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Wexford Club Hurling Championship.

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Replying To MyOhMi:  "Liam Mellows and Rathnure both had super wins over the weekend. Why would it be hard to see either of them winning Leinster?

Watched the Rathnure game on Clubber - was actually a really good game with no quarters given from either team. Tough and hard honest hurling. Rathnure have really shined during their last 4 games in the closing 10 minutes period. This is something they failed to do for the last few years and it cost them dearly. Jack Redmond was superb yesterday. The Wickham brothers got through a mountain of work. Rathnure conceded some soft scores and that maybe a worry but AJ Redmond was a big loss in his sweeper role.

Lisdowney are a good young team (similiar to Rathnure) so if the weather plays its part next weekend I expect a real battle in Wexford Park

Am I correct in saying Liam Mellows are through to a Leinster S/F now?

It is a pity the Martins didn't get the win - but again they can stand tall and their heads up. For the last number of years Wexford clubs have failed pitifully in Leinster and bowed out without even a whimper"
Looking at Rory O'Connor and a few of the Martins lads yesterday after the game in tears, they really wanted to get to reach the Leinster final with their club.

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 823 - 25/11/2024 12:01:48    2581151

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Replying To grassroots01:  "Great wins for Rathnure & Liam Mellows - but would have to question the standard in the junior comp.

Mellows are playing the Louth champions in the semi final... Horeswood beat the same team from Louth by a few points in 2022. Mellows play Kilkenny champs then in final if they win that.

Junior and intermediate Leinster hurling has been dominated by Kilkenny teams. When Horsewood won it in 2022 Commercials from Dublin that Rathnure played few weeks ago knocked out the Black and Whites from Kilkenny in the semi final.

Last year Fr'ORegans Craanford were the only team in Leinster to give a strong Tullagher team any sort of a game and could have won it. Based on this I think Liam Mellows will have a good chance - especially as the pitches are a lot heavier now and it'll suit their physicality and running game."
Below is the grade of the teams who enter the Leinster JHC.

When you see what Wexford Intermediate A champions (Basically Wexford premier Junior) done to the Longford senior champions at the weekend, you can the enormous gap in standard between Wexford, Kilkenny down to the weaker hurling counties Longford and Louth.


County Championship Qualifying team
Carlow Carlow Junior A Hurling Championship Champions
Dublin Dublin Junior A Hurling Championship Champions
Europe European Senior Hurling Championship Champions
Kildare Kildare Senior B Hurling Championship Champions
Kilkenny Kilkenny Premier Junior Hurling Championship Champions
Laois Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Longford Longford Senior Hurling Championship Champions
Louth Louth Senior Hurling Championship Champions
Meath Meath Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Offaly Offaly Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Westmeath Westmeath Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Wexford Wexford Intermediate A Hurling Championship Champions
Wicklow Wicklow Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 823 - 25/11/2024 12:11:54    2581155

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Replying To Past hurler:  "Looking at Rory O'Connor and a few of the Martins lads yesterday after the game in tears, they really wanted to get to reach the Leinster final with their club."
Was talking to family from the club before the game in Craobh. I don't think too many from Fianna would have resented them too much. It is fantastic competition.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3186 - 25/11/2024 12:53:27    2581160

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "I'd imagine so,. Be particularly interested to see AJ Murphy getting a proper run at county. There would be a few others like O'Dea as well, Stacey maybe. Meagher who is great workhorse. I'm sure he won't want to be too top heavy with NF lads and Cuala dominance arguably was factor in fall off after 2013. That's where the focus was."
Playing together at club level can help a county team gel better though. If those lads are good enough they should be picked. I'm sure there will be lads from the southside who put their hands up this year also.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13997 - 25/11/2024 13:20:51    2581166

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Replying To Past hurler:  "Below is the grade of the teams who enter the Leinster JHC.

When you see what Wexford Intermediate A champions (Basically Wexford premier Junior) done to the Longford senior champions at the weekend, you can the enormous gap in standard between Wexford, Kilkenny down to the weaker hurling counties Longford and Louth.


County Championship Qualifying team
Carlow Carlow Junior A Hurling Championship Champions
Dublin Dublin Junior A Hurling Championship Champions
Europe European Senior Hurling Championship Champions
Kildare Kildare Senior B Hurling Championship Champions
Kilkenny Kilkenny Premier Junior Hurling Championship Champions
Laois Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Longford Longford Senior Hurling Championship Champions
Louth Louth Senior Hurling Championship Champions
Meath Meath Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Offaly Offaly Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Westmeath Westmeath Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions
Wexford Wexford Intermediate A Hurling Championship Champions
Wicklow Wicklow Intermediate Hurling Championship Champions"
For context, here's what the Longford Hurling Championship looks like:
https://longfordgaa.ie/all-leaderboards/?compID=218867
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Just three teams, who play each other once in the 'group', before the top two teams play in a final.

Results section of the Louth GAA site doesn't seem to be working properly so can't see how they run things there.

Might be a note of caution for Liam Mellows that the Louth team (St. Fechtin's) who they'll play in the semi-final have at least won two games to get there.

Then again, Avondale of Wicklow had won two games as well, but suffered big defeat to St. Lachtain's of Kilkenny in the other semi-final (4-18 to 0-11). Really does show the gulf in standards across the counties.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2630 - 25/11/2024 13:39:28    2581175

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "For context, here's what the Longford Hurling Championship looks like:
https://longfordgaa.ie/all-leaderboards/?compID=218867
link

Just three teams, who play each other once in the 'group', before the top two teams play in a final.

Results section of the Louth GAA site doesn't seem to be working properly so can't see how they run things there.

Might be a note of caution for Liam Mellows that the Louth team (St. Fechtin's) who they'll play in the semi-final have at least won two games to get there.

Then again, Avondale of Wicklow had won two games as well, but suffered big defeat to St. Lachtain's of Kilkenny in the other semi-final (4-18 to 0-11). Really does show the gulf in standards across the counties."
Louth senior clubs used to play for a while in Dublin Boland Cup senior pre championship competition. They were really very weak. I don't recall them even getting close. Our crowd played Knockbridge who won a stack of county titles in noughties and training games against junior Bs were closer.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3186 - 25/11/2024 13:58:39    2581177

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Replying To countyman2022:  "How exactly is it hard to see Rathnure winning Leinster?"
Just I had Lisdowney and Borriss Kilcotton as the two stand out teams from before the start and I still think they are but Rathnure will be outsiders but no doubt they'll give a good account I hope. Kilkenny champs have fairly dominated this grade and Borriss would've seen themselves as one of the better senior teams in Laois not to mind intermediate level. So that's my reasoning for that. Similar ish reason for junior but maybe more chance at that level. Hopefully wrong and that would be a great year for Wexford clubs

Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin (Wexford) - Posts: 285 - 25/11/2024 15:46:36    2581193

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Replying To Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin:  "Just I had Lisdowney and Borriss Kilcotton as the two stand out teams from before the start and I still think they are but Rathnure will be outsiders but no doubt they'll give a good account I hope. Kilkenny champs have fairly dominated this grade and Borriss would've seen themselves as one of the better senior teams in Laois not to mind intermediate level. So that's my reasoning for that. Similar ish reason for junior but maybe more chance at that level. Hopefully wrong and that would be a great year for Wexford clubs"
Kilkenny teams have only won 1 Intermediate final this decade, and haven't reached any other final. And the 1 they won was won by an exceptional TT team that just won Senior up there. How's that a good record?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13997 - 25/11/2024 16:43:26    2581207

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Replying To Viking66:  "Kilkenny teams have only won 1 Intermediate final this decade, and haven't reached any other final. And the 1 they won was won by an exceptional TT team that just won Senior up there. How's that a good record?"
Considering there's only been 3 finals this decade, that's stretching it a bit. They've won 2 of the last 4 all Irelands….thats not a bad record. They've won 13 of the 19 Leinster championships at intermediate….also not a bad record. I honestly think you're clutching at straws just to disagree with me on this one. The Kilkenny junior record is same if not slightly more dominant.

Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin (Wexford) - Posts: 285 - 25/11/2024 18:41:47    2581229

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I listened to commentary on radio 1 and I couldn't believe how condecinding the commentators were..it was oh st martins can be so proud of how they played and how much they put it up to nf..why would they fear any club who they play??why would they have to be so proud??it was a Leinster semi an I'm sure they would have fancied their chances..if sm were playing kk would they be given a chance,of course they would..once any club is competing representing their county I'd be expecting them to play with passion and great effort..maybe I'm reading to much into it..

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2394 - 25/11/2024 18:48:14    2581230

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Replying To Viking66:  "Kilkenny teams have only won 1 Intermediate final this decade, and haven't reached any other final. And the 1 they won was won by an exceptional TT team that just won Senior up there. How's that a good record?"
This decade is only 4 years in and COVID stopped one of those championships so Kilkenny have won one in 3 this decade. Kilkenny have won 13 out of 19 intermediate finals, runner up in one plus this year aswell. The other 6 winners include clonkill who would be in the top 3 teams in Westmeath, Mount Leinster rangers,Naas and Bray Emmets. The only 2 unknowns are Ardclough from Kildare and Kilmessan from Meath. So I would say Kilkenny's record would be fairly good in intermediate Leinster

camánouttathat (Wexford) - Posts: 58 - 25/11/2024 19:21:07    2581232

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Replying To Viking66:  "Kilkenny teams have only won 1 Intermediate final this decade, and haven't reached any other final. And the 1 they won was won by an exceptional TT team that just won Senior up there. How's that a good record?"
From 2013 to 2023 Kilkenny clubs have won 8 out of the 10 Intermediate Leinster club titles.

That is a serious record.

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 823 - 25/11/2024 20:02:00    2581237

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Replying To Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin:  "Considering there's only been 3 finals this decade, that's stretching it a bit. They've won 2 of the last 4 all Irelands….thats not a bad record. They've won 13 of the 19 Leinster championships at intermediate….also not a bad record. I honestly think you're clutching at straws just to disagree with me on this one. The Kilkenny junior record is same if not slightly more dominant."
They were dominant up until 2019. They've only supplied 1 of the last 6 finalists since, 2 of the last 8 including this year. 2021 Naas beat Glenmore. Trim beat Danesfort in 2022. Yes Thomastown won the AI last year but they were exceptionally good Kilkenny Intermediate champions, who went on to win Senior up there this year.
Lisdowney didn't win a single knockout game in the Kilkenny Intermediate championship by more than a single score this year. Thomastown were backboned by lads with Senior or recent u20 Intercounty experience, either as starters or fringe players, Lisdowney wouldn't have the same intercounty experience.
Much like TT, Rathnure have lads with Senior and recent u20 intercounty experience also. As well as players like Lawlor who could have played Senior Intercounty if they chose to.
In saying all that, this debate was started by you nearly implying there was no point Rathnure playing the game at all as you thought they would lose, because you had Lisdowney and Borris/Kilcotton as "the standout teams from the start". Why exactly did you think they were the standout teams from the start? I can see why you would have rated Borris/Kilcotton, tbh I thought they were a possible winner too with some of the players they have, I thought Lisdowney were possibles too, as were Bray and Rathnure.
But like most other posters on this thread I would give Rathnure a good chance of winning the Final. Even the bookies, PP, are giving Rathnure a good chance, in the handicap betting Rathnure +2 are odds on favourites, so they are expecting Lisdowney to win by 1.
None of the above is "clutching at straws just to disagree with you". It's all pretty well thought out.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13997 - 25/11/2024 20:05:02    2581238

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Leinster Intermediate club roll of honours

By county

County Titles Runners-up Total
Kilkenny 13 1 14
Kildare 2 3 5
Meath 1 3 4
Wicklow 1 2 3
Carlow 1 1 2
Westmeath 1 1 2
Wexford 0 6 6
Laois 0 1 1
Offaly 0 1 1

When it's printed out in writing, it is shocking how poor the level of club hurling in Wexford is at provincial level.

Here's hoping Rathnure can change that narrative this weekend.

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 823 - 25/11/2024 20:10:08    2581242

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "For context, here's what the Longford Hurling Championship looks like:
https://longfordgaa.ie/all-leaderboards/?compID=218867
link

Just three teams, who play each other once in the 'group', before the top two teams play in a final.

Results section of the Louth GAA site doesn't seem to be working properly so can't see how they run things there.

Might be a note of caution for Liam Mellows that the Louth team (St. Fechtin's) who they'll play in the semi-final have at least won two games to get there.

Then again, Avondale of Wicklow had won two games as well, but suffered big defeat to St. Lachtain's of Kilkenny in the other semi-final (4-18 to 0-11). Really does show the gulf in standards across the counties."
I was looking through the results in the JHC to date, and while Mellows have absolutely blitzed their two opponents (12-47 in the two games is absurdly one-sided), Fechins put up a decent score as well against Amsterdam (6-23 to 2-13), although had a narrower win against Brownstown, only winning by two points.

At the other side of the draw, Lachtain's will have a week's rest and have in theory came through stronger hurling counties with a bit to spare. Hit 9-38 in their last two games and an average winning margin of 22 points. And as the hurling snobs will tell ya, didn't have the distraction of football for half the year!

beano (Wexford) - Posts: 1457 - 25/11/2024 20:20:51    2581245

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Replying To Viking66:  "They were dominant up until 2019. They've only supplied 1 of the last 6 finalists since, 2 of the last 8 including this year. 2021 Naas beat Glenmore. Trim beat Danesfort in 2022. Yes Thomastown won the AI last year but they were exceptionally good Kilkenny Intermediate champions, who went on to win Senior up there this year.
Lisdowney didn't win a single knockout game in the Kilkenny Intermediate championship by more than a single score this year. Thomastown were backboned by lads with Senior or recent u20 Intercounty experience, either as starters or fringe players, Lisdowney wouldn't have the same intercounty experience.
Much like TT, Rathnure have lads with Senior and recent u20 intercounty experience also. As well as players like Lawlor who could have played Senior Intercounty if they chose to.
In saying all that, this debate was started by you nearly implying there was no point Rathnure playing the game at all as you thought they would lose, because you had Lisdowney and Borris/Kilcotton as "the standout teams from the start". Why exactly did you think they were the standout teams from the start? I can see why you would have rated Borris/Kilcotton, tbh I thought they were a possible winner too with some of the players they have, I thought Lisdowney were possibles too, as were Bray and Rathnure.
But like most other posters on this thread I would give Rathnure a good chance of winning the Final. Even the bookies, PP, are giving Rathnure a good chance, in the handicap betting Rathnure +2 are odds on favourites, so they are expecting Lisdowney to win by 1.
None of the above is "clutching at straws just to disagree with you". It's all pretty well thought out."
Considering they can't play another Kilkenny club saying they've produced 2 out 8 possible spots when the max is 4 is like saying Limerick have only produced 6 of last 16 finalists in the all Ireland series
I don't think saying that the county who wins it the majority of the time is going to be favourites for it and more likely to win is exactly some sort of crazy unfounded claim. Here's hoping Rathnure and Mellows win but just saying they're not exactly favourites going into it, not crazy underdogs but stating what is my opinion. The whole point of original point is how this year has been best showing by Wexford as whole at the 3 levels in a long time, especially at senior.
Not exactly rocket science to say that the team that wins Kilkenny intermediate wins the Leinster intermediate nearly year and probably deserve favourites tag as result.

Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin (Wexford) - Posts: 285 - 25/11/2024 22:10:58    2581255

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Replying To Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin:  "Considering they can't play another Kilkenny club saying they've produced 2 out 8 possible spots when the max is 4 is like saying Limerick have only produced 6 of last 16 finalists in the all Ireland series
I don't think saying that the county who wins it the majority of the time is going to be favourites for it and more likely to win is exactly some sort of crazy unfounded claim. Here's hoping Rathnure and Mellows win but just saying they're not exactly favourites going into it, not crazy underdogs but stating what is my opinion. The whole point of original point is how this year has been best showing by Wexford as whole at the 3 levels in a long time, especially at senior.
Not exactly rocket science to say that the team that wins Kilkenny intermediate wins the Leinster intermediate nearly year and probably deserve favourites tag as result."
Everyone except you thinks Rathnure have a good chance of winning it. Noone has them as favourites, but they have at least as good a chance of winning as Martins had in either of their 2 games.
It's been our best year at Senior club hurling because it's the 1st year at Senior our clubs have even won a game in a good few years. If Rathnure and Castletown both win their finals then it will be our best year overall for a while. If they both lose or Castletown don't even get to their final then it won't have been as good a year as 2022, and no better than 2021. In fact 2022 would have been a better year overall for our clubs as Fethard won the Leinster Intermediate club football title, and Adamstown reached the Junior Leinster football final.
As regards your last line that's what I disagree with in your line of thinking. I'd look at each club on its merits. Look at who it has playing, team etc etc. Of the 9 Kilkenny winners the previous decade, 6 are still Senior in Kilkenny. They were better teams. Lisdowney only won their 1st ever Intermediate title in 2020. They were in relegation playoffs the following 2 years, then got relegated. They reached an Intermediate semifinal in 2023, then won their 2nd Intermediate final this year.
We aren't going to agree. We are both stubborn enough lads. Hopefully Rathnure win on Sunday. They will be slight underdogs for sure, but just because they are playing a Kilkenny team doesn't mean they can't win. It's that kind of losing mentality that is part of the problem we have in this county.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13997 - 26/11/2024 06:52:29    2581262

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Replying To Past hurler:  "Leinster Intermediate club roll of honours

By county

County Titles Runners-up Total
Kilkenny 13 1 14
Kildare 2 3 5
Meath 1 3 4
Wicklow 1 2 3
Carlow 1 1 2
Westmeath 1 1 2
Wexford 0 6 6
Laois 0 1 1
Offaly 0 1 1

When it's printed out in writing, it is shocking how poor the level of club hurling in Wexford is at provincial level.

Here's hoping Rathnure can change that narrative this weekend."
Just looking at that Roll of Honour - maybe worth pointing out that while it might look bad for Wexford that Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, etc. have all claimed Leinster Intermediate titles when we haven't, that those winning clubs were their county senior champions at the time.

No doubt overall though that Kilkenny have dominated this Leinster championship. And considering that their senior championship generally has 12 teams (just like ours), conclusion really is that generally speaking, 13th best in Kilkenny is a higher standard than 13th best in Wexford.

I'd give Rathnure a great chance on Sunday though, and I hope they win it.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2630 - 26/11/2024 09:10:37    2581271

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"It's up to each county to sort out this problem as they see fit. Its not really up to individual clubs, except insofar as if they keep voting to keep as many championship games as we currently have they are part of the problem.
A problem every county and club is facing is player retention, both at underage and adult. If players get the feeling their club or county doesn't give a #### about them they are less likely to stick around, especially as there are so many alternatives to playing Football and Hurling compared to years ago.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13908 - 21/11/2024 15:23:19 2580601"

This is my very point, in every club there are lads who would say "look at that ****** going off to Electric Picnic and us playing Cloughbawn on Sunday" like he owed the club a mountain of debt and had no right to go to it.
This is different from say a stag party where players do tend to be more careful with when they book them in the offseason.
Mind you, there are also lads in every club who if they saw a player have a bottle of beer with his dinner and didn't play well the next weekend the first thing they would say is "how could he hurl well and he out drinking last weekend".

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1786 - 27/11/2024 13:41:09    2581468

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Wexford club team of the year out,any thoughts on it,think theres 2 odd selections on the team and also some very strange ones on the panel!!! I suppose it's like everything everyone has a different opinion always be a few strange ones!!!

theboys (Wexford) - Posts: 238 - 30/11/2024 11:06:47    2581754

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