|
I don't get the hand-wringing on here, it's the first League game and the Championship is far, far, far more important than the League. We were missing James Lawlor, Matthew O'Hanlon, Oisín Foley, Jack O'Connor, Richie Lawlor, Lee Chin, and Rory O'Connor. We also had a few players who are only just back playing such as Kevin Foley, Liam Óg McGovern, and Connal Flood. I don't think it's ridiculous to suggest that all of the above could be starters come Championship time. Plus we need to have depth come Championship time; if you don't develop depth in the League, you won't have depth come the Summer.
I'm not going to comment on the referee because blaming referees doesn't entice anyone to become a referee plus I think you should always look inwards before criticising the referee; if there were things you could have done better to win the game outside of the referee, don't start blaiming the ref.
Looking at Wexford GAA on Twitter, Wexford and Galway both created 37 chances. That was ultimately the difference between the two sides. People can take issue with how we were dominated in the first half but in all honesty, we had much the better of general play in the first half but were woeful in the game. Galway were efficient on the other hand and kept themselves in a game they did not particularly deserve to be close in. In the second half, Galways didn't repeat our mistakes. Again, that was the difference between the two sides, no need for any hand-wringing about the second half.
At the end of the day, if we win next week, we should be safe from relegation. Lose next week and we're in big trouble. Probably our biggest game in the League if we're being honest. We could be a bit stretched for depth next week giving the amount of lads who are out injured but going by the team Westmeath have named against Clare, they only have 8 lads starting who started against us last May so both teams could be similarly short-handed.
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 214 - 04/02/2023 21:23:39
2456468
Link
0
|
|
Replying To Yellow: "Conor Foley should be very proud of himself. Motm in the first half. Mc Guckin very good in first half too.
A Galway lad shouldered you g Conor Foley in the chest when the ball was out of play and got in his face - there was not one bit of retaliation from any Wexford player. A senior player should have retaliated and stuck up for him.
Same when Fanning was fouled coming out with the ball in the first half. No reaction or retaliation. We don't hit hard or play on the edge. No opponent ever comes out with a scratch. I'm not advocating dirty play but I feel we let opponents off lightly with regard the physical side of the game. A big weakness is a lack of aggression in our approach" The 2 O Connors and Chin will hopefully bring that much needed aggression. Rory in particular always plays on the edge
Afinestick (Wexford) - Posts: 999 - 04/02/2023 21:24:42
2456470
Link
0
|
|
Replying To Cockney_Cat: "I agree. A senior inter-county match on a cold evening, and players are being sent on without a chance to warm up? It's a reckless and callous attitude towards the welfare of the players." They were called up and sent on to run around not play full tilt hurling.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11730 - 04/02/2023 22:00:09
2456478
Link
0
|
|
Replying To Afinestick: "The 2 O Connors and Chin will hopefully bring that much needed aggression. Rory in particular always plays on the edge" It was a League outing at the beginning of February. Was never going to be full on intensity.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11730 - 04/02/2023 22:02:39
2456479
Link
0
|
|
Well Cork v Limerick must not of got that memo because that was right up to the pace and savage intense. I don't think in the shortened session you can pick and choose when to bring intensity or not. For wexford to be anyway successful they have to play on the edge everyday.
gaapundit13 (Dublin) - Posts: 11 - 05/02/2023 08:12:35
2456485
Link
0
|
|
Replying To Yellow: "Conor Foley should be very proud of himself. Motm in the first half. Mc Guckin very good in first half too.
A Galway lad shouldered you g Conor Foley in the chest when the ball was out of play and got in his face - there was not one bit of retaliation from any Wexford player. A senior player should have retaliated and stuck up for him.
Same when Fanning was fouled coming out with the ball in the first half. No reaction or retaliation. We don't hit hard or play on the edge. No opponent ever comes out with a scratch. I'm not advocating dirty play but I feel we let opponents off lightly with regard the physical side of the game. A big weakness is a lack of aggression in our approach" Foley had a very good first half in fairness, but he should have been sent off.
Onfor15 (Wexford) - Posts: 524 - 05/02/2023 09:01:26
2456490
Link
1
|
|
Replying To gaapundit13: "Well Cork v Limerick must not of got that memo because that was right up to the pace and savage intense. I don't think in the shortened session you can pick and choose when to bring intensity or not. For wexford to be anyway successful they have to play on the edge everyday." Yes we definitely do. But we did that in last year's League when we won all 5 games in div1a. And we started the Round Robin poorly only picking up 1 point in our 1st 2 games. I agree you can't pick and choose when to bring intensity or not but you can choose when you peak in a shortened season. And now is not the time to be peaking as ourselves, Waterford and to a lesser extent Dublin learnt last year. Ideally you would have a panel of 30 odd lads of similar good ability. We don't have that. I'm sure it's a hard balance for all the intercounty managers to get right.
Personally I'd prefer if we went strong for the next game and then experimented with personnel some more against Clare. And find out who our likely championship starters are over the last 2 tough away games against Cork and Limerick.
If we could beat either or both of them in those 2 games, or at least match them in a narrow defeat, without picking up any significant injuries I'd be fairly confident of our form going into the Championship. And hopefully we will have found 2 or 3 lads to start or bring on in the Championship that we didn't have last year, as well as getting some of the fringe starters from last year some more valuable gametime against top teams.
Of our starting team against Clare last year Chin, ROC, MOH, Jacko and Oisin Foley didn't feature at all last night and will be back over the next few weeks hopefully. That's 4 of our forwards and 3 of our best players from last year. We were also missing the 2 Lawlors who have been 2 of the better newer lads starting so far this year.
In the forwards it's great to see Mcguckin, Mogie, Dunbar, Dwyer and to an extent Hearne looking better each game this year but ideally we need Flood, Banville , Jacko and/or others to start showing the same and scoring more points. 15 points from 37 shots is poor even by February standards.
In midfield Dee is getting better game by game and I thought Kevin Foley had a good game also. Mcguckin, Mogie and Hearne can also play there.
At the back it's been good to see Carty, Clarke, Conor Foley doing OK but would be great to see them take another step up especially intensity wise. Devitt has been OK so far cornerback but Galway wasn't his best game. Donohue might be the championship starter there yet. Shane Reck hasn't hit top form yet either. MOH would obviously be a massive addition there if he plays like he did last year. Paudy Foley is obviously a loss.
Overall we are definitely a work in progress. But I do think the players individually and collectively have been showing signs of that progress game on game. We need to keep showing that over the course of the League and hopefully Chin, ROC and MOH can hit the ground running and stay injury free in the last game or 2 of the League.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11730 - 05/02/2023 09:43:45
2456495
Link
0
|
|
Replying To gaapundit13: "Well Cork v Limerick must not of got that memo because that was right up to the pace and savage intense. I don't think in the shortened session you can pick and choose when to bring intensity or not. For wexford to be anyway successful they have to play on the edge everyday." Yes we definitely do. But we did that in last year's League when we won all 5 games in div1a. And we started the Round Robin poorly only picking up 1 point in our 1st 2 games. I agree you can't pick and choose when to bring intensity or not but you can choose when you peak in a shortened season. And now is not the time to be peaking as ourselves, Waterford and to a lesser extent Dublin learnt last year. Ideally you would have a panel of 30 odd lads of similar good ability. We don't have that. I'm sure it's a hard balance for all the intercounty managers to get right.
Personally I'd prefer if we went strong for the next game and then experimented with personnel some more against Clare. And find out who our likely championship starters are over the last 2 tough away games against Cork and Limerick.
If we could beat either or both of them in those 2 games, or at least match them in a narrow defeat, without picking up any significant injuries I'd be fairly confident of our form going into the Championship. And hopefully we will have found 2 or 3 lads to start or bring on in the Championship that we didn't have last year, as well as getting some of the fringe starters from last year some more valuable gametime against top teams.
Of our starting team against Clare last year Chin, ROC, MOH, Jacko and Oisin Foley didn't feature at all last night and will be back over the next few weeks hopefully. That's 4 of our forwards and 3 of our best players from last year. We were also missing the 2 Lawlors who have been 2 of the better newer lads starting so far this year.
In the forwards it's great to see Mcguckin, Mogie, Dunbar, Dwyer and to an extent Hearne looking better each game this year but ideally we need Flood, Banville , Jacko and/or others to start showing the same and scoring more points. 15 points from 37 shots is poor even by February standards.
In midfield Dee is getting better game by game and I thought Kevin Foley had a good game also. Mcguckin, Mogie and Hearne can also play there.
At the back it's been good to see Carty, Clarke, Conor Foley doing OK but would be great to see them take another step up especially intensity wise. Devitt has been OK so far cornerback but Galway wasn't his best game. Donohue might be the championship starter there yet. Shane Reck hasn't hit top form yet either. MOH would obviously be a massive addition there if he plays like he did last year. Paudy Foley is obviously a loss.
Overall we are definitely a work in progress. But I do think the players individually and collectively have been showing signs of that progress game on game. We need to keep showing that over the course of the League and hopefully Chin, ROC and MOH can hit the ground running and stay injury free in the last game or 2 of the League.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11730 - 05/02/2023 09:44:04
2456496
Link
0
|
|
Few observations from last night without going into full panic mode.
1) Free taker - we are probably the poorest team in the top 10 in Ireland as regards a free taker. Scoring 95% of your frees are vital, especially for teams like us who are trying to close the gap on the top few teams. Frees are vital in terms of they keep the score board ticking, but yesterday they would have been the difference of pushing 4/5 points clear when we were on top, or they would have helped stop Galway opening a big lead. It is criminal the frees we miss. Our frees yesterday were so poor I think we have to play Banville to hit them. Some people are worried he doesn't offer enough in general play but he can't be much worse than Mac who was on the frees yesterday. I would even consider Joe Coleman to play to hit them. Again, people might be worried about his fitness but that doesn't mean he can't be effective in games and if he scored all his frees, we'd be happy.
2) our forwards ability to win their own ball - my biggest worry is our physicality in the forward line without Chin. We have to be the smallest forward line in the hunt for Liam which is a worry, as teams can simply blow us away in terms of winning primary possession like the Galway backs done last night. We have some nice young hurlers but my worry is they are all the same type of player, Dwyer, Dunbar, Byrne Dunbar, Cian Byrne, Lawlor, Pepper, Hearne are all nice hurlers but they would all be considered small going by other current inter county teams forward lines. It just makes it that bit harder to win possession up front when your backs don't have time to deliver in the perfect ball. Our other forwards bar McGuickan didn't offer much in winning primary possession with Mc struggling on Galway's Geroid MC. A Kilkenny man once told me you need some 'dogs of war' in your forwards to win dirty ball, break up play and bring others into and I think we need a few of those to get the best out of small nippy forwards. Without Chin and Jack O we are very short in this department.
3) backs - taught they done okay in the first half, a few silly frees (questionable or not) but that happens this time of year. I unlike some posters taught Conor foley struggled a bit, he was caught chasing lads a lot of the time for a few of Galway's scores in the first half, but he's only 19 and will learn a lot from his experience. Damo is a class act, really has thrived since coming out to 6. The second half they got a run around alright but they weren't helped by the fact the forwards offered no support in keeping the ball in their half of the pitch, it was constant pressure. I was disappointed Carty didn't see more game time but I'm sure he will get his chance in the games to come.
4) next week against Westmeath is crucial - you can guarantee they are targeting this game as their chance to get one win in the group. I think Egan will have to go with as strong of a team as he can, I would rather experiment against Cork and Limerick knowing we are safe after beating Westmeath, we all know what happened last year up there!
5) Bench - it was disappointing that no one off the bench made any real impact. The way the game was going it wasn't a night for Higgins, doran or Dunbar as Galway backs were bullying us at that stage and they struggled to make an impression.
Anyway, onwards and upwards. Big week needed to make sure they are ready for a tough evening in mulingar next weekend.
Wally2496 (Wexford) - Posts: 46 - 05/02/2023 09:51:12
2456498
Link
0
|
|
This board is popcorn material at the best of times but especially when there is a loss. Last week talk about winning Leinster, blooding players, and so on. Lose, and people lose their nut.
What you lads need to accept is that this Wexford team is a bang average team with an gaping lack of strength and depth.
No matter whether it is February or when it is the ease with which the Galway players came out with the ball time and again would be unacceptable if it was a junior club team. As a forward, no matter what age or ability you are your number 1 job is to score but your number 2 is to stop the backs getting easy ball out of their defence. Wexford were awful on both of these accounts last night. There is only so much the backs can do when you are bailing water like they were in that second half.
But going to see Wexford is not an edge of the seat experience and hasn't been since before Davy because Wexford play a game which results in little or no goal mouth action. Goals win games and Wexford need to start playing a game to at least threaten the opposition net.
I got home to see the second half of the Limerick Cork game, it was a world apart and if Wexford want to see the role of a forward, go look at how hard both sets of backs found it in that match. To me, that effort comes from the heart and can't be coached, you either want to stop the back getting out or you don't because one thing for sure is it gets found out at this level.
I don't buy the "we didn't want to show our hand to Galway", Shefflin knows Wexford inside out as does Micheal Donoghue because they are predictable and pick from a pool of 18-19 players and have been for 7 or 8 years. I get they without Chin, Rory and Jack O'Connor, O'Hanlon etc but there needs to be more strength and depth in a squad to account for injuries, etc and to me, the lack of that was plain to see last night.
The thing is Wexford now need to go full blood and make sure they beat Westmeath who will feel they have their number from last year.
Wexford need to try something different, who said insanity was doing the same thing and expect a different result?
A bit of a ring of all fur coat no nickers off this team at this stage. Wexford are doing so much right off the field, commercially and facilities wise, but it isn't translating in to results on it.
And I take no joy in this because I want my Wexford children to have a team worth shouting about and do support them v everybody bar the Dubs.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1122 - 05/02/2023 09:51:39
2456499
Link
1
|
|
Replying To ExiledInWex: "This board is popcorn material at the best of times but especially when there is a loss. Last week talk about winning Leinster, blooding players, and so on. Lose, and people lose their nut.
What you lads need to accept is that this Wexford team is a bang average team with an gaping lack of strength and depth.
No matter whether it is February or when it is the ease with which the Galway players came out with the ball time and again would be unacceptable if it was a junior club team. As a forward, no matter what age or ability you are your number 1 job is to score but your number 2 is to stop the backs getting easy ball out of their defence. Wexford were awful on both of these accounts last night. There is only so much the backs can do when you are bailing water like they were in that second half.
But going to see Wexford is not an edge of the seat experience and hasn't been since before Davy because Wexford play a game which results in little or no goal mouth action. Goals win games and Wexford need to start playing a game to at least threaten the opposition net.
I got home to see the second half of the Limerick Cork game, it was a world apart and if Wexford want to see the role of a forward, go look at how hard both sets of backs found it in that match. To me, that effort comes from the heart and can't be coached, you either want to stop the back getting out or you don't because one thing for sure is it gets found out at this level.
I don't buy the "we didn't want to show our hand to Galway", Shefflin knows Wexford inside out as does Micheal Donoghue because they are predictable and pick from a pool of 18-19 players and have been for 7 or 8 years. I get they without Chin, Rory and Jack O'Connor, O'Hanlon etc but there needs to be more strength and depth in a squad to account for injuries, etc and to me, the lack of that was plain to see last night.
The thing is Wexford now need to go full blood and make sure they beat Westmeath who will feel they have their number from last year.
Wexford need to try something different, who said insanity was doing the same thing and expect a different result?
A bit of a ring of all fur coat no nickers off this team at this stage. Wexford are doing so much right off the field, commercially and facilities wise, but it isn't translating in to results on it.
And I take no joy in this because I want my Wexford children to have a team worth shouting about and do support them v everybody bar the Dubs." On your 1st 2 sentences you do realise you've just been guilty of that yourself in this post.
TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1673 - 05/02/2023 10:27:51
2456504
Link
0
|
|
Replying To Viking66: "They were called up and sent on to run around not play full tilt hurling." How much did the good people of Wexford pay to watch hurlers not play hurling?
Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2447 - 05/02/2023 10:28:19
2456505
Link
0
|
|
Replying To Wally2496: "Few observations from last night without going into full panic mode.
1) Free taker - we are probably the poorest team in the top 10 in Ireland as regards a free taker. Scoring 95% of your frees are vital, especially for teams like us who are trying to close the gap on the top few teams. Frees are vital in terms of they keep the score board ticking, but yesterday they would have been the difference of pushing 4/5 points clear when we were on top, or they would have helped stop Galway opening a big lead. It is criminal the frees we miss. Our frees yesterday were so poor I think we have to play Banville to hit them. Some people are worried he doesn't offer enough in general play but he can't be much worse than Mac who was on the frees yesterday. I would even consider Joe Coleman to play to hit them. Again, people might be worried about his fitness but that doesn't mean he can't be effective in games and if he scored all his frees, we'd be happy.
2) our forwards ability to win their own ball - my biggest worry is our physicality in the forward line without Chin. We have to be the smallest forward line in the hunt for Liam which is a worry, as teams can simply blow us away in terms of winning primary possession like the Galway backs done last night. We have some nice young hurlers but my worry is they are all the same type of player, Dwyer, Dunbar, Byrne Dunbar, Cian Byrne, Lawlor, Pepper, Hearne are all nice hurlers but they would all be considered small going by other current inter county teams forward lines. It just makes it that bit harder to win possession up front when your backs don't have time to deliver in the perfect ball. Our other forwards bar McGuickan didn't offer much in winning primary possession with Mc struggling on Galway's Geroid MC. A Kilkenny man once told me you need some 'dogs of war' in your forwards to win dirty ball, break up play and bring others into and I think we need a few of those to get the best out of small nippy forwards. Without Chin and Jack O we are very short in this department.
3) backs - taught they done okay in the first half, a few silly frees (questionable or not) but that happens this time of year. I unlike some posters taught Conor foley struggled a bit, he was caught chasing lads a lot of the time for a few of Galway's scores in the first half, but he's only 19 and will learn a lot from his experience. Damo is a class act, really has thrived since coming out to 6. The second half they got a run around alright but they weren't helped by the fact the forwards offered no support in keeping the ball in their half of the pitch, it was constant pressure. I was disappointed Carty didn't see more game time but I'm sure he will get his chance in the games to come.
4) next week against Westmeath is crucial - you can guarantee they are targeting this game as their chance to get one win in the group. I think Egan will have to go with as strong of a team as he can, I would rather experiment against Cork and Limerick knowing we are safe after beating Westmeath, we all know what happened last year up there!
5) Bench - it was disappointing that no one off the bench made any real impact. The way the game was going it wasn't a night for Higgins, doran or Dunbar as Galway backs were bullying us at that stage and they struggled to make an impression.
Anyway, onwards and upwards. Big week needed to make sure they are ready for a tough evening in mulingar next weekend." Excellent sypnosis.
Like I don't know why Wexford wouldn't go full tilt intesity-wise in the home games, especially when you are blooding young lads and you'd want them as close to championship pitch as possible. Us 'stakeholders' (as the county board like to call us when releasing their annual grand vision) deserve better. Get a couple of wins on the board to ensure safety and experiment all you want after that, but always go hell for leather. Those two away games vs. Limerick and Cork could be a chastening experience on the eve of championship if we go at it willy-nilly.
Looking at the Cork-Limerick game last night it struck me how well conditioned they are (and not just Limerick) compared to us. Cork's number 4 hobbled off injured and he was a specimen. It could be argued that Chin is our only fella up to that standard, and even then hasn't been fully fit for last two campaigns. Likes of Ryan, MOH are naturally big men, and Mac should be, but when you compare him to the explosiveness of say Flanagan, its chalk and cheese.
I am optimistic that we will get the balance right come championship and hopefully have a couple of enjoyable days yet, but two of your points above will always hinder is.
beano (Wexford) - Posts: 1409 - 05/02/2023 10:56:08
2456510
Link
0
|
|
First of all on last night I thought we were decent in the first half and but for awful wides and missed frees should've been 4/5 points up at halftime. Then we missed 2 frees early in the second half and everything seemed to fall apart. Galway upped the tempo and we fell apart. Concannon caused all sorts of problems when he came on.
I'd be far more concerned if last night's game was a month out from championship but with injuries and players at various levels of fitness I'm confident we'll improve.
I'm concerned about next week though especially if shane reck and Liam ryan who seemed to pick up a bad hand injury aren't available. I'd plead with management to do whatever is necessary to get paudi foley back from his travels for championship
HurlingBuzz (Wexford) - Posts: 470 - 05/02/2023 10:58:52
2456511
Link
0
|
|
Replying To Wally2496: "Few observations from last night without going into full panic mode.
1) Free taker - we are probably the poorest team in the top 10 in Ireland as regards a free taker. Scoring 95% of your frees are vital, especially for teams like us who are trying to close the gap on the top few teams. Frees are vital in terms of they keep the score board ticking, but yesterday they would have been the difference of pushing 4/5 points clear when we were on top, or they would have helped stop Galway opening a big lead. It is criminal the frees we miss. Our frees yesterday were so poor I think we have to play Banville to hit them. Some people are worried he doesn't offer enough in general play but he can't be much worse than Mac who was on the frees yesterday. I would even consider Joe Coleman to play to hit them. Again, people might be worried about his fitness but that doesn't mean he can't be effective in games and if he scored all his frees, we'd be happy.
2) our forwards ability to win their own ball - my biggest worry is our physicality in the forward line without Chin. We have to be the smallest forward line in the hunt for Liam which is a worry, as teams can simply blow us away in terms of winning primary possession like the Galway backs done last night. We have some nice young hurlers but my worry is they are all the same type of player, Dwyer, Dunbar, Byrne Dunbar, Cian Byrne, Lawlor, Pepper, Hearne are all nice hurlers but they would all be considered small going by other current inter county teams forward lines. It just makes it that bit harder to win possession up front when your backs don't have time to deliver in the perfect ball. Our other forwards bar McGuickan didn't offer much in winning primary possession with Mc struggling on Galway's Geroid MC. A Kilkenny man once told me you need some 'dogs of war' in your forwards to win dirty ball, break up play and bring others into and I think we need a few of those to get the best out of small nippy forwards. Without Chin and Jack O we are very short in this department.
3) backs - taught they done okay in the first half, a few silly frees (questionable or not) but that happens this time of year. I unlike some posters taught Conor foley struggled a bit, he was caught chasing lads a lot of the time for a few of Galway's scores in the first half, but he's only 19 and will learn a lot from his experience. Damo is a class act, really has thrived since coming out to 6. The second half they got a run around alright but they weren't helped by the fact the forwards offered no support in keeping the ball in their half of the pitch, it was constant pressure. I was disappointed Carty didn't see more game time but I'm sure he will get his chance in the games to come.
4) next week against Westmeath is crucial - you can guarantee they are targeting this game as their chance to get one win in the group. I think Egan will have to go with as strong of a team as he can, I would rather experiment against Cork and Limerick knowing we are safe after beating Westmeath, we all know what happened last year up there!
5) Bench - it was disappointing that no one off the bench made any real impact. The way the game was going it wasn't a night for Higgins, doran or Dunbar as Galway backs were bullying us at that stage and they struggled to make an impression.
Anyway, onwards and upwards. Big week needed to make sure they are ready for a tough evening in mulingar next weekend." The big change in our fortunes happened when Doran and Higgins replaced Foley and Mogie. That's not a slight on the 2 lads coming on as they need to play at this level to get up to it. But we replaced 2 very experienced championship starters, who I thought were playing well in the 1st half considering how few minutes they've played so far this year, with 2 lads that have nearly no League minutes even. Let alone championship minutes. The 2 lads being replaced were obviously tiring and needed replacing as you are more likely to get injured when you are tired. But it really affected our team play going forward and also we lost the middle 3rd badly as regards possession and turnovers.
Obviously come championship 2 of the lads like O Foley, Mcguckin, Jacko, Hearne, Lawlor, Dunbar or Dwyer might be the lads coming on as not all these will be starting when ROC and Chin are back and then there won't be the same drop off in performance as the lads above all have more experience at this level at this stage.
Maybe management eased off in the 2nd half also. Egan was noticeably alot less animated in the 2nd half. Maybe he didn't want to show too much before Salthill or maybe he had the lads training hard last week and wasn't expecting too much out of us in the 2nd half.
I'd say he was definitely trying to get minutes into the younger lads. Pepper was actually the next sub he was going to bring on, Egan called his name and he was stripped off and had his helmet on, but he had to bring Clarke and Carthy on when Shane Reck and Ryan got injured. Pepper took his helmet off and sat back down. I don't think he planned to use the last 2 lads at all.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11730 - 05/02/2023 11:13:29
2456513
Link
0
|
|
Replying To ExiledInWex: "This board is popcorn material at the best of times but especially when there is a loss. Last week talk about winning Leinster, blooding players, and so on. Lose, and people lose their nut.
What you lads need to accept is that this Wexford team is a bang average team with an gaping lack of strength and depth.
No matter whether it is February or when it is the ease with which the Galway players came out with the ball time and again would be unacceptable if it was a junior club team. As a forward, no matter what age or ability you are your number 1 job is to score but your number 2 is to stop the backs getting easy ball out of their defence. Wexford were awful on both of these accounts last night. There is only so much the backs can do when you are bailing water like they were in that second half.
But going to see Wexford is not an edge of the seat experience and hasn't been since before Davy because Wexford play a game which results in little or no goal mouth action. Goals win games and Wexford need to start playing a game to at least threaten the opposition net.
I got home to see the second half of the Limerick Cork game, it was a world apart and if Wexford want to see the role of a forward, go look at how hard both sets of backs found it in that match. To me, that effort comes from the heart and can't be coached, you either want to stop the back getting out or you don't because one thing for sure is it gets found out at this level.
I don't buy the "we didn't want to show our hand to Galway", Shefflin knows Wexford inside out as does Micheal Donoghue because they are predictable and pick from a pool of 18-19 players and have been for 7 or 8 years. I get they without Chin, Rory and Jack O'Connor, O'Hanlon etc but there needs to be more strength and depth in a squad to account for injuries, etc and to me, the lack of that was plain to see last night.
The thing is Wexford now need to go full blood and make sure they beat Westmeath who will feel they have their number from last year.
Wexford need to try something different, who said insanity was doing the same thing and expect a different result?
A bit of a ring of all fur coat no nickers off this team at this stage. Wexford are doing so much right off the field, commercially and facilities wise, but it isn't translating in to results on it.
And I take no joy in this because I want my Wexford children to have a team worth shouting about and do support them v everybody bar the Dubs." How do you propose we get lads up to Senior intercounty standard if we don't play them in games like last night? The whole point to last night and the other games this season is to develop more players than just the same 18 or 19 you talk about. Very few hurlers for any county come in these days at age 20 or 21 and hurl up a storm. They are the exceptions rather than the rule. New players have to be given games to see what it's all about and step up their own game. If after a period of games they are still off the pace and intensity required you could decide its not for them at that time, but if you keep playing with the same 18 or 19 lads you will never have any more than that.
There's no ring of all fur coat off this team we have very few stars and all of the lads are working very very hard. That's a completely unfair statement. We lacked physically big lads last night and we do in general in Wexford. We have to devise ways of overcoming this shortcoming. No pun intended! And I think from listening to Egans instructions to the players over the 5 games I've gone to this year he is trying different approaches to combat this which I won't go into on this forum. Not til after the championship season has finished anyway.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11730 - 05/02/2023 11:24:44
2456514
Link
0
|
|
Replying To TerribleFootwork: "On your 1st 2 sentences you do realise you've just been guilty of that yourself in this post." Spot on. Unfortunately I typed a long winded post to say what you just did in a line : D
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11730 - 05/02/2023 11:25:48
2456515
Link
0
|
|
Replying To Cockney_Cat: "How much did the good people of Wexford pay to watch hurlers not play hurling?" I paid 36 euro as my mum was over from England. The 4 kids were free. I got to watch the game with a very interesting lad from Galway who was chairman of his club for some 16 years and was very knowledgeable about hurling in general. He told me that at least 8-10 of the lads we saw would start championship games for Galway this year if not more.
I got to see more of a few new lads in a Wexford Jersey. He commented on how young and small they looked as we were sitting right beside our bench. I told him several of the players on the pitch in the 2nd half will still be u20 for this year. Not all will make regular championship starters in the future but hopefully some do.
When we had a fuller team in the first half, albeit still missing a half dozen or so starters from the championship team from last year including arguably some of our best players, we were the better team and but for some wayward shooting would've gone in a good few points up instead of level.
It was a nothing game insofar as it really didn't matter to me if we won or not. I've been to 5 intercounty Wexford hurling games so far this year and we have only won 2. But we won the only one I was really bothered about us winning tbh CC shame you weren't there!!!
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11730 - 05/02/2023 11:38:25
2456517
Link
0
|
|
Replying To ExiledInWex: "This board is popcorn material at the best of times but especially when there is a loss. Last week talk about winning Leinster, blooding players, and so on. Lose, and people lose their nut.
What you lads need to accept is that this Wexford team is a bang average team with an gaping lack of strength and depth.
No matter whether it is February or when it is the ease with which the Galway players came out with the ball time and again would be unacceptable if it was a junior club team. As a forward, no matter what age or ability you are your number 1 job is to score but your number 2 is to stop the backs getting easy ball out of their defence. Wexford were awful on both of these accounts last night. There is only so much the backs can do when you are bailing water like they were in that second half.
But going to see Wexford is not an edge of the seat experience and hasn't been since before Davy because Wexford play a game which results in little or no goal mouth action. Goals win games and Wexford need to start playing a game to at least threaten the opposition net.
I got home to see the second half of the Limerick Cork game, it was a world apart and if Wexford want to see the role of a forward, go look at how hard both sets of backs found it in that match. To me, that effort comes from the heart and can't be coached, you either want to stop the back getting out or you don't because one thing for sure is it gets found out at this level.
I don't buy the "we didn't want to show our hand to Galway", Shefflin knows Wexford inside out as does Micheal Donoghue because they are predictable and pick from a pool of 18-19 players and have been for 7 or 8 years. I get they without Chin, Rory and Jack O'Connor, O'Hanlon etc but there needs to be more strength and depth in a squad to account for injuries, etc and to me, the lack of that was plain to see last night.
The thing is Wexford now need to go full blood and make sure they beat Westmeath who will feel they have their number from last year.
Wexford need to try something different, who said insanity was doing the same thing and expect a different result?
A bit of a ring of all fur coat no nickers off this team at this stage. Wexford are doing so much right off the field, commercially and facilities wise, but it isn't translating in to results on it.
And I take no joy in this because I want my Wexford children to have a team worth shouting about and do support them v everybody bar the Dubs." Interesting point about the county board. Financially, their one of the best run boards in the country. However, doubts I've always had about out underage came to my mind last night. Let's be honest, were not pulling up trees recently. One minor Leinster from 4 years ago is not good enough. Schools aren't very competitive especially St Peters, while Good Counsel team this year was majority made up of Kilkenny players. Massive work being done, I know, but ate the coaching these players getting good enough? We always have one or two that will come through but we're at a point now we're some of our key players are over or close to 30. Dunno if their as good as the players their about to replace. At the end of the day, we can say that their good players in their own right but are they as good as their direct opponents in Leinster i.e, Kilkenny and Galway? Probably not and that's the biggest worry
Finchfurlong996 (Wexford) - Posts: 255 - 05/02/2023 13:17:44
2456531
Link
1
|
|
Oh I forgot, thought young Foley and McGuckin were good considering the situation. McGuckin I thought last year might not be to the standard but is coming on a lot. Foley reminds me of Matt a little bit. Very tenacious and good distribution. Should be a factor in our panel for the future.
Finchfurlong996 (Wexford) - Posts: 255 - 05/02/2023 13:23:57
2456532
Link
0
|