Dungeon
With three days to go it hasn’t exactly captured the imagination.
I’ll go for:
Wexford by 7.
KIlkenny by 3.
Dublin by 2.
All home wins…
Wexford by 7
Kilkenny by 2
Dublin by 5
Leave it to the Leinster men and don’t be bothering yourself
Wexford by 1 - Davy will have the Antrim boys wanting to go through a brick wall against his old team. Tricky for Rossi’s mostly young squad.
Kilkenny by 5 - Kilkenny form during the league not bad. Interesting to see Lyng bring the squad abroad for the first time ever. Have a feeling it’ll be more than five. I expect more from O’Donoghue and co. in 2026.
Dublin by 1 - Offaly on the up and rearing to go I’m sure after the few years hiatus. Thought Dublin would have done better in the league with the club final kick. Wouldn’t be surprised if Offaly win.
Antrim are like Turkish soccer teams and French rugby clubs. They don’t tend to travel well. If it were up there then you’d nearly fancy them to edge it alright.
Speaking of French football club mentality… What county was 18 points up against Westmeath, and got bet by a point?
Local press round up:
Keith Rossiter says Liam Ryan is available, Shane Reck is touch & go & Conor McDonald is making progress but will be out for another while.
Could any of the Wexicans hazard a guess at a TEAM LINE UP?
1 Fanning
5 Lawlor
6 D Reck
8 Hearne
11 R O’Connor
12 Chin
We’ll need more than 6 players.
I’m going to buck the trend and predict Galway will beat Kilkenny.
Wins for Wexford and Dublin elsewhere.
- Fanning
- Eoin Ryan
- Conor Foley
- Simon Donohoe
- Richie Lawlor
- Damien Reck
- Charlie McGuckin or his Gorey counterpart Patsy Molloy
- Hearne
- Dunbar
- Jack O’ Connor
- Rory
- Chin
- Cian Byrne
- Seamus Casey
- Kevin Foley
Seamus Casey probably drops out in the rejig if Liam Ryan is fit to start and not eased back in with a substitute appearance.
I thought Casey was decent in the Gaelic Grounds when he came on, made an impact and I believe he had a good league in general even when results weren’t going ye’re way?
Can ye afford to not have Rory O’Connor closer to goal though? Would JOC, Chin, Foley work as a half-forward line and ROC inside then?
We’ll batter Antrim, so we will
Foley is only starting in the corner nominally. He’ll actually drift out the field. He wouldn’t have the height to be a wing-forward with puck-outs reigning down on him though. Perhaps Richie Lawlor or Charlie McGuckan will be alternated to the half-forward line. I’d assume Liam Ryan will be definitely start the big game against Dublin in the Nell on matchday 2.
Draw in Nowlan Park
Wexford by 9
Dublin by 6
Offaly will take two scalps in Leinster this year.
I’d fancy Dublin to swat them aside in Parnell the weekend.
Terrific Wexford Hurling podcast championship preview podder. Wonderful rapport between the punditry duo of Ed Rowesome & David “Doc” O’Connor, & you can’t help but feel Clubber or GGA Plus+Go should be formulating an analysis/round up show to showcase this duo. You just won’t find better wholesome hurling banter for all the family. I was aghast at the stat that Wexford have only beaten Dublin once in the championship in 17 years.
Dublin have been poxed vs Wexford the last 2 years. Two injury time goals got them a draw last year while Wexford gave the worst display of shooting from an inter county team I’ve ever seen in the 2023 fixture.