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Wicklow GAA thread

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Replying To Albundy19:  "Good to see Dunlavin breaking away from st Nicholas ,hopefully more group teams follow suit and stand alone were possible."
Dunlavin are making great strides the last few years and if they can field juvenile teams on their own, this can only be good for the club long term. Better to field an u17 team of your own even if it means a few stronger u15s playing. This improves ALL your players not just the few playing with a group team. There are undoubtedly small clubs who just don't have the numbers and the group setup is ideal for them, but in some cases in the county, a big dog has decided to pull in a few good prospects from smaller clubs - and they dont have the smaller clubs interests at heart. One particular group team springs to mind immediately. Before I get jumped on, this is just my opinion - which I have always held, incidentally. .

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1414 - 17/01/2025 09:28:18    2586168

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Replying To Albundy19:  "Good to see Dunlavin breaking away from st Nicholas ,hopefully more group teams follow suit and stand alone were possible."
So what will donard do now then

Sinbin (Wicklow) - Posts: 23 - 17/01/2025 14:03:52    2586201

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Replying To Albundy19:  "Good to see Dunlavin breaking away from st Nicholas ,hopefully more group teams follow suit and stand alone were possible."
Was at the meeting myself last night and still think it was the incorrect decision. Very high possibility that Dunlavin will be unable to field an U17 team this year by themselves. And has the potential to be detrimental to Donard/Glen. Where will them young footballers go to get a game now? Every chance they'll switch to soccer or rugby and never play Gaelic games again

Dunlavin4Miley (Wicklow) - Posts: 13 - 17/01/2025 14:46:08    2586208

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Replying To Albundy19:  "Good to see Dunlavin breaking away from st Nicholas ,hopefully more group teams follow suit and stand alone were possible."
Good to see you say !!!

Lord god almigty how any one thinks this is good for dunlavin or Donard the Glen or for football in wicklow is beyond me.

Now instead of the best playees in the 2 parishes palying togetrher at the A division level across underage they are both now going to drop to B at least in most ages. Good players dont improve playing on weaker teams again weaker players.

Nicks won undr 15 2 years ago so would be in a great chance of minor this year. Politics wins not playewrs and definitely not Wicklow GAA.

Pat Mustard (None) - Posts: 396 - 17/01/2025 16:49:53    2586221

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Replying To Sinbin:  "So what will donard do now then"
Cant see the Glen fielding on there own just wont have the numbers. This is not good at all for anyone. What doesa good young player do now !!

The Glen will have to join up with Dywers now or maybe St Kevins but that is not going to be popular and will do nothing to keep lads playing football.

Pat Mustard (None) - Posts: 396 - 17/01/2025 16:53:02    2586222

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Replying To Dunlavin4Miley:  "Was at the meeting myself last night and still think it was the incorrect decision. Very high possibility that Dunlavin will be unable to field an U17 team this year by themselves. And has the potential to be detrimental to Donard/Glen. Where will them young footballers go to get a game now? Every chance they'll switch to soccer or rugby and never play Gaelic games again"
exactly.

Pat Mustard (None) - Posts: 396 - 17/01/2025 16:53:59    2586223

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Dunlavin are making great strides the last few years and if they can field juvenile teams on their own, this can only be good for the club long term. Better to field an u17 team of your own even if it means a few stronger u15s playing. This improves ALL your players not just the few playing with a group team. There are undoubtedly small clubs who just don't have the numbers and the group setup is ideal for them, but in some cases in the county, a big dog has decided to pull in a few good prospects from smaller clubs - and they dont have the smaller clubs interests at heart. One particular group team springs to mind immediately. Before I get jumped on, this is just my opinion - which I have always held, incidentally. ."
Rubbish.It defintly does not improve players where do you get these notions from!!! Is a lad at 15 better playing C division minor than playing A under 15? thats what your saying!!!

Pat Mustard (None) - Posts: 396 - 17/01/2025 17:02:49    2586224

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Replying To Dunlavin4Miley:  "Was at the meeting myself last night and still think it was the incorrect decision. Very high possibility that Dunlavin will be unable to field an U17 team this year by themselves. And has the potential to be detrimental to Donard/Glen. Where will them young footballers go to get a game now? Every chance they'll switch to soccer or rugby and never play Gaelic games again"
Seems an odd decision after so many years. How did such an idea-motion come to a vote?

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2057 - 17/01/2025 17:17:57    2586225

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Replying To Dunlavin4Miley:  "Was at the meeting myself last night and still think it was the incorrect decision. Very high possibility that Dunlavin will be unable to field an U17 team this year by themselves. And has the potential to be detrimental to Donard/Glen. Where will them young footballers go to get a game now? Every chance they'll switch to soccer or rugby and never play Gaelic games again"
Quite a puzzling decision from Dunlavin to go their separate ways. What do they hope to achieve? Obviously, they'll be able to give more game time to more of their own players but that's if they can field a team at every age grade. What will they do in a year that they can't field a team? I can't see them being as competitive by themselves either. St. Nicholas were a force to be reckoned with a minor level in recent years. I don't believe either Donard-Glen or Dunlavin would have won a minor A championship had they not linked up together. Has there been a big increase in Dunlavins local population to justify their independence?

TheChampion (Wicklow) - Posts: 17 - 17/01/2025 19:34:19    2586239

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Replying To Pat Mustard:  "Cant see the Glen fielding on there own just wont have the numbers. This is not good at all for anyone. What doesa good young player do now !!

The Glen will have to join up with Dywers now or maybe St Kevins but that is not going to be popular and will do nothing to keep lads playing football."
Might Donard-Glen link up with Stratford in the future to form a new amalgamation?

TheChampion (Wicklow) - Posts: 17 - 17/01/2025 21:21:54    2586243

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Replying To TheChampion:  "Quite a puzzling decision from Dunlavin to go their separate ways. What do they hope to achieve? Obviously, they'll be able to give more game time to more of their own players but that's if they can field a team at every age grade. What will they do in a year that they can't field a team? I can't see them being as competitive by themselves either. St. Nicholas were a force to be reckoned with a minor level in recent years. I don't believe either Donard-Glen or Dunlavin would have won a minor A championship had they not linked up together. Has there been a big increase in Dunlavins local population to justify their independence?"
What has 40 years of st Nicholas brought Dunlavin or Donard, they stacked teams for generations and 15 subs at some county championships , as I said good look to them and hopefully more of the stacked group teams follow suit.

Albundy19 (Wicklow) - Posts: 82 - 17/01/2025 23:01:57    2586251

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Replying To Pat Mustard:  "Rubbish.It defintly does not improve players where do you get these notions from!!! Is a lad at 15 better playing C division minor than playing A under 15? thats what your saying!!!"
Calm down Pat and try to have a little respect for other people's opinions. After all, everyone is entitled to have one. I have always been of the belief that, where possible, clubs are better served giving all their youngsters football at whatever level is appropriate. Otherwise you get 3 or 4 guys trying to carry a load of players who didn't get enough football underage. Look at Rathnew. They don't care what grade they play at as long as they get loads of football into their youngsters, and they invariably get to the top or close to it.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1414 - 18/01/2025 09:30:03    2586263

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Calm down Pat and try to have a little respect for other people's opinions. After all, everyone is entitled to have one. I have always been of the belief that, where possible, clubs are better served giving all their youngsters football at whatever level is appropriate. Otherwise you get 3 or 4 guys trying to carry a load of players who didn't get enough football underage. Look at Rathnew. They don't care what grade they play at as long as they get loads of football into their youngsters, and they invariably get to the top or close to it."
Let me be very clear as a parent if a minor player from St Nick's - Dunlavin have 11 players and Donard have the same. The numbers do not add up to the decision. The homework was done and Dunlavin had the numbers in the room to get it their way.

DunlavinGAAIsPoison (Wicklow) - Posts: 7 - 18/01/2025 10:17:47    2586266

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Replying To TheChampion:  "Might Donard-Glen link up with Stratford in the future to form a new amalgamation?"
Would be sn obvious fit but where would that leave ml dwyers then if Stratford left them

Sinbin (Wicklow) - Posts: 23 - 18/01/2025 13:30:36    2586275

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Calm down Pat and try to have a little respect for other people's opinions. After all, everyone is entitled to have one. I have always been of the belief that, where possible, clubs are better served giving all their youngsters football at whatever level is appropriate. Otherwise you get 3 or 4 guys trying to carry a load of players who didn't get enough football underage. Look at Rathnew. They don't care what grade they play at as long as they get loads of football into their youngsters, and they invariably get to the top or close to it."
Stay out of this will you cause your talking out of both sides of the same mouth. I couldnt be listening to the likes of uou and using rathnew ax a good example of anything is a bad idea and shows how little uou really know about whats going on there

Pat Mustard (None) - Posts: 396 - 18/01/2025 13:39:49    2586277

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Replying To Sinbin:  "Would be sn obvious fit but where would that leave ml dwyers then if Stratford left them"
I would imagine Michael Dwyers could still field teams with players from Kiltegan, Ballymanus and Knockananna? I seen Stratford/Grangecon's new pitch recently. It's a great asset for them to have. Be great to see it getting good use

TheChampion (Wicklow) - Posts: 17 - 18/01/2025 14:06:24    2586279

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Replying To DunlavinGAAIsPoison:  "Let me be very clear as a parent if a minor player from St Nick's - Dunlavin have 11 players and Donard have the same. The numbers do not add up to the decision. The homework was done and Dunlavin had the numbers in the room to get it their way."
I don't recall Dunlavin fielding a junior team last year. Are they struggling for numbers at adult level? The majority of the bigger clubs in the county have the players to field at least two teams at adult level as well as a juvenile team at every age grade. It doesn't sound like the people behind the motion in Dunlavin have done their sums but time will tell

TheChampion (Wicklow) - Posts: 17 - 18/01/2025 14:11:27    2586280

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Replying To Pat Mustard:  "Stay out of this will you cause your talking out of both sides of the same mouth. I couldnt be listening to the likes of uou and using rathnew ax a good example of anything is a bad idea and shows how little uou really know about whats going on there"
As I said earlier, you should calm down - take a few deep breaths. Thankfully we still live in a democracy so I am able to express whatever opinion I want to on whatever subject I want. Bullies find that hard to accept, but never mind. I live quite close to Rathnew and have been observing them and what they do for many years. I don't always agree with their style and way of doing business but it works for them. And, they do have many more championships in their trophy cabinet than any other club in the county. Fact. .

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1414 - 18/01/2025 14:19:35    2586281

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I'd imagine Dunlavin feel it's their time to branch out on their own as their juveniles numbers appear to have increased in recent years. They had two U15's team in the championship two years ago, one in the A and one in the D. They have said before, this D team is mainly 13 and 14 year olds however clubs like St Pats, Eire Og, Rathnew or Bray don't have this luxury. Their one team consisted of 13, 14 and 15 year olds in this group. Blessington and AGB are the only 2 other clubs along with St Nicks who had 2 teams in this age group. There is a good chance this Dunlavin team will win the minor this year, which might explain the timing of the move. I do feel for the Glen if the lads can't get any game time, which is all anybody wants really.

Hoggie10 (Wicklow) - Posts: 10 - 18/01/2025 19:43:16    2586305

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Replying To Hoggie10:  "I'd imagine Dunlavin feel it's their time to branch out on their own as their juveniles numbers appear to have increased in recent years. They had two U15's team in the championship two years ago, one in the A and one in the D. They have said before, this D team is mainly 13 and 14 year olds however clubs like St Pats, Eire Og, Rathnew or Bray don't have this luxury. Their one team consisted of 13, 14 and 15 year olds in this group. Blessington and AGB are the only 2 other clubs along with St Nicks who had 2 teams in this age group. There is a good chance this Dunlavin team will win the minor this year, which might explain the timing of the move. I do feel for the Glen if the lads can't get any game time, which is all anybody wants really."
There's next to no chance of Dunlavin winning a minor championship this year when they currently don't have enough players to field a team…

Dunlavin4Miley (Wicklow) - Posts: 13 - 19/01/2025 11:36:46    2586344

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