When debates take place at a national level about how to structure the season for both inter-county and club competitions, we must remember that many counties do not have the same level of dual clubs and dual players as we have here in Wexford. The amount of time needed to complete a meaningful club championship is greater than in counties where one code is relatively neglected.
Most clubs in County Wexford put an effort into winning in both hurling and football. St Anne’s Rathangan in 2000 were the last team to achieve the Senior double, while Faythe Harriers did it in 1960. Rathnure St. Anne’s came close in 1972 and 1974, winning the hurlings and losing the football finals in those years, and same with St Martin’s in 2017. St Anne’s Rathangan won the football in 2014 and lost the hurling final after a replay.
Despite having many clubs competing in both senior hurling and football in the last ten years, just two have been successful in both, which shows how difficult it is to claim top honours in both codes. The successful duo were Rapparees/Starlights (football in 2017 and 2020, and hurling in 2021) and Shelmaliers (hurling in 2014 and 2020, football in 2018, 2021 and 2023).
There are of course clubs in other counties who are successful in both. Cuala won the All-Ireland Club Hurling Championship in 2017 and 2018, and the football equivalent in 2025. Ballyboden St Enda’s won the Dublin senior hurling championship in 2025 and the football equivalent as recently as 2018. However, their membership numbers are such that there are very few dual players playing senior hurling and football.
Last year, Eire Óg (Ennis) won both in Clare. In 2024, Loughmore-Castleiney achieved it in Tipperary. Carnew Emmets came very close to doing the double last year in Wicklow, while St Finbarr’s in Cork have an incredible dual history. There are many more examples I could mention.
In Wexford we currently have five clubs competing in both senior hurling and football. They are Naomh Éanna, St. Martin’s, Glynn-Barntown, Shelmaliers, and St. Mogue’s Fethard. A further eight clubs (HWH Bunclody, Castletown/Liam Mellows, Kilanerin/Ballyfad, Crossabeg/Ballymurn, St James, Rapparees/Starlights, St Anne’s Rathangan, and Ferns St. Aidans) compete in senior for one and intermediate for the other. We also have some players playing senior hurling for Faythe Harriers and senior football for the Sarsfields. I have had a look below at the players who have played both the senior hurling and football championships so far this season after two rounds of hurling and one round of football:
Naomh Éanna (4): Cian Browne, Brian Cushe, Cathal Stokes, Charlie McGuckin
St. Martin’s (13): Eoin O’Leary, Conor Firman, Joe Barrett, Diarmuid O’Leary, Daithi Waters, Sam Audesley, Aaron Maddock, Darren Codd, Ben Stafford, Jake Firman, Shane Walsh, Ben Maddock, Kyle Firman,
Glynn Barntown (10): Shane Donovan, Michael Furlong, Darragh Carley, Callum McDonald, Conor Mahoney, John Lacey, Matthew Joyce, Liam Donoghue, Colin Carley
Shelmaliers (10): Jody Donohoe, Glen Malone, Robbie Delaney, Aidan Cash, Paul Hearne, Conor Hearne, James Cash, Ross Banville, Eoghan Nolan, Joe O’Leary
St. Mogue’s Fethard (13): Sean Nunan, Richie Waters, Chris Molloy, Eoin Whelan, Graham O’Grady, Dylan Whelan, Garrett Foley, John Tubritt, Cillian Byrne, Ciaran Dwyer, Cian Byrne, Daire Barden, Martin Doyle
Faythe Harriers/Sarsfields (8): Cillian Twomey, Danny Walsh, Josh Shiel, Eoin Doyle, Luke Murphy, Eoin Roche, Eoghan Cassin, Darby Purcell
This means that so far, a total of 57 players have competed at the highest level in both hurling and football in our club championships this year so far. It’s a remarkable number when you consider the relative situation in so many other counties, and great credit is due to them for their efforts and talents in playing Senior in both codes.
Naomh Éanna buck the trend here with only four players taking the field so far in both senior hurling and football. They are an urban club in an area with a booming general population and a large playing population. Rural clubs by their nature are more limited in the number of players they can choose from.
Naomh Éanna have risen through the football grades to now be credible contenders at senior level. Their victory in round one over county champions Castletown was further evidence that they are the most likely to join the club of recent hurling and football champions.
This coming weekend, they will take on Sarsfields in McCauley Park Bellefield on Friday evening at 7.30 p.m. in Round 2 of the championship. Another win there would leave them nicely placed to take one of the four qualifying spots from the group, and who knows what they might achieve when the knockout stages come around…..?
– By Peter Mernagh
