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Wicklow GAA thread

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "A very very disappointing result in tonight's u-20 game against Kildare. I know underage games from year to year can vary depending on age but to concede so much and score so little in a competitive game just below senior level is worrying and a concern for the next few years. I know Kildare have been strong at this age group in recent year, i'm not sure about this year. Regardless it is another poor result by a Wicklow football team."
Not really any improvement from the Carlow O'Byrne Shield game. I wasn't expecting a lot from this management. How many years is this now ? 3/4 with no improvement. Time to rethink ??

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2184 - 25/03/2026 21:58:16    2663214

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "A very very disappointing result in tonight's u-20 game against Kildare. I know underage games from year to year can vary depending on age but to concede so much and score so little in a competitive game just below senior level is worrying and a concern for the next few years. I know Kildare have been strong at this age group in recent year, i'm not sure about this year. Regardless it is another poor result by a Wicklow football team."
That's actually quite a strong Kildare panel.

LilywhiteGael (Kildare) - Posts: 135 - 25/03/2026 22:19:01    2663226

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Replying To LilywhiteGael:  "That's actually quite a strong Kildare panel."
We have no doubt that you have quite a strong team this year, as in many years recently. Problem for us is trying to bridge the gap from where we are to where Kildare is. That gap rarely seems to narrow, for whatever reason.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2184 - 25/03/2026 23:01:53    2663234

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This year our senior county champions lost heavily to their Kildare counterparts. This week our u-20 team lost heavily to Kildare. Kildare senior were relegated to division three last weekend so the county in footballing terms aren't setting the world of gaelic football alight. I think most of our footballing woes can be traced back to our club scene. I believe in order to have a strong county team, a county needs to have a competitive and high standard club scene. In my opinion the standard of players and play at club level in the last twenty five years has been on the decline in Wicklow. I saw no evidence in the last few championships to suggest that this trend is being reversed. Until there is a change in standard of player being developed - our players will struggle across the board.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2185 - 27/03/2026 14:22:43    2663490

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Seanie....

I thought it was not until Good Friday /Easter Sunday that people came back from the dead !!!!!!!!!!!

Going to find somewhere to lie down now.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2988 - 28/03/2026 16:11:49    2663610

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Replying To sponger:  "Seanie....

I thought it was not until Good Friday /Easter Sunday that people came back from the dead !!!!!!!!!!!

Going to find somewhere to lie down now."
Great observation. It's a great great result. It proves that there is a never say die spirit in that camp, long missing in our big ball players. 2026 will live long in hurling memories

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2184 - 28/03/2026 17:41:40    2663625

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Replying To Freethinker:  "Great observation. It's a great great result. It proves that there is a never say die spirit in that camp, long missing in our big ball players. 2026 will live long in hurling memories"
And it also shows what is ahead of us next year.

As you said, the lads never gave up.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2988 - 28/03/2026 17:50:30    2663630

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Replying To sponger:  "And it also shows what is ahead of us next year.

As you said, the lads never gave up."
Yes indeed. Next year will be a massive step up.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2184 - 28/03/2026 18:37:26    2663633

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Wow. The hurlers are such good value for money. 2 trophies this year already. They did not play well at all. 7 down just before half time, 1-11 0-7. Came back to lead 1-16 to 1-15, then couldn't stretch the lead and paid the price. Donegal hit us for 1-3 to lead 2-18 to 1-16. All seemed absolutely lost. Firstly credit Conor McNally for an outstanding save before 2 injury time goals by Seánie Germaine stole us the win. It was tough on Donegal for sure. However Wicklow have always lacked luck. We got it today.

Wicklowman (Wicklow) - Posts: 1151 - 28/03/2026 20:52:58    2663648

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I'm still buzzing after the game in Aughrim today! An absolute whirlwind of a match! In all honesty, when Donegal went back in front by 5, I thought it was looking like another heartbreaking day for Wicklow GAA and that Donegal may have done enought to see it out the game... I'm glad that determined Wicklow outfit proved me wrong! They kept grafting away and when Seanie got the first goal in injury time it gave us a fighting chance of another if we got the ball in an around the house. Delighted we got a bit of luck for a change in a scenario like that! I hope the lads celebrate their achievement tonight and we can hopefully look forward to a solid Christy Ring campaign in a few weeks time. Hon Wicklow!

TheChampion (Wicklow) - Posts: 30 - 28/03/2026 21:58:31    2663659

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Well done to the hurlers, brilliant stuff, what an end to the game!

stringfellohawk (Wicklow) - Posts: 154 - 30/03/2026 18:18:05    2664010

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Congratulations to the hurlers and team management on their victory in the league final against Donegal last weekend. Two trophies from two competitions is a tremendous achievement; hopefully they can go on and make it a hat-trick before end of this season. The players showed tremendous resilence, grit and skill to win on Saturday. A huge amount of kudos must go to Bosco. He took over the manager's role when hurling was at a low ebb and in a relatively short period of time, he has turned performances, results and expectations on their head. I hope their footballing counterparts take inspiration from the hurler's example.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2185 - 30/03/2026 20:40:01    2664022

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Wicklow footballers play first round of the Leinster championship on Sunday week, Apr 12 away to Carlow. Carlow are division four champions plus they are at home - do Wicklow supporters expect us to beat Carlow in Carlow based upon the league campaign we've had? My expectations for this game is low. Some people may say even if we beat Carlow, we play Dublin so what is the point. If as expected we lose to Carlow and if we add to this to the fact we blew promotion to division three - what does Oisin and his management need to achieve to convince us he is the right man for the job going into his final year?

Last season this team reached the Tailteann cup semi-final. In that game we were in a commanding position mid way through the second half and lost. Does he need to get the team over the line by winning the Tailteann cup? It feels as though losing out on promotion might be the beginning of the end with this management team. Personally I am reluctant to blame managers for players shortcomings but even I accept there is only so many failures a management team can preside over before a change of approach is required. I'd like to hear other peoples' opinions.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2185 - 01/04/2026 10:46:07    2664230

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "Wicklow footballers play first round of the Leinster championship on Sunday week, Apr 12 away to Carlow. Carlow are division four champions plus they are at home - do Wicklow supporters expect us to beat Carlow in Carlow based upon the league campaign we've had? My expectations for this game is low. Some people may say even if we beat Carlow, we play Dublin so what is the point. If as expected we lose to Carlow and if we add to this to the fact we blew promotion to division three - what does Oisin and his management need to achieve to convince us he is the right man for the job going into his final year?

Last season this team reached the Tailteann cup semi-final. In that game we were in a commanding position mid way through the second half and lost. Does he need to get the team over the line by winning the Tailteann cup? It feels as though losing out on promotion might be the beginning of the end with this management team. Personally I am reluctant to blame managers for players shortcomings but even I accept there is only so many failures a management team can preside over before a change of approach is required. I'd like to hear other peoples' opinions."
Sadly, the teams performance so far this year is leading me towards a change of something. I have been a supporter of the present management from day one, but, going back over results, there is a definite tendency to being unable to see a game out. Too many times we have let leads slip - and missed out on promotion twice due to losing leads. Something isn't right. I'm not too sure what it is. But, it can't go on. I fully expect Carlow to beat us in the first round, and hope I'm wrong, but it's only a hope. It is just not possible to have any confidence whatever in our squad. Carlow have really gotten them selves organised and playing as a unit - moth a local manager. I follow their forum and they can see where their shortcomings might be but can work around them. I have been following Wicklow teams since the 60s and could write a book on the shoulda, woulda coulda near misses over the years. Nothing ever really changes. We are as far away from a Leinster final appearance in senior, u20 or Minor as we have ever been. Sorry for this depressing post, but, I'm calling it as I see it.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2184 - 01/04/2026 11:57:33    2664242

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Replying To wicklowsupport:  "Wicklow footballers play first round of the Leinster championship on Sunday week, Apr 12 away to Carlow. Carlow are division four champions plus they are at home - do Wicklow supporters expect us to beat Carlow in Carlow based upon the league campaign we've had? My expectations for this game is low. Some people may say even if we beat Carlow, we play Dublin so what is the point. If as expected we lose to Carlow and if we add to this to the fact we blew promotion to division three - what does Oisin and his management need to achieve to convince us he is the right man for the job going into his final year?

Last season this team reached the Tailteann cup semi-final. In that game we were in a commanding position mid way through the second half and lost. Does he need to get the team over the line by winning the Tailteann cup? It feels as though losing out on promotion might be the beginning of the end with this management team. Personally I am reluctant to blame managers for players shortcomings but even I accept there is only so many failures a management team can preside over before a change of approach is required. I'd like to hear other peoples' opinions."
It was folly to think the current manager (and management team) were some kind of messiahs, if managers get the credit when things go well then you have to look at managers as a starting point when they don't go well and personally I think we are in a worse position now then when this management team came in. This is not a slight on players but we could get jack o Connor or Jim mccguinness in and it might have a very small and very short term effect - why?? - the structures in Wicklow are not set up for success - whether that is coaching set up, investment or other - this is a fact.

Wonderingnow (Wicklow) - Posts: 22 - 01/04/2026 14:34:23    2664274

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