A mixed bag for Wicklow
Footballers lose in Clare while hurlers see off Longford
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Wednesday February 10 2010
WICKLOW TEAMS enjoyed mixed results in football and hurling matches at the weekend.
The county's hurlers were the only ones of the three inter-county teams in action to taste the sweep success of victory, whereas defeat was the lot of Mick O'Dwyer's footballers and also of the County Vocational Schools team.
As a result of their comprehensive thirteen points win over Longford on Sunday, the hurlers have qualified for the final of the Kehoe Cup shield and they are due to play either Armagh or Fingal in the final this coming weekend.
Mick O'Dwyer's footballers started their 2010 national league campaign with an away one-point defeat to Clare in a game that saw them run out of steam in the second half and lose a seven-point lead.
The biggest defeat of the weekend befell the County Vocational Schools team in the Leinster Senior final on Saturday. Wicklow had started well in almost every phase of the game except on the scoreboard but in the end they were well beaten by 2-15 to 0-6 by holders Meath.
Wicklow hurlers and footballers are due back in action again this coming weekend, with Micko's men involved in a home league game against Leitrim at Aughrim at 2.30 p.m. on Sunday, and the hurlers involved in either a home or away match depending on the result of the Armagh-Fingal Kehoe Cup Shield semi-final.
With Mick O'Dwyer the championship is the only competition that counts and all his preparations are geared toward the Leinster championship in May/June, but nevertheless the footballers need to win against Leitrim on Sunday if they are to keep an interest in the league alive.
Leitrim were beaten by Waterford by three points (013 to 0-10) in their opening league match and should not be too difficult opponents to handle, but Wicklow will need to maintain the momentum right through to the final whistle.
Last Sunday Wicklow learned that any slackening off in their game can have costly consequences. They led Clare by five points a half-time (0-7 to 0-2) and were full value for it. They stretched that lead to seven points early in the second-half, but then the wheels started to come off the wagon as a lack of fitness and staying power took its toll. The result was a one-point defeat (19 to 0-11) at the final whistle.
After losing to Waterford, Leitrim are sure to come to Aughrim determined to avenge that defeat, so Wicklow will have to have the same drive if they are to avoid league defeats on successive weekends.
Wicklow's hurlers have made a very promising start to the new season. In their first match they were just pipped by Roscommon by a point while last Sunday the players turned in a gusty performance to trounce Longford by 3-22 to 3-9.
Let's hope they maintain that passion and will-to-win spirit in their play next weekend whether Armagh or Fingal are their opponents.
