offaly"