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Wicklow GAA thread

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Replying To kodak13:  "Look at the state of the senior hurling championship in wicklow in fairness. How would you have a decent county team when you only have 6 teams playing senior. The football is far more ahead in every way"
Correction: There are 8 teams playing senior hurling in Wicklow. That comment goes to show how in tune you are with the hurling scene in Wicklow... A county that has serious potential if the same resources and funding were applied to hurling as football. It wasn't too long ago Wicklow hurlers were rubbing shoulders with Kildare and now they'll be playing in this years Leinster Championship after the investment and development of players was made over the last decade. There's no reason why the same can't be done in Wicklow. You say that Wicklow football is far more ahead but the results say otherwise. The hurlers have achieved promotion and the footballers stay in Division 4 for another year. The club football champions fail to make an impression in the Leinster Club Championship in most years, while the club hurling champions usually give Leinster a decent rattle. It's about time hurling was treated with respect in Wicklow.

TheChampion (Wicklow) - Posts: 29 - 23/03/2026 00:09:16    2662402

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Replying To TheChampion:  "Correction: There are 8 teams playing senior hurling in Wicklow. That comment goes to show how in tune you are with the hurling scene in Wicklow... A county that has serious potential if the same resources and funding were applied to hurling as football. It wasn't too long ago Wicklow hurlers were rubbing shoulders with Kildare and now they'll be playing in this years Leinster Championship after the investment and development of players was made over the last decade. There's no reason why the same can't be done in Wicklow. You say that Wicklow football is far more ahead but the results say otherwise. The hurlers have achieved promotion and the footballers stay in Division 4 for another year. The club football champions fail to make an impression in the Leinster Club Championship in most years, while the club hurling champions usually give Leinster a decent rattle. It's about time hurling was treated with respect in Wicklow."
Very good post.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2172 - 23/03/2026 09:09:15    2662417

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Replying To kodak13:  "Look at the state of the senior hurling championship in wicklow in fairness. How would you have a decent county team when you only have 6 teams playing senior. The football is far more ahead in every way"
Last time I looked, the hurlers were in Division 2, footballers in Division 4.

And also the last time I looked, hurlers played a match against a team that they were expected to beat, and did so.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2982 - 23/03/2026 12:39:24    2662495

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Replying To sponger:  "Last time I looked, the hurlers were in Division 2, footballers in Division 4.

And also the last time I looked, hurlers played a match against a team that they were expected to beat, and did so."
These guys would have the guts, bravery, pride and heart to defend an 11 pt lead. Footballers are making a virtue of losing leads when their backs are to the wall.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2172 - 23/03/2026 13:44:44    2662526

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How is the final in Aughrim ???

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2982 - 23/03/2026 15:05:07    2662571

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Replying To sponger:  "How is the final in Aughrim ???"
Croke Park disdain for the lower regions of the hurling leagues ?? Again. I understood that was to be in Croker.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2172 - 23/03/2026 15:30:48    2662585

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Replying To sponger:  "How is the final in Aughrim ???"
Croke park disdain for the lower regions of the hurling leagues again ?? I understood a final would be played in Croker - should we make it.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2172 - 23/03/2026 15:32:01    2662588

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Minor hurlers play Kildare in Aughrim straight after at 4pm. They lost to Antrim at the weekend but had a cracking first half. Up.by 7 points at one stage.

liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 233 - 23/03/2026 18:31:29    2662661

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Replying To TheChampion:  "Correction: There are 8 teams playing senior hurling in Wicklow. That comment goes to show how in tune you are with the hurling scene in Wicklow... A county that has serious potential if the same resources and funding were applied to hurling as football. It wasn't too long ago Wicklow hurlers were rubbing shoulders with Kildare and now they'll be playing in this years Leinster Championship after the investment and development of players was made over the last decade. There's no reason why the same can't be done in Wicklow. You say that Wicklow football is far more ahead but the results say otherwise. The hurlers have achieved promotion and the footballers stay in Division 4 for another year. The club football champions fail to make an impression in the Leinster Club Championship in most years, while the club hurling champions usually give Leinster a decent rattle. It's about time hurling was treated with respect in Wicklow."
The hurling champions play in the intermediate part of Leinster. The football champions play senior in Leinster! Why is that??

kodak13 (Wicklow) - Posts: 123 - 23/03/2026 19:38:40    2662673

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Well, that's the third game that the lads have let slip when the chips are down. Twice against Limerick last year. First in the league with promotion the prize and then the TC in Croker. Both games in the bag then - zilch. And now today, 10 pts up and lose. That just can't happen in a "must win" game. So, no excuses or hard luck stories. We could fill several books with them. Again it was that old warrior to the fore when the chips were down. Maybe it's just as well. We are not good enough to get out of Div 4 - yet."
What about the Longford match last year or the Westmeath one? Came from behind in both of those. You can't select matches that suit the narrative you want to put out.

TopDrawer (Wicklow) - Posts: 74 - 24/03/2026 09:56:30    2662755

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Replying To TopDrawer:  "What about the Longford match last year or the Westmeath one? Came from behind in both of those. You can't select matches that suit the narrative you want to put out."
There is no narrative or conspiracy here. Just facts. We had a chance at promotion last year in Aughrim v Limerick. We blew it. We had Limerick on the rack in the TC semi and blew it. Same on Sunday when the chips were down. You go back over the last few years and there are many more incidences of where we just hung on after losing leads. This is no "narrative". It's reality. A " narrative" is where someone is trying to spread a story. I am simply stating facts. Whether you want to believe them, that's purely your choice. This team has a problem holding onto a lead. Plain and simple.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2172 - 24/03/2026 10:40:05    2662776

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Replying To TheChampion:  "Correction: There are 8 teams playing senior hurling in Wicklow. That comment goes to show how in tune you are with the hurling scene in Wicklow... A county that has serious potential if the same resources and funding were applied to hurling as football. It wasn't too long ago Wicklow hurlers were rubbing shoulders with Kildare and now they'll be playing in this years Leinster Championship after the investment and development of players was made over the last decade. There's no reason why the same can't be done in Wicklow. You say that Wicklow football is far more ahead but the results say otherwise. The hurlers have achieved promotion and the footballers stay in Division 4 for another year. The club football champions fail to make an impression in the Leinster Club Championship in most years, while the club hurling champions usually give Leinster a decent rattle. It's about time hurling was treated with respect in Wicklow."
Agree with all of this. Have said it on here many times that i'd love to see even half of the funding & focus we put into Football being placed into Hurling as I firmly believe we have significant more potential to progress in the small ball than we do Football. Carlow, Westmeath and now Kildare have shown what can be done with the right approach and, like ourselves , are all counties that would consider themselves 'Football Counties'.

I noticed one of the social media sports outlets (sportsjoe maybe) had a post on the Leinster Football Champ ranking and we are bottom of the pile.

I also see some now familiar comments on the minors along the line of "these are supposed to be a really good group this year.........". If I had a tenner for every time I heard that over the last 15 years. Best of luck of to them and I hope they are a good group but we'll only see if we have a good group or not when we beat one of Dublin, Kildare ,Meath (and you'd have to include Louth in there now too), in a meaningful championship match.

Hawkeye2 (Wicklow) - Posts: 188 - 24/03/2026 13:57:30    2662863

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Replying To Hawkeye2:  "Agree with all of this. Have said it on here many times that i'd love to see even half of the funding & focus we put into Football being placed into Hurling as I firmly believe we have significant more potential to progress in the small ball than we do Football. Carlow, Westmeath and now Kildare have shown what can be done with the right approach and, like ourselves , are all counties that would consider themselves 'Football Counties'.

I noticed one of the social media sports outlets (sportsjoe maybe) had a post on the Leinster Football Champ ranking and we are bottom of the pile.

I also see some now familiar comments on the minors along the line of "these are supposed to be a really good group this year.........". If I had a tenner for every time I heard that over the last 15 years. Best of luck of to them and I hope they are a good group but we'll only see if we have a good group or not when we beat one of Dublin, Kildare ,Meath (and you'd have to include Louth in there now too), in a meaningful championship match."
Agreed on all re hurling The u20 game in Roundwood tomorrow should be informative.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2172 - 24/03/2026 14:21:21    2662874

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Some display by the minors against wexford tonight. OK, they are not Dublin or Meath but still impressive...

liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 233 - 24/03/2026 21:22:29    2662969

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I am a dual hurling/football fan and I do not like the idea of pitting one code against the other but the reality is that football has always been prioritised over hurling in Wicklow for decades.This has been detrimental to hurling and standards have slipped as a result. As hurling clubs are always outnumbered by football clubs, it has been difficult for hurling centred motions to be passed at county board meetings. With the county hurlers on an upward curve, 8 clubs playing senior hurling this year, and 8 different clubs partaking in the Hurling Nua programme - the county board have a golden opportunity to level the playing field and mimic what has been done in the likes of Kildare and Carlow.

TheChampion (Wicklow) - Posts: 29 - 24/03/2026 21:28:21    2662972

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Replying To TheChampion:  "I am a dual hurling/football fan and I do not like the idea of pitting one code against the other but the reality is that football has always been prioritised over hurling in Wicklow for decades.This has been detrimental to hurling and standards have slipped as a result. As hurling clubs are always outnumbered by football clubs, it has been difficult for hurling centred motions to be passed at county board meetings. With the county hurlers on an upward curve, 8 clubs playing senior hurling this year, and 8 different clubs partaking in the Hurling Nua programme - the county board have a golden opportunity to level the playing field and mimic what has been done in the likes of Kildare and Carlow."
I agree with you. Like you, I dislike the idea of pitting one code against another. If we are talking solely about how much funds our senior hurling and football teams receive annually then the county board could link its funding to results on the pitch - promotion, provincial and/or secondary competitions results. Being realistic if there are eight hurling clubs at a county board meeting they may be outvoted by solely footballing clubs who want the funding to be used on football teams. In Kildare where I live there're been a big effort by football clubs to promote hurling. Would predominantly footballing clubs be willing to embrace and developing hurling in their clubs in Wicklow?

Another poster stated how they'd like to judge our minor footballers based on results upon reading another poster describing them as a promising bunch. I can understand this poster's reaction as we've been hearing repeatedly for the past decade (at least) about these promising underage teams without any tangible evidence to back it up. I think this team has potential but again, can they win a Leinster title or even reach a Leinster final? I live in hope. Anyway, congratulations to all involved on their impressive win last night in Wexford. The weather conditions made playing difficult but these young players coped admirably in the conditions. MAYBE their win in the Leinster league earlier this year will give them the confidence to push on and compete with the stronger counties in Leinster and maybe even beat them. Time will tell.

Best of luck to our u-20 football team tonight in their opening game in the Leinster football championship against Kildare. Hopefully they can build on what our minor team did last night.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2181 - 25/03/2026 09:02:38    2663011

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "I agree with you. Like you, I dislike the idea of pitting one code against another. If we are talking solely about how much funds our senior hurling and football teams receive annually then the county board could link its funding to results on the pitch - promotion, provincial and/or secondary competitions results. Being realistic if there are eight hurling clubs at a county board meeting they may be outvoted by solely footballing clubs who want the funding to be used on football teams. In Kildare where I live there're been a big effort by football clubs to promote hurling. Would predominantly footballing clubs be willing to embrace and developing hurling in their clubs in Wicklow?

Another poster stated how they'd like to judge our minor footballers based on results upon reading another poster describing them as a promising bunch. I can understand this poster's reaction as we've been hearing repeatedly for the past decade (at least) about these promising underage teams without any tangible evidence to back it up. I think this team has potential but again, can they win a Leinster title or even reach a Leinster final? I live in hope. Anyway, congratulations to all involved on their impressive win last night in Wexford. The weather conditions made playing difficult but these young players coped admirably in the conditions. MAYBE their win in the Leinster league earlier this year will give them the confidence to push on and compete with the stronger counties in Leinster and maybe even beat them. Time will tell.

Best of luck to our u-20 football team tonight in their opening game in the Leinster football championship against Kildare. Hopefully they can build on what our minor team did last night."
I have been saying since last year that I was hearing rumours about this years u17s and their potential ability. I also heard tgat last years management team wanted more money for them and were refused. Possibly all just rumour. For a change we seem to have a few bigger guys throughout the team as well. Without "bigging" them up or putting too much weight on young shoulders, take it one game at a time. The Carlow game will be another test and hopefully then we can see how they go against the Big Guns in Leinster. Oddly enough, this team is drawn from many clubs, many dual ones.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2172 - 25/03/2026 11:15:43    2663046

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Replying To Freethinker:  "I have been saying since last year that I was hearing rumours about this years u17s and their potential ability. I also heard tgat last years management team wanted more money for them and were refused. Possibly all just rumour. For a change we seem to have a few bigger guys throughout the team as well. Without "bigging" them up or putting too much weight on young shoulders, take it one game at a time. The Carlow game will be another test and hopefully then we can see how they go against the Big Guns in Leinster. Oddly enough, this team is drawn from many clubs, many dual ones."
A couple of unusual things about this team. Firstly, no players or management from Bray/Greystones urban area. Secondly, there are 4 dual players. First time in many years that this was allowed. 2 of them started last night.

liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 233 - 25/03/2026 12:38:34    2663067

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