As part of the ‘Hurling Blueprint’ Wexford has established our first combined colleges team. This model has proved highly successful for other counties including Dublin and Waterford and will expose more Wexford hurlers to the highest level of schools competition. The team played their first trial game against Glynn-Barntown’s minor hurlers with 23 players attending and acquitting themselves well.
Schools success has been critical for Kilkenny, Clare and Waterford over the years as it builds confidence, cohesion and a winning mentality.
Every school is eligible except the two schools that are already in the ‘A’ championship – St. Peter’s College and Good Counsel College. The team will give students from the weaker schools an opportunity to play against the best in Leinster in the Leinster SHC ‘A’ championship.
Students will be eligible to play with their schools in their own championships also, so students from Enniscorthy CBS for example will be eligible to play Senior A with the combined colleges side and Senior B with Enniscorthy.
Kilkenny have three schools at ‘A’ level as do Dublin. Now Wexford are on an equal footing. Dublin started this concept of a combined schools team in the mid 1990s and it has been an integral part of their recent success.
The Hurling Advisory Committee led by Liam Griffin, Coaching Officer Murt Flynn and the Co. Chairman Diarmaid Devereux have played a key role in the establishing of this team.
Full management: Paul Carley (manager) with selectors/teachers Jimmy Meaney, Stephen Murphy and Shane Walsh.
