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i was at match last day i was very impressed with the louth team , wicklow did not play bad either in my view. The louth gaa supporters were very good at match but i do think wicklow could support wicklow better in numbers this is going on for a long time when the team plays well it is when team hears the support that is something wicklow lack . wicklow gaa will have to do spmething to tackle that problem . i have season ticket myself and have gone to 6 matches already in leaque lor12 (Wicklow) - Posts: 238 - 31/03/2022 17:06:52 2408741 Link 0 |
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You raise a fair point Lor12. It seems that support has been dwindling. Covid may still be impacting on attendances but i would expect that this should no longer be the case. I've been trying to determine if interest in GAA in the county in general is dwindling as i attended a number of club games before Covid and this past summer; i have noticed dwindling attendance at club games. As i say i think you are right that the team(s) need more support but for one reason or another people are not attracted to watch\support GAA in the county which should be a concern. What can be done to bring the support back? Are the county board concerned about this fact? It appears not - that's just my opinion.
wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 01/04/2022 11:20:13 2408810 Link 0 |
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I was at two of the games and tried to listen to the rest by having to spy on the opposition radio stations. We must be one of the few counties with no coverage. Even Fermanagh with their tiny GAA population had a feed online. Some of the others had local radio stations that cover a few counties so maybe there are cost savings there or something but it is really down to interest I feel. I think the Limerick game was the only one where there wasn't something other than twitter / Bill Hill. The Limerick footballers are obviously playing second fiddle to their hurlers. That got me thinking, when you look each county's senior teams in both codes we must be one of the very few miles off the pace in both e.g. Waterford finished bottom of div 4 in football but are in the league final in hurling; I don't know if Tyrone have a hurling team but they are AI champions. If you factor in recent and or traditional success then we fall even lower e.g. Cavan are most successful Ulster county and won Ulster in 2020 Other contenders for lowest of the low that I would see are: London Sligo Carlow Leitrim Fermanagh Interested to know if anyone else they would add. This is where I launch my campaign for a US sports style draft. We have been playing the long game for the last 140 years. TopDrawer (Wicklow) - Posts: 51 - 01/04/2022 14:06:27 2408879 Link 0 |
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Maybe there is no media (radio) coverage or streaming service in the county due to a lack of demand? It is chicken and egg scenario; is there no coverage due to no demand or no demand because the county teams are not promoted by the media. Still doesn't stop people attending the matches. Personally i think and it saddens me, people have slowly given up on the GAA in Wicklow i know a number of people who were ardent followers but no longer attend county games but still attend club games. TopDrawer, out of the counties that you list Sligo, Leitrim, Carlow and Fermanagh; what separates us is that we have a bigger population to the other counties you mention. But you raise an interesting point otherwise, Kilkenny achieve nothing football wise but are a hugely succesful hurling county. Tyrone are the reverse. Also and not in a good way, some counties like Leitrim, Sligo and Cavan have had some period of success in the history of the GAA, we have never any. Even Fermanagh have managed to play in a provincial final leaving Wicklow as the only county in Ireland to not play in their provincal final!!!! wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 01/04/2022 16:04:25 2408932 Link 1 |
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The county board will put out their usual annual lament in the Wicklow people about lack of support but they do absolutely nothing to promote games or engage fans at any level. It's like they just expect people to turn up, or worse they don't really care if people do or not. No fans = no expectation. FrankieJoe (Wicklow) - Posts: 71 - 02/04/2022 09:15:50 2409000 Link 0 |
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Fair play to the minor footballers today a big win. Was anyone at the match were Wickow very good or Wexford very bad? stringfellohawk (Wicklow) - Posts: 124 - 02/04/2022 14:03:38 2409055 Link 2 |
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I wasn't at the game and regardless of who the opposition is, i would like to congratulate these guys and say well done on achieving this result. It is easy to forget that these young guys are giving up personal time to represent the county. Today's result is a good win. I am sure there will be tougher test ahead but that is for another day. For today well done to all involved on this win.
wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 02/04/2022 15:42:09 2409068 Link 1 |
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Tyrone have a hurling team and are probably stronger than Wicklow right now. Be playing them in 2A next year.
FrankieJoe (Wicklow) - Posts: 71 - 02/04/2022 16:56:07 2409085 Link 1 |
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FrankieJoe (Wicklow) - Posts: 71 - 02/04/2022 17:32:50 2409092 Link 0 |
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With both the hurling and football leagues over; it is time to reflect and look forward to the championship. In my opinion hurling people will reflect on the league and be relieved that Wicklow stayed in their division and weren't relegated. The opposite applies to the footballers. Division 3 was a mediocre division this year as shown by the quality of the league final. I think Louth and Limerick will struggle in Division 2. Anyway, it is done and dusted now. We play Laois on 24th Apr at home in the championship. This is a winnable game but i reckon confidence is low plus some of our old problem persist. Can management turn things around and get a win against Laois? Hope so. wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 03/04/2022 13:42:18 2409198 Link 2 |
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The u20's lost last night in Baltinglass- a talented team that definitely had the winning of the game. Some absolutely mad decisions from management if I'm being honest, they seemed to have a overally consistent team selected the whole way through the league and friendlies only to make changes the night of championship? Tommy Keogh was one of the standout forwards in the senior championship last year and on the bench, Matthew Guing on the bench, changing your goalkeeper you've used in the league and majority of friendlies on the night of a championship match to give 3 examples! Having followed this crop closely this year I'm nearly more annoyed than disappointed as I felt that this was a strong u20 team, or maybe that's just me? Would be interested to get others thoughts? footballlover (Wicklow) - Posts: 98 - 08/04/2022 14:11:37 2410254 Link 1 |
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A brilliant match last nIght. It was lovely to see some free flowing football. Conor Fee is a serious talent. I was delighted going home last night with a Westmeath win; but that game could have went either way!
Matthew (None) - Posts: 1005 - 08/04/2022 16:32:28 2410289 Link 0 |
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I really don't have any other thoughts other than that for nearly half a century I have been watching Wicklow teams shoot themselves in the feet. I feel for these young lads. They are entitled to the very best in training, coaching and above all - leadership from management. If what you say is true, Footballover, all I can say is that we are the greatest team in the country for losing games we should have won, and this is not to take anything away from Westmeath. I would hate to think we our teams are gaining a reputation for folding of the pressure is kept up. Cmon the minors
Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 990 - 08/04/2022 17:56:53 2410302 Link 0 |
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Sadly it does appear based upon our history that we have a habit of shooting ourselves in the foot and losing matches at all level that we should have won. Shooting ourselves repeatedly in the foot is hard to fathom while losing games we should win is probably ingrained by a history of losing. We lack belief when it comes to gaelic games. I have never understood why at county level a sports psychologist was never used to address this as i think it is as important as the fundamental of the games and physical conditioning. Hopefully our minor team can break the habit and progress in the championship. Do the u20 get another chance or are they gone out of the championship?
wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 09/04/2022 12:24:15 2410356 Link 0 |
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They have none of the above training, coaching or leadership and neither have the seniors. After the fiasco in Aughrim against Laois I've given up following them. The players who give up their time deserve better
dubarra (Wicklow) - Posts: 541 - 09/04/2022 18:08:48 2410393 Link 0 |
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Where do we go from here? I think the real killer when it comes to following Wicklow GAA is the fact that regardless of bad things get or how much of a disaster a result is; nothing seems to change. In any other county, things would get to a point where it gets so bad that they perceive it as hitting rock bottom and it triggers a response where things have to change and results have to improve. In other words, pride and honour kicks in. I've never heard or witnessed such a point or a trigger in Wicklow. Nothing changes even when things are dire. I am amazed that we actually seem to have some decent players at underage, credit must go to all the volunteers at local level who must be doing something right. We just don't seem to be able to harness this work at intercounty level which is a pity.
wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 10/04/2022 15:09:25 2410449 Link 0 |
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If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it is a ……? I am going to say this one more time. Until the clubs decide that Wicklow have to improve at inter county level and take concrete steps to make that happen, we will remain on the same old merry- go - round. I was once an enthusiastic follower of our inter county teams. Followed them all over the country. But, half a century later, countless false dawns, countless "games we should have won'" due to bad decision making on the line and a myriad other excuses, I have to admit that my appetite for watching us throwing away games has waned, disappeared almost. And this has happened at all levels. I could name many specific games but it's best not to. However hope springs eternal and no doubt I will be pulled back when again we have a team that looks the part. When and if that happens I will be first in through the gate. And before I get attacked here again for not being involved in trying to change the system - I have been that soldier. 140 years and very little in the way of silverware. What is the one constant throughout all this ?? I'll leave this for greater brains than mine to answer. Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 990 - 10/04/2022 16:12:02 2410453 Link 0 |
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There's a system there where it won't change. And in all honesty there's absoultely no point in bothering waiting for any change because it'll never happen. The CB have figured out that if you make most people not care then it's a handy way to not do what you're supposed to be doing but still get to put on the tie for the handy days out from it. And it will never change because there's a handful of us that actually care which is exactly the situation they've made. The The people running the GAA in Wicklow are an absolute disgrace to the games. FrankieJoe (Wicklow) - Posts: 71 - 10/04/2022 17:33:18 2410455 Link 0 |
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Agree totally with al your comments. The management made some really strange calls before and during the game. It was one that was left behind 100% but Dublin would have destroyed them if they had won. Bring back Kevin O'Brien is all I will say.
heavyheart19 (Wicklow) - Posts: 116 - 11/04/2022 12:12:43 2410511 Link 0 |
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I am always careful when talking about individuals as i appreciate these individuals are filling a role in an amateur capacity and can walk away or choose not be involved for a myriad of reasons not related to football. Having said that I can't understand why Kevin O'Brien has left the pitch; pardon the pun. Here is a man who is arguable Wicklow's greatest ever footballer. A man who was brought in from the cold by Micko when he arrived. A man who restored pride and a sense of hope when he was manager of various underage teams. To me he was the obvious choice to take the senior manager's job when Davy Burke resigned. Yet, not only did he not only get the senior job, he's been allowed to go at a time when as a county we are in bad need of people like him. In another post, i agreed about how we shoot ourselves in the foot, this to me is another example of us shooting ourselves in the foot. I'm not living in the county and i may be jumping to conclusions: is this internal politics? Especially when we see the calibre of manager currently managing the intercounty football teams in the county.
wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 11/04/2022 12:45:51 2410520 Link 0 |