Hop Ball No mystery why our clubs struggle in Leinster games

IT’S NO mystery why Wexford G.A.A. clubs are continuing to fail on the Leinster championship scene. After all, Wexford must now have dipped into the low echelons of clubs participating in the provincial club campaigns in both hurling and football as the dismal record continued into 2018. Eventually we will find a solution, but will it be too late for the clubs who had suffered most as the inter-county scene continues to expand?

Unfortunately for the clubs, there seems no way back. This year they were offered a token gesture, April as a designated club month, which was farcical in most counties, and ignored by several, although to Wexford’s credit they did manage three rounds of championship games involving both football and hurling.

It was by no means a high achieving environment for the clubs, as once those games were completed, they were waved goodbye with a ‘we’ll see you again, possibly in August, depending on the inter-county teams’ progress’.

The G.A.A. is now contemplating a Tier 2 championship in football which is expected to get approval at the 2019 Congress in Wexford for introduction in 2020.

This will mean more inter-county football championship games even for a county like Wexford, as Congress is sure to bring it in.

Where does this leave the hard-pressed clubs? While the G.A.A. saw fit to bring forward the All-Ireland finals, it meant little regarding the availability of more weekends for club activity.

Even at present we have the Wexford C.C.C.C. trying to complete championships entering the first weekend of December, while we had county finals in October, and this following a blitz-style championship.

The latter is creating major problems for the dual clubs who are being asked to play on successive weekends over a three-month period, leaving players with no opportunity to overcome injuries, with many playing from week to week while carrying knocks for the want of a rest period of even one week.

In Wexford, like every other county, the clubs are suffering and beginning to struggle to such an extent that amalgamations at under-age are now becoming more and more prevalent.

The G.A.A. is flourishing from the end of January right through to August, through the best summer months, but only at inter-county level. The inter-county scene now has taken such a hold that next month, yes December, one will witness the beginning of 2019 competitions.

It is now becoming a disaster for the clubs despite the fact that the presence of a strong club is essential for the G.A.A. to have a vibrant future. Roots are no longer being put down in rural parishes, adding to manyG.A.A. clubs’ struggle, while the urban issues have been well documented over recent years.

So, the mystery can be solved quite easily. Wexford’s dismal record in the Leinster Club championship can be solely attributed to the manner in which the county championship is run off.

Having packed so many games into a tight schedule, the eventual county champions no longer have the energy or appetite to compete at a higher level in the province.

The prevailing climate speaks for itself. Look at the 2018 provincial championship campaigns. We had Naomh Eanna blitzed by Ballyhale Shamrocks in Senior hurling; Fethard going down heavily to Graigue-Ballycallan in the Intermediate hurling; Taghmon-Camross unable to attain a result against Meath Intermediate side Na Fianna.

Then on to football, where Shelmaliers were hammered by Dunboyne who in the following round were thrashed by Kilmacud Crokes. Horeswood lost heavily to Shamrocks (Offaly) in Intermediate, while Naomh Eanna were embarrassed against Tullogher-Rosbercon in Junior.

It does not make for impressive reading, but for Wexford it seems as if the future can wait when it comes to the clubs. However, drastic action is urgently needed just to salvage the future of clubs on the domestic scene before even dreaming of provincial success.

The season is not even over, but clubs are still moving on the managerial scene. I hear that former Wexford manager, Liam Dunne, is returning to Wexford hurling after a spell in Dublin, this time for another sting as manager of his native Oulart-The Ballagh.

The club had an horrific 2018 campaign, but are not prepared to accept they are a spent force. For Oulart-The Ballagh, the past is worth another shot.