National Forum

Wexford Hurling 2025

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To Doylerwex:  "Perhaps it's just me, but nothing is more important than hurling. You can travel when you're too old to hurl.

I did America when I was younger and did well financially there. some of my mates stayed there, New Zealand, UK, Australia, Canada etc. But It didn't do anything for me.

I'm lucky to be Irish, even more lucky to be from Wexford. I personally wouldn't trade it."
I spent some time in England for work reasons played over there too both codes . Kept me sane .
Made me realise what we have here . Would have liked to travel more but circumstances changed and I returned home as I would have at some stage if I'd have travelled more either way . No regrets on that but I always wonder what if .
Much easier now for lads to do it and the more that do travel it unsettles the rest thinking what are we missing it has become the trend whether it's short or long term .
We can't give our experience to them same as no one could give theirs to us .
The choice is theirs alone . They world is a lot smaller and more accessible now. We only hope they return not just for gaa but to make this wonderful county and country a better place for future generations .

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 313 - 09/01/2025 22:15:35    2585271

Link

Replying To Galway456:  "That was a great galway team though that had them good years, canning, davy burke and the likes were going well, we have completely disregarded bringing through players while having success, if you look at the current squad we have no real quality players from 24-30 apart from conor whelan and Cathan Mannion. We are in total rebuild and the players coming through will take 2-3 years to get up to speed as to where the level of the game is. I think we will get out of leinster but havent a clue how we will fare after that, i think the usual 3 will get out of leinster, ourselves kk and Wexford, o donnell loss is too big to the dubs, theres a leinster for the taking if wexford want it, i have a feeling kilkenny wont be strong this year, i thought their club championship wasnt as strong this year and the only have the leverage of bringing on walter and buckley this year the young lads will have to step up."
Kilkennys problem this year and last year is their starting 15 for the championship could nearly be named in January

You're still looking at A Mullen, TJ, John Donnelly, Billy Ryan, E Cody, Mossie Keoghan as your front 6 again.

Their bench is non existent.

Now you can never write Kilkenny off as they are still Kilkenny and will feel they should have had Clare bet last year.

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 842 - 09/01/2025 23:02:11    2585275

Link

Replying To Galway456:  "That was a great galway team though that had them good years, canning, davy burke and the likes were going well, we have completely disregarded bringing through players while having success, if you look at the current squad we have no real quality players from 24-30 apart from conor whelan and Cathan Mannion. We are in total rebuild and the players coming through will take 2-3 years to get up to speed as to where the level of the game is. I think we will get out of leinster but havent a clue how we will fare after that, i think the usual 3 will get out of leinster, ourselves kk and Wexford, o donnell loss is too big to the dubs, theres a leinster for the taking if wexford want it, i have a feeling kilkenny wont be strong this year, i thought their club championship wasnt as strong this year and the only have the leverage of bringing on walter and buckley this year the young lads will have to step up."
We're in a fairly similar position to be honest.

It's better now we've been making a few changes in the last 2 seasons but almost nothing from 17-22

We've lost Paul Morris, Dee O'Keefe, Matt O'Hanlon and Paudie Foley with Liam Ryan struggling injury wise. They're really key players for us in a moderately successful era

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3258 - 10/01/2025 08:26:29    2585293

Link

Replying To gannett83:  "Well lads missing the Walsh cup should be at least into a 2nd game this weekend.. another stuipid decision by the gaa.. really looking forward to out league opener against cork in the park in a couple of weeks.. obviously we wil be without the senior lads chin Mac Jack o and long term injury Liam Ryan.. also with the fitzgibbon cup on don't think we wil see most of the college lads which is a shame as… would liked to see darragh carley Get a run of games think he could have a big future in the wexford jersey.. we wil probably see a mixture of old and new for cork game also would like to see cian Molloy get a good few games under his belt to see if the hype from gorey people about him is justified.. my team for the league fanning… s Reck foley Eoin whelan… patsy Molloy Damien Reck Charlie mcguckian… Richie Lawlor Conor hearne… James Bryne Justin Moran Tomas Kinsella… Corey Bryne Dunbar Jack Redmond and Rory o Connor"
Is Mac definitely out of the Cork game ?

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 389 - 10/01/2025 08:28:41    2585294

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "We're in a fairly similar position to be honest.

It's better now we've been making a few changes in the last 2 seasons but almost nothing from 17-22

We've lost Paul Morris, Dee O'Keefe, Matt O'Hanlon and Paudie Foley with Liam Ryan struggling injury wise. They're really key players for us in a moderately successful era"
Successful era? Ah lads.

countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 751 - 10/01/2025 09:14:53    2585298

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "With no Walsh Cup, and not knowing how lads are getting on in training, I couldn't name a definite League team. But if they are all going well and based on what little Ive seen this year at intercounty and college level, and ladt year club and county, then something like this-
Kennedy
Reck, Kehoe, Dundon
Whelan, Reck, Molloy
K Foley (deep midfielder)
C Foley, C Hearne
CBD, Rory, Rowley
Cian Byrne (on frees), Cillian Byrne

Subs definitely to come on, 1 for each line-
E Ryan, Lawlor, James Byrne, Tucker, Flood.
Other subs to look at depending on injuries-
Cian Byrne, Redmond, P Casey, Carley, Pepper, 2 Morans, 2 Codds, Mcguckin.

Hard job, don't envy Keith Rossiter."
Very difficult team to pick. A pity there was no walsh cup I presume there is a challenge game or two for the panel of 46 this weekend? Think we need to be wary of playing too many debutants for this game from I think Cork are a fine team and will come in all guns blazing.
Team I would go with is
1. Fanning
2. Eoin Ryan
3. Eoin Whelan
4. Shane Reck
5. Conor Foley
6. D Reck
7 Cian Molloy
8. Sean Rowley
9.Conor Hearne
10. ROC
11. Jack Redmond
12. Tucker Kinsella
13. Cian Byrne
14. Mac ( Not sure if hes fit)
15. Kevin Foley (Third Midfielder)

Still a young team with plenty of talent. 3 lads making their debuts with more off the bench

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 389 - 10/01/2025 09:23:08    2585300

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "Is Mac definitely out of the Cork game ?"
Not as far as I heard. But don't we need to be looking at a good few new or newer lads, and giving them competitive Senior experience, especially in the 1st couple of games? While hopefully being competitive in those games to give them confidence, so we would need some of the younger, more suited to the gameplan, more established players to play also?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14215 - 10/01/2025 09:27:47    2585301

Link

Replying To countyman2022:  "Successful era? Ah lads."
I did say moderately.

They were successful at 21.

Were promoted from 1b which took a decade

Reached Leinster final in 17 for the first time in 9 years

Beat Clare in championship (first time ever)

Beat Waterford in championship first in a decade

Beat Cork in championship (first since 50s I think)

Won the head to head with Kilkenny in all competitions which seemed unimaginable until it happened

Beat every other top tier county at some point either in championship or league

Won Leinster in 19 reaching Aisf, first in 11 years

Reached league semi, first in around a decade

Consistently a quarter final team throughout this era

That by comparison to the Colm Bonner era has to be defined as success.

People forget we almost fell off the hurling map altogether.

I agree we could have done more, and should be pushing on but think back to what Tipp and kk were doing to us between 08 and 14

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3258 - 10/01/2025 09:46:54    2585306

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "Very difficult team to pick. A pity there was no walsh cup I presume there is a challenge game or two for the panel of 46 this weekend? Think we need to be wary of playing too many debutants for this game from I think Cork are a fine team and will come in all guns blazing.
Team I would go with is
1. Fanning
2. Eoin Ryan
3. Eoin Whelan
4. Shane Reck
5. Conor Foley
6. D Reck
7 Cian Molloy
8. Sean Rowley
9.Conor Hearne
10. ROC
11. Jack Redmond
12. Tucker Kinsella
13. Cian Byrne
14. Mac ( Not sure if hes fit)
15. Kevin Foley (Third Midfielder)

Still a young team with plenty of talent. 3 lads making their debuts with more off the bench"
Id actually give Andy Kennedy a chance in goal also so that's 4 new debutants in the starting 15

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 389 - 10/01/2025 10:04:42    2585309

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "Is Mac definitely out of the Cork game ?"
Well according to rossiter on south east radio podcast after the game on New Year's Day he is injured and won't be rushed back

gannett83 (Wexford) - Posts: 298 - 10/01/2025 10:42:46    2585311

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "Very difficult team to pick. A pity there was no walsh cup I presume there is a challenge game or two for the panel of 46 this weekend? Think we need to be wary of playing too many debutants for this game from I think Cork are a fine team and will come in all guns blazing.
Team I would go with is
1. Fanning
2. Eoin Ryan
3. Eoin Whelan
4. Shane Reck
5. Conor Foley
6. D Reck
7 Cian Molloy
8. Sean Rowley
9.Conor Hearne
10. ROC
11. Jack Redmond
12. Tucker Kinsella
13. Cian Byrne
14. Mac ( Not sure if hes fit)
15. Kevin Foley (Third Midfielder)

Still a young team with plenty of talent. 3 lads making their debuts with more off the bench"
Forget about Cork and what they will bring. All 7 teams in 1a are there on merit. There will be no easy games. If we don't give debuts and competitive game experience at the start of the League, then when will the lads get it? We came into last years championship a little undercooked I think. We need to be settling on a championship team with a defined style of play for the last 2 or 3 League games.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14215 - 10/01/2025 10:56:01    2585314

Link

Given Mac is out of Cork game id go with :
1.Andy Kennedy
2. Eoin Ryan
3. Eoin Whelan
4. Shane Reck
5. Conor Foley
6. D Reck
7 Cian Molloy
8. Sean Rowley
9.Conor Hearne
10. ROC
11. Corey Byrne Dunbar
12. Tucker Kinsella
13. Cian Byrne
14. Jack Redmond ( Could he be the answer to our free taking problems)
15. Kevin Foley (Third Midfielder)

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 389 - 10/01/2025 11:08:58    2585319

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Forget about Cork and what they will bring. All 7 teams in 1a are there on merit. There will be no easy games. If we don't give debuts and competitive game experience at the start of the League, then when will the lads get it? We came into last years championship a little undercooked I think. We need to be settling on a championship team with a defined style of play for the last 2 or 3 League games."
The team I have picked has 4 new debutants and I think is good enough to compete well. Their may be at least one or two more new debutants off the bench also think likes Dundon, Mike Kelly, Darragh Kehoe, Kyle Scallan , Justin Moran and Conall Clancy could all see game time over the league.

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 389 - 10/01/2025 11:17:04    2585322

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "I did say moderately.

They were successful at 21.

Were promoted from 1b which took a decade

Reached Leinster final in 17 for the first time in 9 years

Beat Clare in championship (first time ever)

Beat Waterford in championship first in a decade

Beat Cork in championship (first since 50s I think)

Won the head to head with Kilkenny in all competitions which seemed unimaginable until it happened

Beat every other top tier county at some point either in championship or league

Won Leinster in 19 reaching Aisf, first in 11 years

Reached league semi, first in around a decade

Consistently a quarter final team throughout this era

That by comparison to the Colm Bonner era has to be defined as success.

People forget we almost fell off the hurling map altogether.

I agree we could have done more, and should be pushing on but think back to what Tipp and kk were doing to us between 08 and 14"
We have 1 Leinster title in 21 years. Dont think I or any county in hurling would call it a successful era.

countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 751 - 10/01/2025 11:33:47    2585325

Link

Replying To countyman2022:  "We have 1 Leinster title in 21 years. Dont think I or any county in hurling would call it a successful era."
It's all well and good to measure success in all Irelands but we have a total of 6 at senior level in our entire history. Our golden age came long before I was born.

We're not Kilkenny, Cork or Tipp.

Winning any trophy is a success for us at present.

Why are you talking about 21 years?

We're talking about the Dunne/Fitzgerald era. That is a success based on Liam Dunnes starting point.

Dunne is arguably the most successful. We went from being beaten by every hurling county to getting results against all of them in league/championship.

Davy got us promoted. Contested two major finals winning one, and was unlucky not to have done a bit more. If that's not success we may give up.

Egan's time is a failure based on his starting point. He took a team that was there or thereabouts and nearly got relegation. There are nuances to that.

Would you call Rossi's first year a success? I would. He found a few players, won a trophy, stayed up in the league and qualified for a quarter final. Performances were a mixed bag but based on his starting point that too was a success.

What's success this year? Do you think we're going to win the all Ireland?

Is that the only measure of success?

I'm sorry but based on your logic you probably have no business following Wexford.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3258 - 10/01/2025 13:30:38    2585351

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "It's all well and good to measure success in all Irelands but we have a total of 6 at senior level in our entire history. Our golden age came long before I was born.

We're not Kilkenny, Cork or Tipp.

Winning any trophy is a success for us at present.

Why are you talking about 21 years?

We're talking about the Dunne/Fitzgerald era. That is a success based on Liam Dunnes starting point.

Dunne is arguably the most successful. We went from being beaten by every hurling county to getting results against all of them in league/championship.

Davy got us promoted. Contested two major finals winning one, and was unlucky not to have done a bit more. If that's not success we may give up.

Egan's time is a failure based on his starting point. He took a team that was there or thereabouts and nearly got relegation. There are nuances to that.

Would you call Rossi's first year a success? I would. He found a few players, won a trophy, stayed up in the league and qualified for a quarter final. Performances were a mixed bag but based on his starting point that too was a success.

What's success this year? Do you think we're going to win the all Ireland?

Is that the only measure of success?

I'm sorry but based on your logic you probably have no business following Wexford."
I think its an era where we have been very competitive . I wouldnt call it successful though we've only reached two Leinster finals in the last 20 years and no league finals. I would hope our players dont view it as a successful period success is winning trophies. Although we are a bit off winning an All Ireland ,Leinster titles have to be our main goal for the next few years and until we win another one or two we wont be successful

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 389 - 10/01/2025 14:09:49    2585360

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "It's all well and good to measure success in all Irelands but we have a total of 6 at senior level in our entire history. Our golden age came long before I was born.

We're not Kilkenny, Cork or Tipp.

Winning any trophy is a success for us at present.

Why are you talking about 21 years?

We're talking about the Dunne/Fitzgerald era. That is a success based on Liam Dunnes starting point.

Dunne is arguably the most successful. We went from being beaten by every hurling county to getting results against all of them in league/championship.

Davy got us promoted. Contested two major finals winning one, and was unlucky not to have done a bit more. If that's not success we may give up.

Egan's time is a failure based on his starting point. He took a team that was there or thereabouts and nearly got relegation. There are nuances to that.

Would you call Rossi's first year a success? I would. He found a few players, won a trophy, stayed up in the league and qualified for a quarter final. Performances were a mixed bag but based on his starting point that too was a success.

What's success this year? Do you think we're going to win the all Ireland?

Is that the only measure of success?

I'm sorry but based on your logic you probably have no business following Wexford."
Well said lad enough negativity around the county.. go out and support the team never mind running them down

gannett83 (Wexford) - Posts: 298 - 10/01/2025 14:12:25    2585361

Link

Replying To Doylerwex:  "It's all well and good to measure success in all Irelands but we have a total of 6 at senior level in our entire history. Our golden age came long before I was born.

We're not Kilkenny, Cork or Tipp.

Winning any trophy is a success for us at present.

Why are you talking about 21 years?

We're talking about the Dunne/Fitzgerald era. That is a success based on Liam Dunnes starting point.

Dunne is arguably the most successful. We went from being beaten by every hurling county to getting results against all of them in league/championship.

Davy got us promoted. Contested two major finals winning one, and was unlucky not to have done a bit more. If that's not success we may give up.

Egan's time is a failure based on his starting point. He took a team that was there or thereabouts and nearly got relegation. There are nuances to that.

Would you call Rossi's first year a success? I would. He found a few players, won a trophy, stayed up in the league and qualified for a quarter final. Performances were a mixed bag but based on his starting point that too was a success.

What's success this year? Do you think we're going to win the all Ireland?

Is that the only measure of success?

I'm sorry but based on your logic you probably have no business following Wexford."
No business following Wexford? Because I call winning no silverware unsuccessful. Maybe moral victories are your thing, and fair enough if that is the case. But that is everything that is wrong with Wexfords mindset. Beating Clare in a qualifier in 2014 you have made as a highlight. Beating Waterford another. Get a grip. Maybe you don't want to see them win Leinsters on a consistent basis. A success based on Dunnes starting point would be more than one provincial championship. You have low targets.

countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 751 - 10/01/2025 14:13:12    2585362

Link

Replying To Afinestick96:  "I think its an era where we have been very competitive . I wouldnt call it successful though we've only reached two Leinster finals in the last 20 years and no league finals. I would hope our players dont view it as a successful period success is winning trophies. Although we are a bit off winning an All Ireland ,Leinster titles have to be our main goal for the next few years and until we win another one or two we wont be successful"
I fully agree with that ambition but I don't think every year we don't win one can be considered a failure either

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3258 - 10/01/2025 14:45:32    2585367

Link

Replying To countyman2022:  "No business following Wexford? Because I call winning no silverware unsuccessful. Maybe moral victories are your thing, and fair enough if that is the case. But that is everything that is wrong with Wexfords mindset. Beating Clare in a qualifier in 2014 you have made as a highlight. Beating Waterford another. Get a grip. Maybe you don't want to see them win Leinsters on a consistent basis. A success based on Dunnes starting point would be more than one provincial championship. You have low targets."
I genuinely do admire that attitude. You're talking like Roy Keane, but we have to be realistic.

How is knocking the defending champions out when we had never beaten them in the championship not a highlight? It put us back on the map and made supporters and players start to believe again.

Moral victories are obviously not the ultimate prize but every one of those was important on the way to winning Leinster in 19. Could Davy have done what he did without those victories I mentioned? He used those to get the players to understand the level they were capable of, and those performances helped us recruit him.

Did Limerick become an overnight success without the same type of moments? There's no such thing as an overnight success.

Personally I think we left and all Ireland behind and probably should have at least one more Leinster which was devastating but you have to take something from it.

I'd love to see us winning provincial championships and more consistently but we've only 21 in our history.

Again, maybe you weren't following the team from 09-13 but those were very dark days where we were behind Offaly and under pressure with Carlow. Did you really expect Liam Dunne to turn that into major trophies? Our lord himself would struggle to do that.

I watched Kilkenny hurl us back down the n11 and do whatever they liked with fitzy getting pebble dashed in the goal too many times. I refuse to accept having their number isn't a good thing. I will enjoy every second of not getting battered by them. Incidentally I went to nowlan park absolutely certain we were going to win last year. I ended up disappointed but was nearly moved to tears to actually be able to believe we had even a chance.

Think of the 90s as well. Why did we celebrate the Leinster final more than the all Ireland? Because it was a breakthrough moment that started in a half empty croke park beating Kilkenny for the first time that decade. We didn't win the all Ireland against Limerick in 70 minutes. Christy kehoe built a team and lost major finals. Griffin got moral victories then a breakthrough.

Any one of those "moral victories" can develop into a similar breakthrough.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3258 - 10/01/2025 15:04:43    2585372

Link