Wicklow GAA thread
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Replying To wicklowsupport: "Should be some entertaining matches this week as the football championship reaches its conclusion.
I'm not familiar with Junior A teams so I'll leave that one to the local experts.
Dunlavin vs Laragh
I'd give a hesitant vote of confidence to Dunlavin. Based upon my poor record with predictions, I may get it wrong. I think Dunlavin's forward scoring power might be the difference. Dunlavin's defence is porous and they've conceded a lot of goals in the championship which is something Laragh might exploit. Laragh overcame Barndarrig who I thought, along with Dunlavin would be the two teams likely to compete for Intermediate honours. After beating Barndarrig, Laragh will fancy their chances and will push Dunlavin all the way.
An Tóchar vs Blessington
This should be a game of football between two talented teams.
I think Blessington are favourites, purely on the basis that they've won two senior championships in 2021 and 2023 and have a wealth of experience at this stage in the competition. They've gradually improved as the championship has progress which is a sign they may be peaking at the right time. An Tóchar have been talked about as an up-and-coming team with lots of talent who have failed to produce results on the big occasions. They have as much talent, if not more than Blessington but the club haven't won since '95 and haven't contested a final for the last twenty-five years. I'm picking Blessington to win narrowly due to their experience. As a neutral, with no connection with either of the clubs, I'd like to see An Tóchar win as they play attractive football and it is so long since they won the Miley cup." I cannot see Dunlavin losing this. They have played in a senior semifinal back in 2024. The team is there for a few years now. If they go back to senior they will be there for a few years.
The senior final I think Blessington have the experience to manage the game on their terms. An tochar aren't running at defences often enough and when they do they are good. It would be great to see a new winner. As long as it's a good match I will be happy.
Best of luck to all the teams this weekend
kodak13 (Wicklow) - Posts: 146 - 09/10/2026 22:48:54
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Replying To FearThoir: "At least they have a ref, Valleymount/ Newtown intermediate relegation decider was called off at 3 hours notice as there was seemingly no ref. Only one other Wicklow ref referring anywhere in the county on the same day! An absolute shambles for what is probably the 6th most important football game in the Wicklow club year. Very unfair on both teams." AND?
heavyheart19 (Wicklow) - Posts: 192 - 10/10/2026 22:23:21
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Dunlavin cruised past Laragh fairly easily in the end. I think if Laragh had taken those goal chances early in the game and the early second half, it could have swung momentum but Dunlavin were much superior on the day. Miley was kept quite today which also reduced their chances of winning. It's not too often a team gets relegated in Wicklow and bounces straight back to senior. Avondale thought they'd manage to do it but it's such a difficult championship to win. Laragh are making great strides and it would be savage to see them get a taste of senior football in the years to come. Some double championship honours for a few Dunlavin lads after today's victory.
TheChampion (Wicklow) - Posts: 49 - 10/10/2026 23:05:41
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Disappointing weekend for the neutral with the heavy victories in senior and intermediate finals.
An Tochar by far the best team today; their second half display was absolutely awesome. I'd love to see them make a good push at Leinster, but it's always difficult for a team to go again after wining their first championship in a long time. This Roundwood team were beaten well in the first round after winnning the intermediate, but hopefully they can build on that second half.
Blessington were embarrassingly bad apart from Kevin Quinn. They looked like they should have been playing in a relegation final in that second half. Some strange decisions from the management with using all their subs yet somehow keeping the same back on Conor Fee who scored 10 from play. I think they must have lost 90% of their own kickouts in that second half, truly awful performance for a county final.
I think Laragh can be a bit less disappointed. They showed a good amount of fight and could have changed the course of the game if they'd converted more chances in the first half. Dunlavin have too many good players to be intermediate. I'm hopeful they could also give Leinster a good rattle this year as I think Ballinacor will struggle in the Junior.
Victorious87 (Wicklow) - Posts: 611 - 11/10/2026 17:19:20
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Well, there is no doubt about An Tochair anymore. They have arrived, and looking at the age profile of the panel, and the quality of some u 17s of recent yrs, they should be there or thereabouts for a while. Couldn't find a weak link anywhere in their performance today. Their speed and skill sets had Blesso all over the place, particularly in the second half. And another positive for them from their performances in recent games, they refuse to be intimidated. Congrats to them on finally getting their hands on Miley. In Saturdays games, Dunlavin underlined their senior capabilities against Laragh, who threatened briefly at the start of each half, but in the end, couldn't match the quality of the victors. Jun A was a close tussle with maybe the physical strength of Ballinacor making the difference in the end. Kilcoole didn't do themselves any favours in their attacking strategy, particularly in the second half. It was a game they could have won, but fair play to Ballinacor who battled away and got their just rewards in the end.
Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2361 - 11/10/2026 17:32:10
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Congratulations to Ballinacor, Dunlavin and An Tóchar who were victorious this weekend.
I didn't see Ballinacor's victory but Dunlavin and An Tóchar were very impressive. The main theme of both finals is the quality of the football. I thought Dunlavin and An Tóchar proved that good players playing to a game plan are very hard to beat. Both teams are a good example of how gaelic football shoudl be played. Both recipients of the man of the match award gave outstanding displays - Cian O'Sullivan and Conor Fee.
Dunlavin were a class above Laragh. Both teams were evenly matched for the first ten minutes but thereafter Dunlavin's class up-front kicked in and Laragh weren't able to respond nor cope with their forwards especially Cian O'Sullivan. The game was really over at half-time. Laragh tried to haul in Dunlavin early in the second half but Dunlavin were able to respond and kept the score board ticking over.
I'm just back from the senior final and this current An Tóchar team came of age today. I've doubted their ability to win games when it mattered but they've proved that they have it with victories over Rathnew, AGB and Blessington today. An Tóchar blew Blessington out of the water in the second half. Conor Fee and JP Nolan were class. For a team to win a county final by eleven points and to score twenty-one points from play is some achievement. The years of investing in their underage has been rewarded and the cream certainly rose to the top today.
I'll be watching An Tóchar with interest in the Leinster club championship. If they play like they played today then they can make an impact. They've a tough first round away to the Meath champions and a lot will depend on how long and hard they celebrate. From a county perspective I hope they can make an impact in the Leinster club championship as a Wicklow team hasn't does so for a number of year. Hopefully this will change this year and they can do what they did back in '95 when they won their last senior championship title and reached the Leinster club final and were unlucky to lose to Eire Og from Carlow after a replay.
wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2288 - 11/10/2026 17:34:24
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