Wexford’s Rory Jacob has blasted the new format for the hurling league.
A win over Cork and draw with then All-Ireland champions Tipperary in 2011 saw Wexford pull off a dramatic escape from relegation, to retain their place in Allianz Hurling League Division One.
However, the new set-up has seen Division One extended and split into two groups of six teams, with the Models’ ranking seeing them part of Division 1B – the lower of the two tiers.
It means that instead of games against the Rebels and Tipp, as well as Waterford, Galway, Dublin and All-Ireland champions Galway, Wexford will face off to Offaly – who they finished above in this year’s top tier – as well as 2011 Division Two champions Limerick, Clare, Antrim and Laois.
Jacob thinks the change is an insult to his county and says it is likely to see them taking more backward steps in an ever-harder battle to try and get close to the big guns, not that he believes that will concern the GAA.
"I wouldn't be overly happy about it. I don't think they are too worried about Wexford or Offaly or Limerick," the forward was quoted as saying by the Irish Sun.
"They are trying to get the likes of Tipperary and Kilkenny and now Dublin up into Croke Park and they are happy enough at that. We stayed up last season. We put an awful lot into staying up.
"The teams in Division 1B, the likes of ourselves, Clare, Offaly and Limerick, want five or six games against the top teams and not just the chance of one game against a top team. That is crazy because the more games you get the better.
"That's the way it has been for the last few years. I think they're still promoting the top four or five teams and they're forgetting about three or four other teams."