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From chatting to a few people over the weekend a few things were mentioned to me - now whether they are gospel or not is another story. Doesn't seem that accounts were issued to clubs prior to the Convention. Has anyone heard differently? The Laois team was a second string, first team played a behind doors challenge game against another county. Galway and Meath did similar during the week I'm led to believe. Nevertheless an experimental team from us also, good spread of scorers and points kicked which we've struggled to kick in years gone by and a few minutes under the belt for Dean Healy and Paddy O'Kane. Dean particular great to see back! So still positives!! On the hurling front, I've been told that Casey is struggling to get the players that you would expect to see to play this year. Again how much truth is in any of the above I dont know, but both were said by 2/3 different parties each to me. So you would imagine the truth is somewhere in the middle as tends to be case. footballlover (Wicklow) - Posts: 98 - 15/01/2024 08:36:44 2520216 Link
Replying To footballlover: "From chatting to a few people over the weekend a few things were mentioned to me - now whether they are gospel or not is another story. Doesn't seem that accounts were issued to clubs prior to the Convention. Has anyone heard differently? The Laois team was a second string, first team played a behind doors challenge game against another county. Galway and Meath did similar during the week I'm led to believe. Nevertheless an experimental team from us also, good spread of scorers and points kicked which we've struggled to kick in years gone by and a few minutes under the belt for Dean Healy and Paddy O'Kane. Dean particular great to see back! So still positives!! On the hurling front, I've been told that Casey is struggling to get the players that you would expect to see to play this year. Again how much truth is in any of the above I dont know, but both were said by 2/3 different parties each to me. So you would imagine the truth is somewhere in the middle as tends to be case." Heard the same about Laois, also heard the same story for a Carlow last week but nobody is at their strongest at thì time of year so I wouldn't pay much attention to it. From the two games I've seen this year, it seems that we've got a good selection of forwards to choose from this year, albeit apart from Kevin Quinn, they lack physicality. I'd be a bit worried about the strength of defenders, I dont see a really strong 3 or 6 there which is crucial. You'd hope that someone like JT or Paul McLoughlin might be convinced to play to add some strength to the backs. Louth will be a step up you'd imagine. Victorious87 (Wicklow) - Posts: 597 - 15/01/2024 09:43:39 2520237 Link
Replying To liam500: "I was at the hurling match. Only one Bray player started. Not sure where the rest of them were. We'll need them back if we are to compete. Kildare seemed a step above us in most areas. On the juvenile front I hear there are big changes afoot in the academy squads. Limited parental involvement in squad selection and management from now on. Can only be a good thing if we have the resources to fund it." I heard this also Liam,it's a bold move and the people involved in this decision making have to be admired, not sure how well it has gone down with the underage coaches who got the chop especially when some of the squads made massive improvements last seasons (15s beaten in there final in 2023). Time will tell hopefully its positive. Albundy19 (Wicklow) - Posts: 40 - 15/01/2024 15:23:42 2520318 Link
Worrying to see the report of the Hurlers withdrawing from the Kehoe cup following the trimming from Kildare last Sunday. As already mentioned on here , you'd expect the Bray lads to be getting some time off at this time of year based on the workload they've had but the fact that prominent players from other clubs are not showing up on the named squad and Casey obviously doesn't see merit in continuing in the Kehoe Cup doesn't bode well for the year ahead. Hawkeye2 (Wicklow) - Posts: 121 - 17/01/2024 17:53:39 2520695 Link
Replying To Hawkeye2: "Worrying to see the report of the Hurlers withdrawing from the Kehoe cup following the trimming from Kildare last Sunday. As already mentioned on here , you'd expect the Bray lads to be getting some time off at this time of year based on the workload they've had but the fact that prominent players from other clubs are not showing up on the named squad and Casey obviously doesn't see merit in continuing in the Kehoe Cup doesn't bode well for the year ahead." It is indeed worrying. To my mind, the standard of hurling within the county has been slipping in recent years. Bray are way in front presently - although Carnew ran them close in last years final and they won the minor last year also but it's a big ask to seriously challenge Bray for another year or so, in my opinion. The fact that Bray went under to the eventual All Ireland winners in the Leinster possibly cloaks the manner of their beating. This in itself is an indicator of where senior hurling is in Wicklow. Look then at the second tier. Taking Pats out of it, I don't believe there is a team who would trouble any of our "senior" teams. The junior grade is a few notches below the intermediates. I think that coaching standards within our clubs might not be ideal. I know of a juvenile coach in one of our senior clubs who has no coaching qualifications other than a lifetime devoted to the game, but is that acceptable in the modern game ? The game and coaching techniques have turned head over heels since those days. Does our hurling officer take an active role in developing coaching at club level ? Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 999 - 17/01/2024 19:21:07 2520704 Link
I see that the Shield final scheduled for Blessington tonight is OFF. Cannot see it been refixed due to restricted calender. There will be now no more competitive matches until the league the following weekend. Any challenge matches instead. Jack L (None) - Posts: 3099 - 18/01/2024 12:47:56 2520804 Link
Replying To Freethinker: "It is indeed worrying. To my mind, the standard of hurling within the county has been slipping in recent years. Bray are way in front presently - although Carnew ran them close in last years final and they won the minor last year also but it's a big ask to seriously challenge Bray for another year or so, in my opinion. The fact that Bray went under to the eventual All Ireland winners in the Leinster possibly cloaks the manner of their beating. This in itself is an indicator of where senior hurling is in Wicklow. Look then at the second tier. Taking Pats out of it, I don't believe there is a team who would trouble any of our "senior" teams. The junior grade is a few notches below the intermediates. I think that coaching standards within our clubs might not be ideal. I know of a juvenile coach in one of our senior clubs who has no coaching qualifications other than a lifetime devoted to the game, but is that acceptable in the modern game ? The game and coaching techniques have turned head over heels since those days. Does our hurling officer take an active role in developing coaching at club level ?" It would be a real shame if the momentum of the Nicky Rackard win last year wasn't carried into the Christy Ring this year and at least be holding our own in there reasonably well. Agreed, Bray have raised the bar and certainly their willingness to do things different like competing in the Dublin league has contributed. I don't know why Carnew have never pursued that option in Wexford. Pats, Eire Og , Glenealy have all regressed a little it seems ,although interesting to see what Liam Dunne can do with Glenealy. The only green shoots in Senior seem to be Carnew & Kiltegan getting more competitive again. The situation with Avondale & Arklow is hugely concerning. Two traditional strongholds of the game. Particularly with The Rocks , i've seen plenty of their players appear on the panels of various Minor & U 20 teams over the last number of years but it does not seem to be bearing fruit within their adult team, to date anyway. When you look at what AGB has achieved in Football in the last 10 years, when they had no real pedigree to build upon, and you look at the history the Rocks have , this should surely be an area that our County Board and Hurling Officer (did they find a new one yet?) should be focusing on. Wicklow cannot afford for a town the size of Arklow to not be operating within Senior hurling. Hawkeye2 (Wicklow) - Posts: 121 - 18/01/2024 21:14:15 2520879 Link
Replying To Jack L: "I see that the Shield final scheduled for Blessington tonight is OFF. Cannot see it been refixed due to restricted calender. There will be now no more competitive matches until the league the following weekend. Any challenge matches instead." Playing Kildare Saturday in Hawkfield I was informed by a senior county board official. A good game to get to test the players again. heavyheart19 (Wicklow) - Posts: 116 - 19/01/2024 16:43:38 2521008 Link
Replying To Jack L: "I see that the Shield final scheduled for Blessington tonight is OFF. Cannot see it been refixed due to restricted calender. There will be now no more competitive matches until the league the following weekend. Any challenge matches instead." Playing Kildare Saturday in Hawkfield I was informed by a senior county board official. A good game to get to test the players again. heavyheart19 (Wicklow) - Posts: 116 - 19/01/2024 16:43:39 2521009 Link
Replying To heavyheart19: "Playing Kildare Saturday in Hawkfield I was informed by a senior county board official. A good game to get to test the players again." That will be a proper yardstick. With the league only around the corner, all teams will be starting to take shape. Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 999 - 19/01/2024 20:51:48 2521037 Link
Replying To heavyheart19: "Playing Kildare Saturday in Hawkfield I was informed by a senior county board official. A good game to get to test the players again." I'd imagine that Kildare game is off ? Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 999 - 21/01/2024 12:07:32 2521258 Link
Replying To Freethinker: "I'd imagine that Kildare game is off ?" Went ahead. Well beaten. I managed to see about 20 minutes. Massive difference in the 2 squads. heavyheart19 (Wicklow) - Posts: 116 - 21/01/2024 18:45:51 2521381 Link
Replying To heavyheart19: "Went ahead. Well beaten. I managed to see about 20 minutes. Massive difference in the 2 squads." It was supposed to be played behind closed doors. Obviously not Jack L (None) - Posts: 3099 - 21/01/2024 19:22:11 2521391 Link
Replying To heavyheart19: "Went ahead. Well beaten. I managed to see about 20 minutes. Massive difference in the 2 squads." In your opinion; what was the massive differences between the two squads, based upon what you saw? I have my own opinion on what I think are the differences but I would like to get some other peoples' perspectives. wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1910 - 22/01/2024 10:07:29 2521467 Link
Saw on Facebook the 2024 u17 hurling squad on a day out in Kilkenny. Looks to be a strong squad of minors and our best u16s. First match is vs Westmeath in the Leinster championship in March and then a few more in April in a group that also has Meath, Offaly and Antrim. Hopefully we will put in a strong showing. Gone are the days when we just grab a few young lads for the single day out each year. Seems to be a serious amount of work put into it this year after a few years of academy squad building. liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 175 - 22/01/2024 15:35:25 2521565 Link
Interesting score forecasting stats for our lads in the NFL prediction posts. Mostly the forecast is Down by 6. Some are kind to us with Down by 1, 3, 4 or 5. Some 8-10 and on the other extreme there is even a 15pt beating for us. Should be an interesting game. Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 999 - 23/01/2024 11:27:23 2521701 Link
Shame on the county board, shame on the players. If there was an Olympic event for bodging everything up and just walking away we would be top every time. sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2897 - 26/01/2024 10:14:48 2522142 Link
Replying To sponger: "Shame on the county board, shame on the players. If there was an Olympic event for bodging everything up and just walking away we would be top every time." Shouldn't go pointing fingers when we don't know the reasons yet. It's a serious commitment to play intercounty so I would seriously disagree with shaming players. There is very little incentive to play intercounty hurling in Wicklow. It's a really poor situation to find ourselves in. I'm not much of a hurling person so I wouldn't know the ins and outs of it, but I can't imagine there is only one single factor in this. Victorious87 (Wicklow) - Posts: 597 - 26/01/2024 10:49:39 2522146 Link
It's lust like when the last manager was in charge - lets sit around and watch Wicklow get relegated while players walk away. Tell me where I am telling lies. sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 2897 - 26/01/2024 11:39:29 2522155 Link
Replying To sponger: "It's lust like when the last manager was in charge - lets sit around and watch Wicklow get relegated while players walk away. Tell me where I am telling lies." Look you have got to realise that playing for your county is not the be all and end all that it was years ago. Players have other commitments . It's OK for bigger counties to have that lure to entice players in. We don'thave it. I don't blame the players. roseyinthegarden (Wicklow) - Posts: 109 - 26/01/2024 12:29:00 2522171 Link