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I assume it will be the same as the last few years. Keeping it consistent. I see AL you must have good knowledge of lads in that age group but there big difference in winning at u15 u16 than that minor. My county which I have left a long tim now splits the county teams at u14 u15 into geographical locations to give plenty of experience. Wicklow are playing with there-selected panel at that age it's won't be the same as minor two lears later.
StrandedinWW (Wicklow) - Posts: 38 - 28/08/2024 16:47:19 2567405 Link 0 |
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Latest GCS senior team of the week just out. I know it's totally the players as picked by the GCS panel, and I am assuming that some of them get to all games, which I couldn't. . But, it's heavily populated by players from west of the hills again. Balto won by a point. No st Pats lad. No Tinahely. No AGB or Greystones. No Barndarrig despite their putting it up to Rathnew. Ah well, Shur it's a talking point anyway. Next weeks team should be a tough pick, given the importance of some of the games to certain clubs. Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1265 - 29/08/2024 11:51:58 2567512 Link 0 |
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Wicklow is not set up for success underage. No post-primary school operating at any sort of decent level. Soccer a massive distraction in the east. Many clubs filling fixtures but doing little or no quality coaching. Far too many amalgamations at underage level. No drive from co board to sort any of this either. Minor management over past two years have done an excellent job with very ordinary players. This year they beat Carlow, Wexford and Offaly, before losing narrowly to Louth. U20 has underperformed significantly for a few years now across a couple of management teams now. 2024 was poor. 2022 and 2023 were brilliant teams full of excellent players (now many on senior team) and they did nothing. OldSchoolRules (Australia) - Posts: 29 - 29/08/2024 12:19:30 2567524 Link 0 |
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I don't blame the guys who were in attendance for the Dunlavin/Agb game. The worst game of football witnessed in some time. willielee (Wicklow) - Posts: 41 - 29/08/2024 15:33:24 2567569 Link 0 |
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No argument with most of that from here - except about the u17s. Yes they beat the teams you name but that is the level we have been at for a number of yrs. As soon as we stepped up to the next layer or level, we were found wanting.
Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1265 - 29/08/2024 15:59:58 2567575 Link 0 |
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I was at two of their games which they won. The players weren't there this time anyway. Previous minor teams have had guys we've seen step up to senior club or county like Tom Moran, Joe Prendergast, Jack Kirwan, Adam Byrne, Austin Brennan, Tommy Kehoe, the Fees, Matt Nolan, JP Nolan, Paidi Kavanagh, Aaron O'Brien, Brian Hurley, and so on. I'll be very surprised to see many of the 2024 minor team step up to senior. It was interesting how there was no player from Rathnew, St Pats, Bray, Barndarrig, Kiltegan, and just one from Baltinglass. Half the senior teams with just one player between them good enough for the panel. A very lean year talent wise for the u17's. OldSchoolRules (Australia) - Posts: 29 - 29/08/2024 17:36:29 2567584 Link 1 |
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There is a world of difference between playing minor and playing senior at intercountry level. Actually I prefer watching under age games if I can than senior. There are number of reasons why Wicklow are struggling at senior intercountry level. In my opinion, the players at club and intercounty level who represent Wicklow are small and not as physically imposing as county players in other counties. I don't like that size and power is such a big part of the intercountry game but it is and our players are behind the curve in this regard. Secondly, our players don't have a winning mentality; how could they? I believe that until a team makes the breakthrough from within the county; be it at minor, u20 or senior level, our players will have an inferiority complex. We've produce some good teams across all age groups in the last twenty years beginning with Micko's team in 2007 but we still haven't won an underage provincial title and still haven't competed in a provincial senior final. We can't reach a leinster senior final at a time when football in the province is at its lowest standard in years outside Dublin. I believe that the county board should invest some money in a sport psychologist like Limerick and other counties have done, to help with making the breakthrough. Finally, someone else mentioned our lack of schools competing at provincial level. This is a huge drawback and I never hear anyone mention it nor do I never hear any initiative to address how we can recruit and develop teams through the schools. The county in the past, used the intercountry vocational schools competition to great extent and it produced some of the best players, the county has produced. wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2023 - 30/08/2024 12:33:08 2567660 Link 0 |
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The u20 teams of 2021/22/23 were your best chance of provincial success. OldSchoolRules (Australia) - Posts: 29 - 30/08/2024 14:46:43 2567682 Link 0 |
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Rathnew have only had a handful of players at U17 and U20 level on county panels in recent years, as far as I can see. They currently have maybe 1 player involved at senior. Now, given that they are leading their championship group and topped or went very close in the senior league, and they are many people's fancy to lift Miley, does that not speak volumes about the standard of football in the county presently ?
Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1265 - 30/08/2024 14:53:34 2567685 Link 1 |
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The standard of club football in the county is mediocre. This is borne out by your example - the current Rathnew team doesn't have a player that I believe would be a better option than what is currently on our intercounty team. It is down to Rathnew's spirit and know how in conjunction with a mediocre standard across from the rest of the teams which has them top of their group. I'm not having a pop at Rathnew but my point will be borne out by the team who will eventually be crowned county champions and how they perform in the subsequent leinster club championship. Our once proud record in this provincial championship is very poor in recent years and I've seen nothing to suggest this will change this year. We've had some decent teams at u20 grade in recent years. Our best chance at this grade in recent years was the team compromising Kevin Quinn, Malcahy Stone, Eoin Darcy etc. Again, this team lost to Dublin because they didn't have the belief to push on and win the game when they had Dublin there for the taken. I think Dublin subsequently lost the leinster final to Meath.
wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2023 - 30/08/2024 16:33:23 2567710 Link 0 |
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I don't think that's a good argument at all really. Rathnew are almost always competitive. They have a tradition which means guys don't go missing for championship games to America or holidays. They have a long ball style of play and plenty of size which teams can find tough to handle when they let Rathnew play. As for players, they have some Glenealy county level hurlers, former county seniors like Ross O'Brien, Theo Smith, Jamie Snell, some old legends like Stafford, young players like Adam Byrne (who is excellent), and probably the best non-county player in Wicklow in JT Hayden. It's a very strong mix for a club team. OldSchoolRules (Australia) - Posts: 29 - 30/08/2024 23:29:47 2567735 Link 0 |
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Baltinglass v kiltegan -Kiltegan by 1 willielee (Wicklow) - Posts: 41 - 31/08/2024 07:56:05 2567754 Link 0 |
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You make some good points that would be hard to argue with but, I am not really trying. My post was more an observation as to where we are at as a county than an argument. The knockouts should be interesting. As it looks now, Rathnew, having topped their group could end up facing Kiltegan or Blessinton. Kiltegan are another old school type footballing side. They don't really care who is in front of them. They just adapt and get on with it to the best of their ability. They could have a big day in who eventually lifts Miley.
Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1265 - 31/08/2024 08:02:48 2567755 Link 0 |
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Balto v Kiltegan Kiltegan by 2 Blessington v Pats. Pats by 4 Tinahely v Tochair. Tochair by 4 AGB v Barndarrig. AGB by 6 Rathnew v Eire Og. Rathnew by 6 Bray v Dunlavin Bray by 3. Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1265 - 31/08/2024 08:49:44 2567759 Link 0 |
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If I have this right, Blessington finish bottom and Tinahely finish in 4th due to the head to head with Pats ?? Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1265 - 31/08/2024 21:02:53 2567812 Link 0 |
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Pats were the unluckiest of teams this year. Very little if anything between all the teams in this group. I think this contributed to some exciting matches . Any of the teams in this group will fancy their chances in the quarter final although An Tochar are prob that small step ahead. roseyinthegarden (Wicklow) - Posts: 115 - 01/09/2024 12:02:50 2567856 Link 0 |
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Quarter finals are in... TeamActimel (Wicklow) - Posts: 12 - 01/09/2024 20:34:56 2567904 Link 0 |
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Top teams so far in each grade minor93 (Wicklow) - Posts: 78 - 02/09/2024 03:11:54 2567932 Link 0 |
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Carnew and Avondale ahead of Hollywood in the intermediate.
Dunlavin4Miley (Wicklow) - Posts: 10 - 02/09/2024 08:02:58 2567935 Link 0 |
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I think that Rathnew would shade An Tochair at senior. An Tochair still have frailties and were almost caught by Tinahely on Saturday. Inter. I would have Avondale followed by Carnew. Avondale have Conor Byrne back and have Cullen, Kearon, Baker and and at least 2 McGraynors with other fair footballers too. Jun A, Kilmac are strong but maybe an over reliance on young Fox ? Any 2 from Kilmac, Aughrim and Ashford.
Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1265 - 02/09/2024 08:27:50 2567940 Link 0 |