I agree with Martin Breheny in this morning’s Irish Independent.
“Stop This Futile Madness Now” he wrote.
I agree - its time to get rid of Wexford from all GAA activities. They are an emabarrassment to themselves and to both GAA codes
woeful in both codes
At least Laois had the decency to give Wexford a bit of a headstart before reeling them in without getting out of 2nd gear. Kilkenny didnt even give the fans a glimmer of hope that there would be a competitive game in store !!!
Shefflin making an absolute fool out of Ruth for the second goal was a particular highlight for me
Horrible performance in the hurling. Bad state of affairs to not even live with them for 35 minutes - like Dublin had managed with Cork on Saturday. The heads went down - Ruth’s departure was terribly inglorious - and nobody looked like they really cared.
We didn’t get the breaks.
in fairness - you did keep the neutral interested for the 1st 3 minutes
glorious victory for our minors
I’ll start with the football:
The sending off had no impact on the game whatsoever. They came out after half time and quite inexplicably stopped doing all the things they’d be doing excellently in the first half.
We had them in all sorts of trouble by delivering quick ball into our full forward line - fair play to Ciaran Lyng who was smashing as he’s been all season - and then decided to slow up the supply and start moving the ball laterally across the pitch with too much handpassing.
Our lack of squad depth was also apparent with Laois taking over completely at midfield once Eric Bradley went off injured but we can’t use injuries as an excuse because Laois were missing 3 starters themselves.
We just capitulated and there was a complete lack of leadership, belief and direction in the second half. We pretty much accepted our fate from about the 45th minute onwards and it’s really disappointing in that we’d scored some superb points in the first half and had them completely on the rack.
So yet another semi final defeat and the depressing thing is it appears we’re simply incapable of stepping up to the next level and competing with the elite teams like Kerry, Tyrone and Leitrim.
would you be confident if you got bogtrim in the qualifiers
fingal raven wrote:
would you be confident if you got bogtrim in the qualifiers
Of course I wouldn’t be confident taking on a team like them. The only consolation would be a possible away trip and a chance to check out that superb new stand they have.
The hurling yesterday was weird. It was such a strange atmosphere and the game was over almost before it began.
I also disagree with the treatment of Skippy Ruth by management. Sure Shefflin made a fool out of him for the goal and he’d been dragged all over the place in the first 10 minutes but he’s been a great sevant for Wexford and indeed one of the few players who’s consistently played well on Shefflin over the years. But that was always when he was centre back - he’s not a natural full back - and I thought he at least deserved to be moved out to the half back line and given the chance to hurl his way into the game rather than suffering the ignominy of being susbstituted after 13 minutes.
If management were trying to show their ruthless (pun intended) streak then they picked the wrong man to sacrifice and instead it just smacked of panic on their part. If it is his last game for Wexford (‘reports’ say he had left the stadium before the team got in for half time) then thanks for your efforts Skippy.
As for the game itself they were hurling at a different level to us. Extremely disappointing but what do you do? We have a choice of giving up or going back and working harder from the bottom up to get us back competing consistently at the highest level.
Sitting there in the last 5 minutes as the stadium got ever more empty was very strange. I got thinking to the games in the early-mid 1990s when every ball in a Wexford vs Kilkenny or Offaly game would be contested savagely and all the great, tight matches between the 3 counties in Leinster.
Has the back door added to the malaise and helped taken the competitiveness out of Leinster?
Are our efforts to compete in both football and hurling preventing us from being a main player in one or the other?
Did we realise both teams were in the QFs irrespective of the result yesterday and decide to lull Kilkenny into a false sense of security ahead of a probable All Ireland Final meeting in September?
I think, on balance, the latter makes most sense.
did you see the Dubs minor team?
fingal raven wrote:
did you see the Dubs minor team?
No, a 12.30pm start was too early for me.
I heard they’ve some cracking hurlers. David Treacy, the centre forward, is meant to be a smashing talent.
Only getting a chance to post my thoughts on this now, and I don’t have time to do it properly now. One thing which did worry me before last weekend was the amount of coverage the Wexford hurling team were getting in the media, several players had two page spreads in the national media going on about how the rot had to stop etc. It’s always my opinion that there will be planty of time for interviews in October.
Was more frustrated by the footballers as I think we had enough to beat Laois, everything that could go wrong went wrong. Losing Philip Wallace in the warm-up, missing two fantastic goal chances, having a perfectly good goal disallowed, losing Eric Bradley from Midfield etc etc. In the second half we just sh!t ourselves and could pass the ball more the 20 yards without kicking it to a Laois player. In saying that, it is probably fortunate we didn’t get to play Dublin as I think we’re years behind them (I don’t rate Dublin as a team either by the way, too mentally brittle to be winners). On a positive note, it’s great to see Ciaran Lyng take the scoring pressure off Matty.
Can’t make Clones today as I’m abroad but if we can get over this we might get a bit of momentum going in the qualifiers.
As for the hurlers in the qualifiers all I want is some heart and effort. We beat Kilkenny in 2004 and put in a mammoth display against Cork in 2003, we can’t have gone so far backwards in that space of time, we just need to play with a bit of pride. As the saying goes night is darkest just before the dawn.
I didn’t go to Clones today.
The first Wexford championship football game I have missed since Laois in Dr Cullen Park in 2001 when I was cramming for an exam the following day.
It was obvious we would lose for a number of reasons:
- Psychological scars from a 4th successive provincial semi-final defeat.
- 7 day turn-around with injury and suspension problems adding selection difficulties to a squad already lacking in depth.
- Brutal qualifier record in the past.
- Fermanagh coming into the game on the back of a 7 week break since their defeat to Tyrone.
- Playing away from home up in Clones.
- The fact that half the Wexford team were going around Dublin absolutely pi$$ed last Sunday night making a fooking show of themselves.
That last reason and the fact they gave up in the second half against Laois made my decision for me. They didn’t deserve my support.
Nigel Higgins has been cut from the Wexford squad for turning up for training 15 minutes late.
There’s all sorts of reports going around about whether it was player pressure that led John Meyler to drop him.
I must say I have completely lost faith in Meyler and his treatment of Skippy Ruth during the Leinster Final was the final straw for me. Initially, he came in and demanded total commitment and was very clear there would be no repeat of lads dropping off the panel and subsequently returning, skipping the league and coming back for the championship etc as had been common practice under Semus Murphy and John Conran. Then we lost heavily to Kilkenny in the league semi-final and he responded by bringing back Higgins and PJ Nolan, two lads that weren’t arsed playing earlier in the year.
That can’t have been good for morale - especially with Wexford following that antiquated rule where the team captain is a representative of the county champions. So not alone did Higgins saunter back into the panel (remember he had history of fooking around after he played in the 2005 championship first round and then dropped off the panel himself the week before the Leinster Final) but as Rathnure’s only player in the first XV he also assumed the captaincy from Damien Fitzhenry, who deserved it more than anyone else in the squad.
And now only 2 months after inviting him back Meyler has cut him from the squad. I don’t know what the fook is going on here or who is in charge but it is a complete mess - that’s for sure.
A quality whinge by Bealin from this week’s Wexford Echo. He really is absolutely fooking delirious. Can you imagine him and dancingbaby in the same room?
Bealin seething as footballers suffer yet again
by Ronan Fagan
WEXFORD FOOTBALL manager Paul Bealin was left seething at certain aspects of the All-Ireland Qualifier system, after his charges suffered first round disappointment against Fermanagh last Sunday, in Clones, County Monaghan.
Wexford struggled throughout to find their true rhythm, and after trailing by 1-4 to 1-7 at half-time, they eventually lost out by 1-12 to 1-8, with Fermanagh later drawing Meath in round two of the Qualifiers.
It was the second successive year when complications with the running of the Leinster championship left Wexford needing to lick their provincial semi-final wounds and try to get stuck into Qualifier action within the space of seven days.
Although Wexford managed to muster an 0-8 to 0-6 win in the first round of the back-door section last year at the expense of Monaghan, Bealin is adamant that the disappointment of last Sunday weeks luckless loss to Laois took its toll this time round.
Also having to make the long journey to Ulster at a particularly busy time for wedding celebrations in the Clones area did not help Wexford efforts to extend their campaign, as they attempted to avenge last years Qualifier exit to Fermanagh.
Trying to turn things around in seven days was the biggest difficulty, Paul tells SportEcho. We simply havent had any luck with fixtures: waiting ten weeks to play the first match (against Louth), and then playing three games within four weeksits just very hard to take.
It was more horrific this time because of losing Eric (Bradley), and his dad passing away emotions were all over the place.
The journey up is awful for the players. Because of problems in finding accommodation during what is the wedding season we had to stay halfway, so we still had two hours on the morning of the game to negotiate, Paul adds, while elaborating, having to get to the venue by 12.30, meaning that we were up by 9a.m., trying to get breakfast, rushing everything, including getting to mass.
We only had since last Monday to arrange a hotel, and there wasnt one available within 20 or 30 miles of Clones. So we ended up staying in Bettystown (County Meath), he exclaims. That was just crazy, and it contributes to player fatigue for the game. We had the two-hour trip from Bettystown to Clones on match-day, and although we had a 10 or 15 minute stop along the way, to get a snack, it left us in a situation where some of the lads were only being strapped-up for the game 20 or 30 minutes beforehand. Thats far from ideal.
Then, with the two games in Clones (Derry surprised Armagh in the second match), ourselves and Fermanagh were put in the small dressing-rooms, where there really isnt even room for the 30 players and backroom staff, let alone anything else. Id have to question both why they couldnt have played our game by itself on Saturday, and if home advantage should be allowed in the Qualifiers these games should be at halfway venues.
On Saturday night there were a number of weddings being celebrated within the vicinity of the hotel where we stayed, which didnt help our lads efforts to get some proper sleep. I could see the resultant fatigue in our play it was our worst performance since the Waterford match (in the first round of this years National League).
Yet, we ended up only losing by four points. We created great opportunities, and although the players mightnt have been in the best mental state, they did really manage to lift themselves, producing some great work, and Id have to offer compliments all round for their commitment.
Good God that’s insane. What a nutter. Blaming weddings, funerals, mass, dressing rooms, Bettystown etc. Tactically he got in spot on I assume - it was just a horrible set of circumstances.
I think we’ll beat Tipperary on Sunday.
It has all the hallmarks of 2001.
We’re generally pretty adept at responding from hidings (God knows we’ve enough practice at it) and Tipperary will be playing their 7th game in 7 weeks.
I expect a natural comedown in their performance after the euphoria of beating Cork. They’re also stil riddled with injuries and started the last day without Curran, McGrath, Woodlock, Carroll and Kelly.
Now they’ve good young players and strength in depth but if we can match them first up (for more than the 90 seconds we stayed with Kilkenny) and show in no uncertain terms that we’re well up for the fight then we have a superb chance.
That’s notwithstanding the fact that ours is not the happiest of camps either post the Ruth incident and then Higgins being dropped from the panel. However, surely the players that are there will be fired up and determined to prove a point.
Conclusion: Wexford by 4.
Paul Bealin scored 1-1 for Ballyboden St. Enda’s in a Divison 1 league match against Thomas Davis. Apparently it was a one off appearance as they were struggling with a lot of missing players.
I must say I was absolutely thrilled for the Wexford players more than anybody else on Saturday. They thoroughly deserved it and were fairly comfortable winners as I had expected them to be and said previously on this thread. My only regret was not making a killing in the bookies and it was purely because of my own stubborn streak in that Tipperary were 9/2 to beat Cork at home and I thought based on that performance and ours against Kilkenny we should have been longer than that rather than 4/1 (even though expecting them to win). That said it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the result at all.
Our defence was magnificent on Saturday with Keith Rossiter being the stand-out player seeing off Darragh Egan with in 20 minutes and then thoroughly dominating Eoin Kelly. The character shown by Skippy Ruth after having the awful experience of being hauled off after 13 minutes against Kilkenny was a joy to behold and Richie Kehoe was a powerhouse beside him, especially in the final quarter where he was a magnet for the ball.
After Lar Corbett initally posed some problems for Malachy Travers the switch of the corner backs worked a treat with Paul Roche doing a sterling job on Corbett and Travers then hurling excellently on Willie Ryan, who had scored two goals against Cork. Gizzy Lyng was given a tought time by Darragh Hickey but stuck to his task well and cleared some important ball late on.
Darren Stamp benefited from the move back to midfield and Rory McCarthy was very good in the first half but unfortunately had to come off injured straight after half time. But up front is where most of our improvement will need to come. We’re simply not knocking over enough points at the moment if we’re going to win the All-Ireland.
Michael Jacob was largely anonymous and Stephen Nolan was fairly ponderous in possession with Mitch Jordan looking like he might be best utilised as an impact substitution. Eoin Quigley has an insatiable desire for work and I was delighted he got the insurance point at the end while Rory Jacob was dangerous throughout and Barry Lambert’s confidence should soar after making a valuable second half contribution when he’s often been the man to have been called ashore in such situations. So that’s 3 of the starting 6 forwards that didn’t make much impression on the game.
A bonus was David O’Connor coming off the bench and firing over two points. I thought he was taking the pi$$ when he lined up the second one off his left hand side and presume it was a mishit but still it was an excellent cameo from the gangly property salesman.
Although in fairness to our forwards we created an avalanche of goal chances and with a wee bit more composure probably would have won the game 8-18 to 1-14, which would have been a fairer reflection on the pattern of play. Rory Jacob’s missed open goal, Rory McCarthy blazing wide after storming through the centre, Barry Lambert getting bottled up and blocked down, Kennedy’s wonder save from Eoin Quigley and his stop from Rory Jacob too just before half time. It was probably only Declan Fanning at full back that stopped them from getting more of a hiding and he looked like the only one of their players that might possibly make a combined Wexford/Tipperary XV (I’d probably shove him to corner back because he wouldn’t dislodge Rossiter).
As for Fitzhenry I almost forgot to mention him as his brilliance is almost routine at this stage. He’s been far and away the best goalkeeper of this generation and emphasised that further on Saturday. He reminds me of myself in the astro soccer league at times such is his majesty.
Kilkenny are looming now and if they play like they did in their last two games then they’ll be quite a threat and we shouldn’t underestimate them like Tipperary did to us on Saturday. If we’re not copmpletely focused and wary of the threat they possess then there could be another shock that’ll see us being dumped out of the championship. That said if our forwards are a little bit more efficient in their use of possession and make good decisions as to when to shoot, pass or hold the ball themselves then we should have too much for a gallant Kilkenny side.
A studied, fair analysis again Bandage. And despite the momentum with Wexford at the moment you’re right to acknowledge that Kilkenny have to be beaten in the next round before you plan your big day out for the final. It’s a matter now of taking each game as it comes and in theory there should be no easy games left for ye when it’s down to the last 4. Obviously the reality is that Wexford will more than likely blow Kilkenny away but there’s no accounting for when the underdog will have his day.