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Wicklow GAA thread

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "Best of luck to all the various Wicklow GAA teams as they embark on their summer adventure in their various competitions. An interesting couple of months ahead. I'll be interested to see how our u-20 team fares against Louth this evening in the first round of the Leinster championship. I don't know much about the current squad. I felt that our team last year could get to the provincial final and even win it but fell to a tough defeat against Louth. Underage can be hard to gauge as players come and go even more than at senior level. I'm hoping that our senior team can build on their recent league form especially towards the end of the campaign and that they can overcome Longford this weekend. Longford will be confident they can win this game due to our inconsistencies and the fact that Longford are at home. It would be great to get a win like last year against Westmeath. For me, the most important competitions from Wicklow footballers' perspective is the national football league which has been a disappointment as we didn't get promoted from division 4, the Tailteann cup which is a competition we can compete in and have a realistic chance of winning and finally the Leinster championship which is great that we get to play teams ranked above us and doesn't have the pressure of the other two as we aren't going to win it out so we can get to compete in the competition without the pressure. Anyway, best of luck to all, hopefully we'll have something to cheer about beginning this evening."
Longford here. Not in the least bit confident. Hopeful yes, but sadly not confident.

LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 602 - 02/04/2025 18:48:19    2600184

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Replying To LongfordgaaAbú:  "Longford here. Not in the least bit confident. Hopeful yes, but sadly not confident."
Unfortunately we are in a similar position. Going up
to Longford more in hope than confidence. Our team has 3 ways of playing. Very good, badly and with a tendency to fall asleep at anytime during a game. It will be interesting to see which one takes the field on Sunday.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1574 - 02/04/2025 22:12:19    2600228

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Rip Micko.

His greatest achievement was teaching us how to win a game of gaelic football.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2922 - 03/04/2025 08:33:06    2600267

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Replying To sponger:  "Rip Micko.

His greatest achievement was teaching us how to win a game of gaelic football."
I'd echo those sentiments. Micko demonstrated that as a county we can compete and win when there is a collective effort from everyone in the county. Sadly we only seem to be able to do it while he was with us for those five wonderful years. May Micko Rest In Peace.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2087 - 03/04/2025 09:51:35    2600275

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Replying To sponger:  "Rip Micko.

His greatest achievement was teaching us how to win a game of gaelic football."
May he Rest in Peace. It didn't take too for us to forget how to win although he wasn't able to get us out of Div 4 either. Took Harry to do that.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1574 - 03/04/2025 12:32:37    2600320

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "I'd echo those sentiments. Micko demonstrated that as a county we can compete and win when there is a collective effort from everyone in the county. Sadly we only seem to be able to do it while he was with us for those five wonderful years. May Micko Rest In Peace."
WS

100% agree.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2922 - 03/04/2025 13:32:21    2600341

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Certainly a few surprises in the starting 15. Best of luck to them but I see one or two that I would start ., but hopefully this man knows his job. Wouldn't be hard to know more than me. Like you, I thought we were good enough last year to go a lot further."
I travelled down the road to it. I've a lad that played minor 3-4 years ago so I'd know most of the players that were named. the starting 15 also surprised me, agree one or two on bench that thought would be starting, perhaps they were injured. What a team Louth have, something for wicklow to aspire too. Scoreline flattered us. RIP micko

StrandedinWW (Wicklow) - Posts: 44 - 03/04/2025 15:59:17    2600382

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Replying To StrandedinWW:  "I travelled down the road to it. I've a lad that played minor 3-4 years ago so I'd know most of the players that were named. the starting 15 also surprised me, agree one or two on bench that thought would be starting, perhaps they were injured. What a team Louth have, something for wicklow to aspire too. Scoreline flattered us. RIP micko"
Seems like we got caught in the headlights - again. No championship side can give their opponents a 14 point lead and hope to pull that back. However, all is not lost - yet.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1574 - 03/04/2025 18:42:32    2600416

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Disappointing result last night. Fourteen point is too big a lead to overcome in one half of football. A must win away game against Longford will be a difficult challenge but there is an opportunity for the team to reverse last night's result.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2087 - 03/04/2025 20:35:51    2600425

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Seems like we got caught in the headlights - again. No championship side can give their opponents a 14 point lead and hope to pull that back. However, all is not lost - yet."
We were 12 up against Laois!!!!!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15301 - 03/04/2025 21:47:16    2600437

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Replying To Viking66:  "We were 12 up against Laois!!!!!"
With the new 2 pointers, I suppose big leads are a little easier reeled in than they used to be. Also, wind seems to have been a factor on Wednesday. That being said, 15 pts is a big lead to give any team. You seem to have hit the ground running against Laois, which invariably seems to be mostly beyond all our teams recently. I am not as mobile as I used to be and don't get to many matches but the amount of times lately when I check the scores we could be 3/4/5/6 or more pts down before we register a score. That to me is becoming a trend. Hopefully we get back on track and maybe we might meet in u20 in a few weeks.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1574 - 04/04/2025 08:05:41    2600463

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I see the team announced for the Longford game. Liam O'Neill starts midfield. Is this his first start ? Other than that it seems the same team as played the last few games - that's if the named team starts as announced.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1574 - 04/04/2025 19:02:51    2600576

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Replying To Freethinker:  "I see the team announced for the Longford game. Liam O'Neill starts midfield. Is this his first start ? Other than that it seems the same team as played the last few games - that's if the named team starts as announced."
Any team Oisin names never seems to be the players that start, there's mostly been a couple of changes before throw in, in matches i've attended. Must be an Armagh strategy. I am surprised Chris O'Brien isn't starting. Does anyone know what is the situation with Matthew Ging. I thought after his performances for Tinahely he would be in around the team. He was part of the squad early in the league but seems to be no longer part of the squad. I think we need players of this calibre playing for the county team.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2087 - 05/04/2025 16:27:25    2600647

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "Any team Oisin names never seems to be the players that start, there's mostly been a couple of changes before throw in, in matches i've attended. Must be an Armagh strategy. I am surprised Chris O'Brien isn't starting. Does anyone know what is the situation with Matthew Ging. I thought after his performances for Tinahely he would be in around the team. He was part of the squad early in the league but seems to be no longer part of the squad. I think we need players of this calibre playing for the county team."
I'd imagine An Tochair wish they had a few less around the county squads. . They seem to be in danger of relegation from Div 1 and are just losing games by a few points. Someone told me they had 8 or 9 players tied up between Oisin's panel and the u20s. That's a bit of a black hole to try climbing out of. Where is the justice in that, if a club is called on to support county panels, does so and suffers demotion in their county leagues ??

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1574 - 05/04/2025 17:18:07    2600654

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Replying To Freethinker:  "I'd imagine An Tochair wish they had a few less around the county squads. . They seem to be in danger of relegation from Div 1 and are just losing games by a few points. Someone told me they had 8 or 9 players tied up between Oisin's panel and the u20s. That's a bit of a black hole to try climbing out of. Where is the justice in that, if a club is called on to support county panels, does so and suffers demotion in their county leagues ??"
It is something that should be addressed by the county board as it is unfair that clubs who develop players good enough to represent Wicklow are punished for allowing them to represent Wicklow. Maybe the county board feel that An Tochar will do well enough in the club championship to prevent them from being relegated to the Intermediate ranks. It still doesn't seem fair that they'd be relegated to a less league division for supporting the county teams. Maybe there is more to the situation than my understand and for this reason, I'm a bit reluctant to criticise the county board . If, however, I am correct in what I think is happening then this is why Wicklow as a county don't always put out their best players on a regular basis which in turn might be preventing the county from making progress. This type of situation shouldn't act as an impediment for club and club players getting behind the county causes at various levels.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2087 - 05/04/2025 19:43:32    2600667

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "It is something that should be addressed by the county board as it is unfair that clubs who develop players good enough to represent Wicklow are punished for allowing them to represent Wicklow. Maybe the county board feel that An Tochar will do well enough in the club championship to prevent them from being relegated to the Intermediate ranks. It still doesn't seem fair that they'd be relegated to a less league division for supporting the county teams. Maybe there is more to the situation than my understand and for this reason, I'm a bit reluctant to criticise the county board . If, however, I am correct in what I think is happening then this is why Wicklow as a county don't always put out their best players on a regular basis which in turn might be preventing the county from making progress. This type of situation shouldn't act as an impediment for club and club players getting behind the county causes at various levels."
I wonder if this might be another reason why the lads from
the hills struggle when the championship gets to knockout stages. The other clubs would have most of their team together for another 7 competitive games to try different combinations, tactics etc.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1574 - 05/04/2025 20:46:22    2600680

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I'm remembering when micko took ye over and a particular interview with RTE. The RTE reporter asked him what it was like taking over a weaker county , maybe they got him on a bad day but it nearly made me want to play for him. So inspiring.. He was livid-

He replied with

"How is Wicklow a weaker county?? One of the biggest populations in the country?? Clubs have won Leinster titles! They have potential waiting to be unleashed. Aren't the two hands and two feet of the wicklow players as good as anyone else's hands and feet in the country?!!! How are we a weaker county?? Explain…"

Man even I wanted to go into the trenches… with him after that.

Met him in dromod in Leitrim after a NFL game in carrick after Wicklow beat us in Carrick and they stopped in Dromod for food on the way home. Absolute gentleman , as were all the Wicklow players when I met them. Gracious winners. Credit to their county

leitrim4sam (Leitrim) - Posts: 693 - 05/04/2025 23:36:46    2600711

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any wonders no else bothesz coming on here with this drivel from square ball talking to him self talking utter rubbish. Will you stop lad will you. Get this into yer head no one gives 2 hoots about the county senior team and you go in liked it all that matters in wicklow gaa. Do you realkyv think any one on the Co board is intrested in whther the lads from the hill as you call them is in this division or the other wil you stop

Pat Mustard (None) - Posts: 405 - 06/04/2025 00:34:12    2600712

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Best of luck to the Wicklow senior team and managment today against Longford.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2087 - 06/04/2025 13:18:48    2600755

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A win is a win, but that was squeaky bum time and no mistake. Congrats to all. A few lessons learnt about questioning a reffing decision too. Now for the Dubs.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1574 - 06/04/2025 18:01:37    2600788

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