Wexford GAA discussion thread

The Letheram

I have only seen Castletown once this year. That was against Kilanerin. They looked ordinary enough in the first half and excellent in the second half. Daithi will have a big bearing on the game as Castletown seem totally reliant on Jesse Foley in the middle and as good as Jesse has been he must be 36 now and would have to struggle with Daithi's physicality.

The Slobs

Duffry relegated from Intermediate Football to Intermediate A (Junior) losing to Craanford in Relegation final


Tara Rocks beat Davidstown in Junior Hurling Relegation final with Davidstown dropping to Junior A the fifth grade of hurling.

Both Duffry and Davistown have dropped two grades in recent years.

The Letheram

Serious fall from grace for the Duffry. That Craanford Duffry game was a local event enough for me so I went over to it yesterday evening. Craanford went 1-1 to 0-0 up and turned around 0-7 to 1-2 in arrears. They were 4 points down with about 15 to play but really turned it on from there outscoring the Duffry 0-6 to 0-1 until the end. James Byrne at no.11 was the difference, winning all the dirty ball for Craanford. If they had managed to play like this last 15 for an hour before last night they wouldn't have neen in this game. Young Donie? O Connor from the Duffry looked a real prospect.

soft free

Davidstown are slip sliding away, seems like a freefall.

The club does not appear to have any shortage of people to sit on committees but seems short of coaches to develop players. Granted demographic shifts have seen a fair few Rapps young lads live in the catchment area but playing with Rapps all the same.

Underage they are struggling which must be a concern for them.

A little less conversation and a little more action might do the trick.

Meanwhile, a big change coming with a new GDM and a new Coaching Officer, JJ handed the role of a Director of Hurling (dont recall it being advertised, who is paying- us?/ the taxpayer?) and he will have responsibility for u21, where he has made a serious mark for sure, minor and u16 Development Squads while the new GDM, a Waterford man, will have the call on u14/15 squads.

Will there be a change in the minor hurling set up or will the current men be there in 2015 and if so, what role will JJ have?

I see Pat O Rourke keeps the minor football and gets responsibility for the combined Wexford schools football team after the arrival last year of the combined Wexford schools hurling team, managed by Paul Carley. They did ok, having not been allowed compete in the Leinster league but will there be enough footballers in the non Peters/ GCC schools and will we see the arrival of the dual player/ burnout thing again?

Do people see the combined idea as positive?

Do people see the Director of Hurling role as positive?

And will Ferns do the job this year?

Mountainlad

What do ye make of that Rhys Clarke lad? Looked quite good to me in the 21s this year, could make the step up next year?

bruschi

Mountainlad wrote: »

What do ye make of that Rhys Clarke lad? Looked quite good to me in the 21s this year, could make the step up next year?

I'm not really convinced by him to be honest. a decent player, but nothing outstanding. in saying that, I'd see him similar enough to Guiney. Potential there I suppose, but both need to be far more consistent. I think there are other players with more potential that can offer more. Hope to be proved wrong, as I reckon Clarke will get more games next year.

soft free

An average player at best. Inconsistent, townie type of hurler (cue Harriers outrage). If Liam Dunne is serious then he wont linger and RC will either shape up to be nothing more than a panel member or he will be shipped out. Evidence to date suggests that, bar the odd flashes in club (narrowly escaping relegation, beating a rural club with a much smaller population) RC is the latest new kid on the block if one was listen to the town men. Of course he is not.

That said, he does a mean goal celebration. Way too much Sky Sports being watched.

The Letheram

Definitely has a bit of hurling in there. I am not convinced about his attitude though. For example taking to twitter to moan about being taken off in the AI semi final. I would rate McDonald, Guiney, Padraig Foley and Gary Moore above him from the U21 set up.

68deville

I think RY has potential,good turn of speed and strong enough,had a decent
Final to be fair,make it or not I couldn't say,could put Kevin Foley in the same
Scenario

The Slobs

soft free wrote: »

Davidstown are slip sliding away, seems like a freefall.

The club does not appear to have any shortage of people to sit on committees but seems short of coaches to develop players. Granted demographic shifts have seen a fair few Rapps young lads live in the catchment area but playing with Rapps all the same.

Underage they are struggling which must be a concern for them.

A little less conversation and a little more action might do the trick.

Meanwhile, a big change coming with a new GDM and a new Coaching Officer, JJ handed the role of a Director of Hurling (dont recall it being advertised, who is paying- us?/ the taxpayer?) and he will have responsibility for u21, where he has made a serious mark for sure, minor and u16 Development Squads while the new GDM, a Waterford man, will have the call on u14/15 squads.

Will there be a change in the minor hurling set up or will the current men be there in 2015 and if so, what role will JJ have?

I see Pat O Rourke keeps the minor football and gets responsibility for the combined Wexford schools football team after the arrival last year of the combined Wexford schools hurling team, managed by Paul Carley. They did ok, having not been allowed compete in the Leinster league but will there be enough footballers in the non Peters/ GCC schools and will we see the arrival of the dual player/ burnout thing again?

Do people see the combined idea as positive?

Do people see the Director of Hurling role as positive?

And will Ferns do the job this year?

Davidstown location on the outskirts of Enniscorthy and its village being some miles away makes to easier for players to drift towards the town. The Rapps gene pool that has settled in the surrounding areas seem to go back to play with the club .

Wexford town is different where as the Martins Shels and Barntown have no problem attracting any families that move into their area,

Davidstown have had significant retirements and also the loss of Andrew Shore.
Given that they are capable of producing players like David Dunne and Walter Furlong.

Like any small club, playing numbers might be under pressure and also getting people involved especially if things are not going well, There are people working away and it is an area that can produce players i.e. Hasseys, Staffords, Shores, Dunnes Jacobs

Rhys Clarke : In the first half of Kilkenny U21 game I tought he was dire , and should of being first off, however after that he has had a very good u21 campaign (Kilkenny fans were not happy with the goal celebration) I understand he spent time in with the seniors but he did contribute to creating a good few scores for the u21's

Other U21's Kevin Foley has being spoken about for a good few years . His best game was the Galway game , Still waiting for him to explode.

Garry Moore is another who has long being spoken about and the Galway game was his best this year. Heard he has battled injury through out the year.

Padraig Foley is a an unknown to many people and has surprised many this year with his performances . Has never being mentioned in dispatches much.

Where did Padraig Doyle Of Gorey go never featured after the offaly game

Combined schools football team will be like development squads and minor panels ; will struggle to attract the best players over hurling.

JJ coaches on a Fas cource and his talents should be utilised. People can be head hunted as well as advertised,

The Slobs

Forgot to mention a notice seeking applications for the Minor Hurling went out to clubs today .

Nominations to be in within five days

soft free

The Slobs wrote: »

Davidstown location on the outskirts of Enniscorthy and its village being some miles away makes to easier for players to drift towards the town. The Rapps gene pool that has settled in the surrounding areas seem to go back to play with the club .

Wexford town is different where as the Martins Shels and Barntown have no problem attracting any families that move into their area,

Davidstown have had significant retirements and also the loss of Andrew Shore.
Given that they are capable of producing players like David Dunne and Walter Furlong.

Like any small club, playing numbers might be under pressure and also getting people involved especially if things are not going well, There are people working away and it is an area that can produce players i.e. Hasseys, Staffords, Shores, Dunnes Jacobs

Rhys Clarke : In the first half of Kilkenny U21 game I tought he was dire , and should of being first off, however after that he has had a very good u21 campaign (Kilkenny fans were not happy with the goal celebration) I understand he spent time in with the seniors but he did contribute to creating a good few scores for the u21's

Other U21's Kevin Foley has being spoken about for a good few years . His best game was the Galway game , Still waiting for him to explode.

Garry Moore is another who has long being spoken about and the Galway game was his best this year. Heard he has battled injury through out the year.

Padraig Foley is a an unknown to many people and has surprised many this year with his performances . Has never being mentioned in dispatches much.

Where did Padraig Doyle Of Gorey go never featured after the offaly game

Combined schools football team will be like development squads and minor panels ; will struggle to attract the best players over hurling.

JJ coaches on a Fas cource and his talents should be utilised. People can be head hunted as well as advertised,

I know the geography, thats not my oint. My point was that the club has people high up positions with both County Boards and seems well able to have time and energy for that. surely small clubs need leaders in the club and not elsewhere. Underage they are sliding away. Gene pool is one thing, not doing the basics in another.

P Foley and a few others were never under the lights that Mac, K Foley and Devitt were but was always as if not more effective. Ryan was a B 14 player under a coach who claimed he was the best in Wexford! P Foley will make senior championship and consitently before K Foley and Devitt I think. His younger brother is developing at pace and oddly was not considered for minor keeper despite being in goals at u14/15/16.

I know JJ is on the coaching course that used to be a FAS thing and oddly is struggling to fill vacancies this and last year. Explain how someone can be headhunted if the job of funded by the tax payer or have we a new FG type selection policy? The part time coaching coaches are funded entirely by public money- Im not questiong the man but the process or does that not matter anymore?

On the minor manager- if JJ is now in charge of u21, minor and u16 does this mean that the adult board are now back in charge of minor hurling as it used to be until Deveraux took it back when he was underage chair?

The outgoing man will likely get renominated. Plus a few others. Blood will rise for sure.

Hopefully we will avoid the last years shambles and stay out of the papers. But I doubt it.

The Letheram

I din't know how practical it is really, but I think that the minor manager should also be the manager of the combined schools team. It would eliminate an awful lot duplication of training for young lads and if the minors are going to have near 40 involved surely that will contain a lot of the combined schools squad anyway. Most importantly there would be a lot less bickering between managers also.

soft free

The Letheram wrote: »

I din't know how practical it is really, but I think that the minor manager should also be the manager of the combined schools team. It would eliminate an awful lot duplication of training for young lads and if the minors are going to have near 40 involved surely that will contain a lot of the combined schools squad anyway. Most importantly there would be a lot less bickering between managers also.

Seemingly that was a central part of the Hurling Advisory Committee (chaired by Griffin) along the lines that the combined schools manager should also be minor manager and that compromise between combined and feeder schools and combined and Peters and GCC would be better managed, including training and recovery, by one management team but this was discarded once the decision was made to appoint the man who later stood down in December last year.

combined schools this year will train on Saturdays only to avoid clashing with feeder schools and that will help relationships. I havent heard how the footballers are to train, assuming dual players and dont know how many players are attending training.

I doubt there are enough quality football only players once you exclude GCC and Peters to make this a viable option and I havent seen or heard any analysis for a combined football team bar the moaning that last year was hurling only.

The Slobs

Combined Colleges Football : I heard there are to be no dual players

All Saints with two thirds of the holy family involved, the clash in the Intermediate A football semi final Saturday 11th October Wexford park at 2pm with the meeting of St Marys and St Jospehs . This should be interesting.

A big weekend of semi final hurling action so the season ticket investment will come into its own if I can get my release from herself and my domestic responsibilities.

The Letheram

In the Senior semis I am expecting a turn around into a St Annes vs Shels final. I just think Ferns have been stuttering all year and may not be able to just switch it on now that Oulart are gone. I think the Shels may just have the mobility to live with the Ferns forwards and this could be the deciding factor. I think the Annes will be a bit too far along in their development for Glynn to do it two days in a row and they also seem very comfortable adapting tactics mid stream as needed. Moving Red Barry back as a fourth half back vs the Alley as a case in point.
Intermediate is very interesting too. I think Askamore will have a little too much for the Shamrocks this weekend although this is the danger game for them as the Shamrocks beat them in the league and are a very balanced team. If Askamore get through this I don't see them being beaten.
Craanford vs the Duffry is going to be close. 3 meetings in 3 years ending in 3 draws. Don't bet against it again. I am going to stick my neck out and say Craanford just by a score as I think they have momentum on their side after beating a fancied Oylegate side in the last round. This is the one I am least convinced about though.

Wendell Gee

Good to see a lot of people tipping the Shels. Saw Ronan Fagan did the same. There is a feeling in Ferns that last year they peaked in July/August. This year still they are still to play their best hurling, but are unbeaten.
The draws against Glynn and Cloughbawn were important, as was the late rally to beat Oulart in the League final.
Team sees Ciaran Roberts back in following injury. He made a big impact from the bench against Rathnure. Ryan Nolan to line out in the corner ahead of Padraig Bolger, who has done little wrong. Ryan may revel in the space in Wexford Park.
Johnny Dwyer's return is hugely important, along with Tommy and Benny he sets the tempo of the team. He was increasingly influential against Rathnure as the game wore on.
The Shels will be hard to overcome, but semi-finals are never easy.
Ferns had dethroning Oulart as a goal, no doubt. Have they successfully refocused? We'll know tomorrow.

The Slobs

I all ways felt Ryan Nolan was a talent but hurling was never his first sport . Good to see him concentrating on it now . His pace and skill is an addition to a team that is very experienced at this stage.

castletownman

Interesting weekend on the hurling front. Couldn't make it down to the Park yesterday myself due to club commintments but I believe the conditions meant neither game was one to write home about.

Had quietly fancied Shels to be the nearest team to Oulart this year since I saw them play Rathnure in the group stages way back in May (it wasn't a particularly vintage performance that evening, just felt that they had the combination of fitness, youth, balance and a solid defence and spine to be major contenders). Goal really won the game for them. Wasn't overly impressed with Ferns in the few times I seen them this year (as opposed to their brilliant form last year), and felt the weight of expectation that they were the heir apparent to the crown when Oulart got eliminated proved too much in the end. Although, they looked lethargic earlier on in the campaign too, their fine win against Oulart in the League final aside.

Always felt that Anne's would have too much for Glynn. Ogie, Dee and Red are too good to be contained for an entire match at club level, and the versatitily of Red is a hugely pivotal asset to possess. Glynn won't be too disheartened with the end of their campaign given they pulled off the mother of all shocks in the quarters, and I believe that Michael Doyle is the oldest member of their panel so you'd have to think they're a work in progress.

Think Shels will edge the final. And their appearance in the said final will have a bearing on their football quarter this weekend (whether sub-consciencly or not). Was at the Intermediate semis on Saturday, and neither were particularly riveting either. Duffry and Craanford was tight, but was too stop-start and the referee was overly fussy. Duffry have belied their under-dog status two games in a row now, but I think both Craanford and Askamore had one eye on meeting each other in what would have been a mouth-watering final. Shamrocks work-rate and tenacity in hooking and the art of defending is admirable, and it may come down to a shoot out between Bob Jacob and Brian Clince. But I feel Shamorcks may just sneak the senior spot.

Football quarters this weekend. Three derbies with the fourth being a renewal of a recent rivalry in Casteltown vs Martin's. Think Anne's will beat Fintan's regardless of the hurling the following weekend (though the rumoured serious injury to David Fogarty is a big blow), have a sneaky feeling that Shels will have an eye on their first ever senior hurling final and thus will be caught cold by Sarsfields (who have a knack of pulling of quarter final upsets in recent championships), and Gusserane will edge Horeswood, despite the return of PJ Bnaville. I have been impressed with Gusserane this year. They have drawn with both Anne's and Martin's already, possess a solid spine and potential match-winning forwards, and may well have a massive say in the championship yet.

As for the Castletown Martin's game on the Friday, it would be remiss of me to even speculate on the game given my username

kilkenny12

Just came across the Wex Gaa TV channel on youtube. Very good idea.

bruschi

kilkenny12 wrote: »

Just came across the Wex Gaa TV channel on youtube. Very good idea.

they are on the Irish tv channel on 191 sky during the week too. Trying to get more into the social media end of things I suppose.

breghall

Was at the 2 games in the Park yesterday and they were atrocious ! bit windy fair enough, but Glynn and the Annes went in at HT at 0.4-0.3 with the first score from play coming about 26 mins !!! DOK and Liam Og were the diference between the two really, as Glynn didn't have anyone of their calibre playing up front, G Moore was very poor. Deserved by the Annes. 2 boys best for the Annes with P donnelly best for glynn.

Shels prob deserved their win too, Ferns missed wat too may scores and never pulled clear of the Shels. The goal shels got near the end put them in front and Ferns had to respond but never evne looked like they wanted to. Ferns looked to have peaked last year, as i've seen the 3 time sin the SHC and they never got going in any game. Clive lawlor had a good game for Shels, and Tonks was good for ferns imo ( why they took off Benny I don't know)

Two terrible games but hopefully the final will be much better.
I think the shels are a better balanced team but Annes with Liam Og and DOK in the forwards mean that they carry a better scoring threat, if they can get good ball.

For me I think a 1st ever SHC for Shels.

The Slobs

Castlebridge parish takes in Screen and Curracloe as well and over the years four senior titles would have come to the parish with Castlebridge winning two and Sally Beachers winning as well

teams from the parish included Screen which may have over lapped into Ballymurn

Sally Beachers was a Castlebridge Crossabeg combination in the 1920's/ 30's

Ardcolm /St Ibars were other names under which teams played .
The Shelmaliers date from the 1950's winning a couple of Junior Titles

The shelmaliers were junior up to 1988 when they won the title and went on to win Intermediate in 1998.

The last decade has seen enormous underage success for the club and they have being long fancied to turn their underage titles into senior success.
Will this be the year?

The Letheram

So Kilmore shock Bunclody in the intermediate football with a one point win.
Castletown dethrone the county champions in a tight affair by one point, not a shock though as this game was always 50/50.
Most surprising was Adamstowns win over Kilanerin. Not that they won, cos anything can happen in a relegation final, but the size of the win @ 8 points. Kilanerin have been upthere sine winning intermediate in 1992 and have hoovered up 6 titles in that time. They did make the mistake of neglecting underage in that time though and are now unfortunately paying the price for that. They may have a chance of an immediate return if Mattie stays on and can remain injury free and disciplined on field but otherwise they seem to be lacking up front. Sad day for a big club though.

The Slobs

Kilanerin are a rural parish and things always go in cycles.

The population must have being boasted by incomers during the tiger years .

I am not sure if all incomers they are GAA friendly,

Clubs Like Glynn and Starlights have being gone down before them.


The semi final line up for football is St Annes V Shels Gusserane V Castletown Shels Castletown final

Inter A Hurling Crossabeg V Monageer Will go with Monageer . Cbeg robbed Ballyfad last week and Mon will make u for lastyears final loss

Int Hurling Duffry V Shamrocks will go with Duffry they have being shocking teams all year and if Clynch iis fit to play full back that will clinch it for them.


Junior Hurling Taghmon V St James Will go with the Jimmies but a young Taghmon will win this in 2015

The standard of hurling in all grades last week was a dissapointment.

The Slobs

Senior Hurling Final

??? Going with Shels only just and I mean only just because

All that underage success has to count for something.
If they can contain St Annes LOG /DOK or even limit them and with their greater panel strength it might pull them through.

Intermediate Hurling Final :
Great comeback by the Duffry. they were dead and buried at half time, but a great second half saw them grab the draw . Shamrocks poor discipline in that second half was a factor plus the increasing strength of the wind. Will go with duffry again in the replay.

Intermediate A Hurling

How true that semi final form is no guide to a final . Monageer came up short to a youthfull Crossabeg Ballymurn side who played with a skill and style that will be hard matched in the higher grades this year. I see they have the driving force of their recent underage success on board as a mentor,

Junior Hurling

St James only just got the better of a gallant Taghmon Camross team.Captained by Wexford senior captain Matthew O Hanlon, St James continue a rise from from the lowest rank of hurling and are now half way there.
Taghmon look like they will not be long in this division as when some of their many 17 year olds mature they will rise in the grades as well.

dumpertruck

talk London way is that Andrew Shore is signing up for a team in Coventry. from the transfer section on the gaa website looks like its true

does that make him eneligible to hurl for wexford next year, thought he was hurling in Dublin?

Oasis_Dublin

Will there be a reduction in ticket prices for the replay next weekend?

castletownman

There should be. If the ticket prices were reduced for the Clare Wexford replay earlier this year, then surely the county board should have common sense to do something similiar. God knows they need the brownie points for the series of cock-ups and PR disasters they've had so far this year.

10 euro for both games would attract a huge crowd.

breghall

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

Will there be a reduction in ticket prices for the replay next weekend?

Hope so.