National Forum

Wexford Hurling Thread

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Replying To Viking66:  "Damien Reck is the man for 6"
That's been tried and failed repeatedly.

Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 499 - 07/02/2026 22:31:01    2655434

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Replying To Timbertony:  "That's been tried and failed repeatedly."
In what way failed? As a 6 he is effectively a spare man, as 11s don't stay at centreforward anymore. And there's no better man on the Wexford team to play that spare man at the back role. He is good at snuffing out goal threats at source, even if that means giving away a scoreable free. He covers behind all our other defenders, or covers for them when they go forward, when needed. He delivers good fast ball forwards. He reads the game very well. He is capable of chipping in with the odd point also.
What kind of 6 are you wanting?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18287 - 07/02/2026 22:40:32    2655437

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Had a look back at the game on the TG4 Player

Don't know if we were that bad defensively in the game, we were a bit loose early on in the first half and they got three points from play inside the first ten minutes but they scored 1-05 from play the rest of the way, can understand some having defensive concerns about the team but don't think today really showcased those deficiencies (Main issue was our half-back-line getting cleaned out of it in the air but that was Chris Nolan nearly by himself, with a little help from Marty Kavanagh)

Conceded a load of frees but they did too, don't think anyone in particular was responsible for giving away too many frees; I feel like we give up too many scorable frees, I think it's because we don't push up on the puck-out so we don't really foul their defenders, I'd rather that we did push up, should have the half-back-line to compete for the ball in the air if we get everyone back fit

Tbf to Carlow, Chris Nolan and Marty Kavanagh won a load of frees, Nolan was exceptional for them, Kavanagh was good on the frees but did little enough in open play

Our use of the ball was decent enough although this was helped by the fact they put little pressure on us working the ball out and the fact their defence is very suspect

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 858 - 07/02/2026 23:14:10    2655444

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Replying To Viking66:  "Was talking to a lad who was there, we faded badly in the second half. Apparently we were competing reasonably well up until that. May take the learnings from it and do better next time. Shame a few lads didnt commit also, we need everyone to be competitive.
Hopefully we will have a good settled starting team by the time Championship comes around."
Out of interest, who didn't commit to the U20 squad this year?

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 858 - 08/02/2026 00:39:41    2655452

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Replying To tearintom:  "Good post that, its pretty much it really.

Clubs have to do more or maybe the reality is that we are where we are for 60 odd years because thats in reality the level we are at for the interest that is there.

You go around clubs and its for the most part the same families, the same surnames making up teams etc.

This all starts at home, this all comes from the families, then its the clubs and then the county yet we obsess with county as the be all and end all.

Interestingly I was talking to a high ranking county board official recently and shooting the breeze and some of the stuff he said was interesting.

Definitely a frustration with clubs and county board annoyed with work or lack of it a lot of clubs are putting in, clubs not even responding to requests for trials etc and sending no one for example and secondly the feedback from underage from parents and clubs was fhere are far too many games and its something to be looked at. Thats something I believed myself the obsessions with games as if more games solves everything, our hAC club championships for the last 2 years fkr example, just more games.

I queried the level of coaching with them but he made a valid point that when coaching courses and training options are out on thyere attended sparsely, sometimes struggling to put together enough so what can fhey do?

Funnily enough he would be a hurling man to the bone but remarked that the football courses are being well attended and put it down to the new football rules, in that its made the game better to watch and play but also peaked an interest from coaches about how best to implement new rules etc. It's fresh, it's new.

We also spoke about the whole mythology, hes said hes sick of it, we as hurling people do more damage to our game than we know. All this stuff about you need to be born into it, need to be able to do this by age 6 or that by age 10, it just puts kids and parents off. Its a valid point, all this way of life shtick.

We need to get back to it being a game, a game anyone can play nkt a cultural definition and examination of your dna. You get the kids and parents involved first and everything moves from there, do that by simplifying the message not mythicizing it."
This is a great post.

"We also spoke about the whole mythology, hes said hes sick of it, we as hurling people do more damage to our game than we know. All this stuff about you need to be born into it, need to be able to do this by age 6 or that by age 10, it just puts kids and parents off. Its a valid point, all this way of life shtick."

The whole thing about lads needing to live hurling from the age of 5 or they'll never be any good is the greatest myth ever invented. Nonsense.

I was talking to two dads of young players this week and both their young lads (one is 11 and the other is 13), and they're giving up GAA. All too serious and heavy, very little football which is now a lot of fun to play, hurling not made be enjoyable by coaches.

icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2586 - 08/02/2026 08:00:14    2655457

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Replying To Timbertony:  "That's been tried and failed repeatedly."
Failed is a strong word. I think reck has been good at 6 or at least he's produced some excellent performances and he most certainly has all the hurling. I'd go as far as to say everything we did well last night went through him but I don't think it's the best use of the resources we have at the moment once patsy is back.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4203 - 08/02/2026 08:34:32    2655460

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One sure thing is lawlor is no centre back and carley is no corner back!!! Both terrible yesterday!! Why dont they play lawlor wing back,done his best hurling there last year!! Maybe carley wing back to?? Wickham is a good young chap probably better in midfield for me!! Hes better than banville whos tried and tested but just not up to it!!! No doubt we are struggling big time!! Impressed with tucker and simon so far!! Long way away,but good to be winning,i hope they enjoy it this week because it might be there last win for a while bar may be kildare

theboys (Wexford) - Posts: 295 - 08/02/2026 09:56:26    2655466

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Happy with that win yesterday. Some positives came out of it. No one is getting carried away and tough days lie ahead but a nice win yesterday evening.

hunting (Wexford) - Posts: 1169 - 08/02/2026 10:28:46    2655467

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Element of Wexford being forced to show stronger hand than intended with the springing of Chin and others?

Croke Park could be a right battle.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3997 - 08/02/2026 10:28:56    2655468

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Element of Wexford being forced to show stronger hand than intended with the springing of Chin and others?

Croke Park could be a right battle."
I dunno, I would guess the intention was always to give him a light enough league campaign but to make sure he played the two games against Dublin and Clare, would've been hard to start him against Dublin without any minutes under his belt so probably had to come on last night regardless of the match situation

ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 858 - 08/02/2026 11:56:19    2655473

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Element of Wexford being forced to show stronger hand than intended with the springing of Chin and others?

Croke Park could be a right battle."
Don't think so. He needed the run. Was very rusty, wasn't anywhere need his usual self. Just seeing him go on gave everyone there a lift though. James Byrne injected a bit of pace into the game. The other 3 subs were only on the pitch the last 5 minutes or so, or even less.
Honestly don't know what to expect in Croke Park, be interesting to see do the lads who have been scoring pretty well for us the last couple of games score as well off your defenders, who would be a step up from the lads they've played on so far.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18287 - 08/02/2026 12:10:20    2655474

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Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Out of interest, who didn't commit to the U20 squad this year?"
At least 2 of the better u19s from last year. 1 was starting for his club last year in Senior, the other would still be u19 this year. And obviously Eoin Hughes is playing for our Senior Footballers. And others who are at college as well.
Its a shame tbh, we need all our better hurlers hurling for the county. Its affecting our u20 Footballers also. Its one of the things that puts us at a disadvantage relative to Cork, Galway, Limerick, Clare, Waterford, Dublin etc.
All these places have a 3rd level institution in them, so their lads don't have to drive/bus/train it 80 or 100 miles to county training/matches 3 or 4 times a week from where they are living and at college.
I was talking to one of our clubs better u20s a couple weeks ago who said he didnt go for u20 county trials as he was playing Football and Hurling for his college and was already travelling down for club training in both since December. He said he just couldn't make it down 3 more times a week, he just didnt have the time. Hes at college primarily to study and get his degree.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18287 - 08/02/2026 12:26:29    2655477

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "Failed is a strong word. I think reck has been good at 6 or at least he's produced some excellent performances and he most certainly has all the hurling. I'd go as far as to say everything we did well last night went through him but I don't think it's the best use of the resources we have at the moment once patsy is back."
Will Patsy definitely be back?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18287 - 08/02/2026 12:29:11    2655478

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