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Wicklow GAA thread

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The day is finally here...the Tailteann cup. Drawn in the preliminary round; at home to Waterford. Would hope we are capable of a win in this one but with Wicklow you're never quite sure. If we do manage to beat Waterford, we play the winner of Offaly and Wexford. Prior to the Leinster championship people would have picked Offaly but Wexford turned them over in Leinster so this should be an interesting. I don't see what this competition brings to the table for alot of these teams but maybe the players feel different. Anyway, hopefully we can have a decent run in it and see what it develops into.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 16/05/2022 09:16:28    2417484

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Do we know if the squad are commited to this like Sligo and Westmeath are or are taking it as an inconvenience like Down are?

Great to revive our "local rivalry" with Waterford (Larry McCarthy quoted that as the reason for the north and south).

TopDrawer (Wicklow) - Posts: 51 - 16/05/2022 10:19:29    2417540

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "Firstly fair play to the minor players and management on getting to a provincial semi final. Last night was a step too far but if the lessons are learned then these players can get better. Underage, Kildare are on par with the top counties in ireland. They've looked at what the top counties are doing at underage in terms of coaching, s&c, tactics, the lot and they put the proper structures in place about 10 years ago and have built on it year on year. It didn't happen overnight. It is a big undertaken but every player, mentor, club and even some ex players have completely bought into it and they are reaping what they've sowed. Will the powers the by in Wicklow show some ambition and help these underage players take the next step? Other counties are not going to take the foot off the pedal so Wicklow can't wait another 6-12 months to act, it needs to start now. It can be done but in order for Wicklow to make the jump they need to change and keep on improving how we operate particularly at underage."
Wicklowsupport, you are 100% correct.

My son plays in Kildare and has played for the county team at underage for many years. It is like a professional setup at this stage. A lot of hard work goes into it, the people who coach and run it, the finances, the general organisation.

With regard to the hurling in Kildare, his club is like a lot of other clubs in Kildare, they started up from scratch a few years back, put the hard work in and now the apples are starting to show. Again, it requires hard working people who are ready to put club and county before themselves.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2897 - 16/05/2022 11:48:22    2417613

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Replying To sponger:  "Wicklowsupport, you are 100% correct.

My son plays in Kildare and has played for the county team at underage for many years. It is like a professional setup at this stage. A lot of hard work goes into it, the people who coach and run it, the finances, the general organisation.

With regard to the hurling in Kildare, his club is like a lot of other clubs in Kildare, they started up from scratch a few years back, put the hard work in and now the apples are starting to show. Again, it requires hard working people who are ready to put club and county before themselves."
That is much like I feared it might Sponger. In reality we are just getting started on a long road. I fear that we may not have the financial resources to maintain the progress and improve it. I have no doubt that we have the dedicated man and woman power within the county to drive us forward but the money to secure enough top class coaches to cover the whole couldn't possibly could be a difficulty. I know that most, if not all clubs are making strides in the right direction with their juveniles but rather the availability of proper funding to really drive us on could be a sticking point.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 990 - 16/05/2022 14:12:51    2417720

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Replying To Freethinker:  "That is much like I feared it might Sponger. In reality we are just getting started on a long road. I fear that we may not have the financial resources to maintain the progress and improve it. I have no doubt that we have the dedicated man and woman power within the county to drive us forward but the money to secure enough top class coaches to cover the whole couldn't possibly could be a difficulty. I know that most, if not all clubs are making strides in the right direction with their juveniles but rather the availability of proper funding to really drive us on could be a sticking point."
This is where the county board earn their strips. The hardest part is getting started, getting the ball rolling. There does seem to be a bit momentum at underage but it needs to keep going. It isn't easy but people will get behind the cause if they see progress being made. What you don't want is one step forward and two steps backwards. Sponsorship and fund raising is the usual revenue stream unless you can find a wealthy benefactor.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 16/05/2022 19:03:35    2417908

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Replying To Freethinker:  "That is much like I feared it might Sponger. In reality we are just getting started on a long road. I fear that we may not have the financial resources to maintain the progress and improve it. I have no doubt that we have the dedicated man and woman power within the county to drive us forward but the money to secure enough top class coaches to cover the whole couldn't possibly could be a difficulty. I know that most, if not all clubs are making strides in the right direction with their juveniles but rather the availability of proper funding to really drive us on could be a sticking point."
Interesting points there re the finances.

A while back Kildare ran into trouble with the finances. The GAA stepped in. Took over the running of certain aspects of the county gaa for a while.

My point here ? Could somebody put a business plan together and present it to the GAA ?

Outside help is not something to be ashamed of.

My sons club here has enough sponsors to beat the band. It can be done.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2897 - 16/05/2022 19:21:15    2417915

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Replying To sponger:  "Interesting points there re the finances.

A while back Kildare ran into trouble with the finances. The GAA stepped in. Took over the running of certain aspects of the county gaa for a while.

My point here ? Could somebody put a business plan together and present it to the GAA ?

Outside help is not something to be ashamed of.

My sons club here has enough sponsors to beat the band. It can be done."
Sponger. I just don't think that we are being led by people with the vision to bring about the changes which are undoubtedly required to move us to the next level, never mind the upper levels. It just isn't in our DNA. Close to 140 yrs of prudence and conservatism has bred a system which is above all else primarily interested in balancing the books or showing a modest profit. Nothing wrong with this if we are prepared to live permanently in the basement environs of our great Association. Some aspire to higher ideals and goals and therein lies the seemingly insurmountable problem. I suppose, at the end of the day, the solution lies with the clubs. Until collectively the clubs improve the standard of player they are producing, and start demanding something be done so that these players can perform at the highest levels with all that would entail, then and only then will we see the clubs building a county administration which will deliver the best procedures whatever the cost. But, I for one won't be holding my breath.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 990 - 17/05/2022 08:18:28    2417964

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Sponger. I just don't think that we are being led by people with the vision to bring about the changes which are undoubtedly required to move us to the next level, never mind the upper levels. It just isn't in our DNA. Close to 140 yrs of prudence and conservatism has bred a system which is above all else primarily interested in balancing the books or showing a modest profit. Nothing wrong with this if we are prepared to live permanently in the basement environs of our great Association. Some aspire to higher ideals and goals and therein lies the seemingly insurmountable problem. I suppose, at the end of the day, the solution lies with the clubs. Until collectively the clubs improve the standard of player they are producing, and start demanding something be done so that these players can perform at the highest levels with all that would entail, then and only then will we see the clubs building a county administration which will deliver the best procedures whatever the cost. But, I for one won't be holding my breath."
Sad but true.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2897 - 17/05/2022 09:52:56    2417992

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Sponger. I just don't think that we are being led by people with the vision to bring about the changes which are undoubtedly required to move us to the next level, never mind the upper levels. It just isn't in our DNA. Close to 140 yrs of prudence and conservatism has bred a system which is above all else primarily interested in balancing the books or showing a modest profit. Nothing wrong with this if we are prepared to live permanently in the basement environs of our great Association. Some aspire to higher ideals and goals and therein lies the seemingly insurmountable problem. I suppose, at the end of the day, the solution lies with the clubs. Until collectively the clubs improve the standard of player they are producing, and start demanding something be done so that these players can perform at the highest levels with all that would entail, then and only then will we see the clubs building a county administration which will deliver the best procedures whatever the cost. But, I for one won't be holding my breath."
But there does seem to be change at underage. 2 leinster semi final appearances in 4 years. An under 20 team that was competitive in the leinster championship. Not earth shattering but a flicker of hope. It hardly happened by chance; fid it? As was evident against Kildare last week we are a way off the top. I believe that the next jump is going to be more difficult than getting to this point was but it is all about showing a bit of ambition and having a vision. As the saying goes: you have spectulate to accumulate. I think the pressing issue is the lack of ambition. You won't attract sponsorship nor support until you show that there is a bright future to go after.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 17/05/2022 11:50:50    2418063

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Actually I thought there was a playoff for relegation, but I was wrong. We are in the Nicky Rackard next year.

Throw what is going on with the Intermediate Championship - 6 postponed games so far, and I think we can safely say that Wicklow GAA is like a wheelie bin on fire.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2897 - 17/05/2022 12:48:34    2418097

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Replying To sponger:  "Actually I thought there was a playoff for relegation, but I was wrong. We are in the Nicky Rackard next year.

Throw what is going on with the Intermediate Championship - 6 postponed games so far, and I think we can safely say that Wicklow GAA is like a wheelie bin on fire."
I think there is sufficient evidence available to say that there is a direct correlation between the club and county scene. Woth what i read, the wicklow hurlers are where they deserve to be. The whole hurling setup in the county is a shambles. The county are beating themselves before the players take the field. Will the county hurlers continued demise be discussed at county board level? As there needs to be something done before next season.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 17/05/2022 15:01:44    2418159

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "I think there is sufficient evidence available to say that there is a direct correlation between the club and county scene. Woth what i read, the wicklow hurlers are where they deserve to be. The whole hurling setup in the county is a shambles. The county are beating themselves before the players take the field. Will the county hurlers continued demise be discussed at county board level? As there needs to be something done before next season."
I don't know where that particular difficulty lies. I do know that many senior players didn't make themselves available for selection this year. Why, I can't say for a few reasons, one being that it's just hearsay. I think that everyone knows the reasons but nobody is talking about them. Whether or not that changes is an open question. As you say, the hurling scene in general is a shambles, particularly at inter county level. Let's see what evolves at administration level.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 990 - 17/05/2022 17:33:59    2418217

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "I think there is sufficient evidence available to say that there is a direct correlation between the club and county scene. Woth what i read, the wicklow hurlers are where they deserve to be. The whole hurling setup in the county is a shambles. The county are beating themselves before the players take the field. Will the county hurlers continued demise be discussed at county board level? As there needs to be something done before next season."
For a county with at least a dozen clubs fielding adult hurling teams, its a disgrace. We should be competitive with Carlow, Kildare, Meath etc..

liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 175 - 17/05/2022 18:12:09    2418226

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I heard they are having trouble fielding a team for Saturday. That is very disappointing if true.

TopDrawer (Wicklow) - Posts: 51 - 18/05/2022 18:36:26    2418522

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I see that Dublin dispatched Kildare pretty conclusively in the end last night, in truth, in the end it was all to easy for Dublin. While I recognise that every match is a stand alone game and must be treated as such, the fact that we just couldn't match Kildare on the night and Kildare suffered an almost similar fate last night, it further shows how far off actually winning something at any level we are. There are green shoots, admittedly, but I think they need much more TLC and growth stimulators in order to keep growing and developing.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 990 - 19/05/2022 08:28:08    2418566

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Replying To liam500:  "For a county with at least a dozen clubs fielding adult hurling teams, its a disgrace. We should be competitive with Carlow, Kildare, Meath etc.."
One small point to make here. Everyone has taken a swipe at the county board for the failure of hurling. Rightly so in some respects . However if you want to see a real shot synopsis of club hurling in this county, then make yourself a cup of tea and Google our intermediate hurling league table and results. Clubs not fielding teams, clubs postponing matches, sure no wonder hurling is in the state its in. The county board can't be blamed for this one.

roseyinthegarden (Wicklow) - Posts: 109 - 19/05/2022 09:27:14    2418574

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Replying To roseyinthegarden:  "One small point to make here. Everyone has taken a swipe at the county board for the failure of hurling. Rightly so in some respects . However if you want to see a real shot synopsis of club hurling in this county, then make yourself a cup of tea and Google our intermediate hurling league table and results. Clubs not fielding teams, clubs postponing matches, sure no wonder hurling is in the state its in. The county board can't be blamed for this one."
6 matches postponed after 3 rounds is a disgrace.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2897 - 19/05/2022 09:44:17    2418581

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Replying To TopDrawer:  "I heard they are having trouble fielding a team for Saturday. That is very disappointing if true."
What is this ?

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2897 - 19/05/2022 09:45:30    2418582

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Replying To sponger:  "What is this ?"
Tailteann Cup against Waterford.

TopDrawer (Wicklow) - Posts: 51 - 19/05/2022 12:40:33    2418666

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Replying To TopDrawer:  "Tailteann Cup against Waterford."
Maybe i was dreaming but i could have sworn that wicklow was the county who proposed a second tier competition be introduced. And that the idea originated or if not, was put forward with the approval of the wicklow players. Now if this is the case, how are we struggling to field a team. I'm not a fan of this competition but it is difficult to put forward arguments for wicklow not being in a secondary competition based upon our history. I might be able to see us not taking this competition seriously if we had remained in division 3 and were in a place to push for division 2 but this is not the case so we should aim to win this competition so that we can play better teams in the championship next year as we won't be playing quality opposition in division 4.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 19/05/2022 13:47:13    2418704

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