National Forum

Wicklow GAA thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To StrandedinWW:  "Am I right in saying that Blessington are out now. Two games, that's really disappointing on the amount of games being offered, competition seems like an after thought. I think you always get good games at minor and u19. I would suggest u19's played mid- week when the adult league games are taking place, after inter county u20s. Gives more games to these players. Didn't make any games, anyone on show that would stand out."
Agree 100%. I think there are just 7 teams in the A grade. So, probably to get through it asap, it was divided to 2 groups, a 3 and 4. Top two into the semis. Surely that could have been run on a round robin with the top 2 playing a final. That way each team would get 6 games, 7 for the top 2. The way it is now, Blesso are out after 2 games.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 28/10/2025 11:10:58    2641983

Link

Replying To StrandedinWW:  "Am I right in saying that Blessington are out now. Two games, that's really disappointing on the amount of games being offered, competition seems like an after thought. I think you always get good games at minor and u19. I would suggest u19's played mid- week when the adult league games are taking place, after inter county u20s. Gives more games to these players. Didn't make any games, anyone on show that would stand out."
Agreed , format and position in the calendar could be looked at. I don't think its serving anyone any favours, the stronger players will end up training 12 months of the year, the weaker players coming out of minor who didn't go right into adult football may have fallen away all ready. So i think mid week during the year makes sense, there was a massive gap between league and championship. Its so late in the year i dont think any of the teams would want lots of games, but yes the 3 most fancied teams on paper in one group seems harsh.

Groundskeeper5 (Wicklow) - Posts: 43 - 30/10/2025 08:49:03    2642208

Link

Bray and Coolkenno are currently looking for football managers, and St Pats and Bray are currently looking for hurling managers. It's the time of year for the managerial merry-go-round to get into full swing. What other clubs are looking for managers or are making changes? I have heard possibly Dunlavin, Kiltegan, Tinahely, Blessington, Avondale in football, Greystones and Kilcoole in hurling, but that's just rumours I have heard.

OldSchoolRules (Australia) - Posts: 38 - 31/10/2025 11:41:31    2642361

Link

Good luck to all the football clubs representing the county in the various grade in the provincial championship this weekend. Hopefully one or two can progress in a competition that clubs won in the past. Baltinglass versus Athy being televised on TG4 on Sunday - throw-in at 1:30pm.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2143 - 31/10/2025 16:31:08    2642412

Link

Replying To OldSchoolRules:  "Bray and Coolkenno are currently looking for football managers, and St Pats and Bray are currently looking for hurling managers. It's the time of year for the managerial merry-go-round to get into full swing. What other clubs are looking for managers or are making changes? I have heard possibly Dunlavin, Kiltegan, Tinahely, Blessington, Avondale in football, Greystones and Kilcoole in hurling, but that's just rumours I have heard."
You can add An Tochair to your list. That one will be interesting. I think the current management might reapply, although they haven't exactly covered themselves in glory the past 2 seasons. In my opinion, a very strong minded manager is needed there.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 31/10/2025 17:52:32    2642418

Link

That was a shocking performance in Aughrim today. Athy did what they liked

kodak13 (Wicklow) - Posts: 110 - 02/11/2025 14:50:17    2642645

Link

I'll probably get lambasted for this post although there is such a lack of interest I may be ignored. Over the weekend our intermediate and senior football champions were hammered by the Louth and Kildare champions. Well done to Shilleagh-Coolboy who kept the flag flying and restored some pride. From a club and county perspective and I've no association with either club it is seriously worrying how uncompetitive our clubs are in the Leinster club championship. I've followed our club champions in the Leinster club championship for over thirty years and today was the worse performance by a Baltinglass team in my experience. How are clubs in Wicklow developing players? Even clubs such as Baltinglass and Rathnew are miles behind. Both clubs are probably held to a higher standard than the rest due to their proud history but those achievements are thirty and twenty three years respectively - they are long in the past. I'm unsure if Athy are Leinster club champions material as they were up against such poor opposition today. I don't think they'll win the Leinster club championship but it is irrelevant to how poor the Wicklow senior club champions were today. I can't see how the county team can make any sort of progress when clubs are producing performance like this. The standard of club football in Wicklow is declining year on year and before everyone's eyes. Will anything change? I'm not sure. I hope things change as they need to but I'm berefted of any sense of hope after what I saw today.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2143 - 02/11/2025 15:14:22    2642648

Link

Buried my Dad yesterday. He came up often to see my son play in Kildare.

And he would be turning in his grave watching that Athy match today.

In fact I think the Kildare Intermediate champions Sallins would have beaten Balto today.

RIP Dad.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2961 - 02/11/2025 15:15:08    2642649

Link

Replying To sponger:  "Buried my Dad yesterday. He came up often to see my son play in Kildare.

And he would be turning in his grave watching that Athy match today.

In fact I think the Kildare Intermediate champions Sallins would have beaten Balto today.

RIP Dad."
Condolences to you and your family on your father's death. Sorry for your loss and may he rest in peace.

I can't disagree with your assessment of the standard of our senior county championship based upon what I saw today and based upon what I've seen over the last decade. Blessington were hammered by Naas when they won the senior championship recently and Naas didn't win the Leinster club championship afterwards. In fact, no Kildare team have won it since Moorefield in 2017. Athy hasn't compete in the Leinster club since 2011.

Should Wicklow teams begin competing at underage with teams from Dublin and Kildare who border us and have a stronger club championship? If they competed on a regular basis, they'd understand the standard they need to reach in today's environment and try to bridge the gap to these other counties.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2143 - 02/11/2025 16:15:39    2642659

Link

Replying To wicklowsupport:  "Condolences to you and your family on your father's death. Sorry for your loss and may he rest in peace.

I can't disagree with your assessment of the standard of our senior county championship based upon what I saw today and based upon what I've seen over the last decade. Blessington were hammered by Naas when they won the senior championship recently and Naas didn't win the Leinster club championship afterwards. In fact, no Kildare team have won it since Moorefield in 2017. Athy hasn't compete in the Leinster club since 2011.

Should Wicklow teams begin competing at underage with teams from Dublin and Kildare who border us and have a stronger club championship? If they competed on a regular basis, they'd understand the standard they need to reach in today's environment and try to bridge the gap to these other counties."
Great points there.

Would anyone listen ? Nope.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2961 - 02/11/2025 16:30:29    2642661

Link

Replying To sponger:  "Great points there.

Would anyone listen ? Nope."
Sincere condolences Sponger, to you and your family on the loss of your Dad. May he Rest In Peace..

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 3053 - 02/11/2025 18:47:57    2642687

Link

Replying To lilywhite1:  "Sincere condolences Sponger, to you and your family on the loss of your Dad. May he Rest In Peace.."
Thank you

PS I think Sallins will win the All Ireland.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2961 - 02/11/2025 19:12:34    2642693

Link

Replying To sponger:  "Thank you

PS I think Sallins will win the All Ireland."
And Grange for the Junior ?

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2961 - 02/11/2025 19:20:44    2642696

Link

I watched the Balto game today and am glad to say that I wasn't sorry that I didn't travel to Aughrim even though I had earlier bought a ticket. I was at an u19 game in Roundwood and the cold got into my old bones so I settled for C4. I have to say I wasn't surprised. I had been reading a bit about Athy and they had opened eyes in Kildare this year. Our championships have never been weaker for a fair few yrs now. On the other hand, the u19 game was a cracker - or at least the first half was. The second half? Well, AGB didn't show, but it was worth watching some of the Tochair scores alone. These two could meet again and I am not sure if AGB might be better than the final score showed.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 02/11/2025 23:36:34    2642737

Link