AOB is me. Alan O’Brien and AB is Amie Byrne!

AOB: Wicklow are playing in the All Ireland Final tomorrow. What does that mean to you?

AB: Playing in Croke Park for Wicklow is something I’ve dreamed about for years. My grandad Jimmy Byrne represented Wicklow 50 years ago in Croke Park so it’ll be a proud moment for all the family I hope (& Wicklow).

AOB: If you were to describe this current Wicklow team how would you sum them up?

AB: A lot of us have been playing on this team for such a long time & we know each other so well & what this would mean to each other, so I think going out on to Croke Park tomorrow having gelled so well can only serve us in the most positive way.

AOB: New York were somewhat unknown in the first meeting. Having seen them, where do you feel their danger lies?

AB: I think it would be wrong to underestimate any area of their team, but I suppose in the last match it was clear that they have some very strong forwards, particularly one or two who did the majority of the scoring so we’ll have to watch them… closely, but every single one of us knows who we’re up against tomorrow, we won’t be underestimating anyone but we feel we know exactly what we have to go out and do tomorrow.

AOB: That’s great to hear…won’t keep you too long….some light-hearted questions now! Honesty needed! Who spends the longest in front of the mirror after a match (I ask the Senior men this too!)

AB: No problem!! ha-ha ok after a match?? ha-ha I’d have to say.. I’d have to say Monica Lynch, shower then make-up!

AOB: I’m sure Monica will love u for that! If Wicklow win tomorrow will Caitriona cry during her speech?

AB: I’ve a feeling she’ll give such a good speech that she’ll have the rest of us in tears first!

AOB: Amie thanks a million for chatting to us. We wish you all the best and hope you ladies bring it home 2moro! Cill Mhantáin Ábu!

AB: Thank you so much for having me and appreciate all the support you’ve given us, fingers crossed!

Amie is just one legend among a whole panel of ladies that deserve our support tomorrow.

Wicklow play New York at 2.30pm in Croke Park tomorrow with Tickets available at the stadium.

Be loud, be proud….support your County tomorrow!

A word on the 10 point victory against Carlow, was the panel that confident going into it that they would win so well?

We were confident going into it alright but we didn’t think we would win it by 10 points because they are always tough games against Carlow with the rivalry and then the Thomas Walsh factor.  We knew we were well capable of winning it and if we played well we could win it well but we said on the day if we could win it by a point we were happy.  It was good to come out of Portlaoise with a win against them which gets us straight into the next round.

This year there seems to be a revenge mission at every round (against teams that beat us last year), Carlow had the added spice of Thomas Walsh and then this weekend’s game against Westmeath which could potentially set up a meeting with Kildare.  Is that a factor for the players?

I don’t think it’s a major factor that’s just the way things have panned out but we are at the stage now in our fourth year with Micko that we are just trying to progress in Championship and it doesn’t really matter what team we meet.  If it’s Kildare, Westmeath or whoever we are capable of beating them and getting into the next round.  Westmeath beat us last year so we know they are a tough team but we can beat them this year.  If it was Kildare in this round it doesn’t matter we just want to beat whoever is in front of us and get to a Leinster Final.

Are you glad Westmeath have their big guns back so you can beat them with their best or would you rather be facing them without the Glennon’s or the Dolans?

It doesn’t matter who they have, we know we are well capable of beating Westmeath and if we perform on the day we think we can beat anyone in Leinster.  Dublin would be the toughest but we would put it up to them.  We are on a bit of a roll now from last year and we are well capable of getting to a Leinster Final and that’s our aim at the moment.

Wicklow Team named here

Match Preview here

Are the media guilty of over covering the more successful Counties and offering a lack of coverage for the so called weaker Counties? And could there be more done for the weaker Counties in term of media coverage?

Yeah there could be more done for the weaker Counties but it’s like minority sports as well who get very frustrated but the reality is audience drives the big programmes both National newspaper sales and television and the advertisers want a big audience so they won’t advertise with it.  The big audiences tend to go with the big Cork Tipperary match the Dublin matches and the figures are reflective of this as you go through and you can get quarter hour figures which illustrate this also.  So it’s a bit like a minority sport unfortunately.  Like boxing was out of the scene for a long time but then after the Olympics, Bernard Dunne and Katie Taylor boxing is trendy again at the moment but if we don’t have big success it will dip again and that’s the nature of it and it’s not fair and more could be done but that’s the reality of it.  In the end it’s down to economics and newspapers need to sell.

Marty Morrissey described Leighton Glynns goal on Sunday as a possible contender for goal of the season.  Glynn was nominated for an All Star last year.  Would he have won it if he wore a Kerry jersey?

Well he would have got 3 or 4 more matches if he wore a Kerry jersey that would have helped him.  I’m not saying Marty is prone to exaggeration but it’s the first game of the season and the first goal of the season and it was a great goal and it proved Wicklow are set up.  Would he have got an All star with another team?  Well he would have got the opportunity to shine.  By the nature of not having as many matches and not having the chance to play with six All stars on his team, he would be bound to get more recognition if he was playing in a Kerry jersey.

Players and fans around the Garden speak very highly of Mick O’Dwyer.  What does Micko mean to the media and you personally?

To me personally he means a lot because I used to work for the Kerry man during the great years.  I joined the Kerry man 31 years ago and I was a Dub at the height of the Kerry Dublin thing so I personally have a lot of time for him.  Micko was a bit suspicious of me as a young Dubliner at first but once he got to know me I was grand.  I am very fond of him and I have great respect for him and to see what he has achieved everywhere he has gone is a massive tribute to him and it is very interesting to see the reaction of the other Laois players after Colin Parkinson made those comments last Saturday.  So I have huge time for him.  I can tell if my weight is going up or down, Micko always says I am looking strong or I have failed a bit!! Which means I have lost a bit but the weights gone up a bit lately because he said I was looking stronger than the last time!

With all that faith in Micklo will you be having a sneaky tenner on Wicklow to win the Leinster Championship this year?

Leinster is wide open.  Dublin have to be the team to beat in Leinster and the strange thing about Dublin is I reckon I cannot name ten of the Dublin team that will play in the Championship because Pat Gilroy has used so many of the youngsters in the League which is a good thing I think but it means there is uncertainty now that he has to pick his Championship team. Will he revert back to the tried and tested or will he stick with the younger lads?  So there is great uncertainty around Dublin and where they will go but I hope Wicklow can build on it but it will be hard to build on.  I was in Aughrim last year for the Down match and that was one of my favourites days, the best day of the summer.  The atmosphere was brilliant.

We would like to thank Des Cahill for taking the time to talk to us.  From start to finish he was an absolute gentleman and we look forward to speaking to him again in the future.

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“This was a tough team to pick.  We have a better quality of player who wants to play for Wicklow.  Micko has instilled a hunger to represent Wicklow and all these lads have been trialled and played in matches and they are ready to go.  We can only pick 15 players but we have the opportunity to introduce 5 subs that can change the game.  That’s why a strong panel is so important.

Each position is completely strong because there is a willingness to play and perform.  Leighton is a match winner obviously but that is not secret.  The Country has seen his ability first hand when he was winning matches for Ireland (International Rules Series)”

On Dara O’hAnnaidh;

“We have no concerns over Dara he is the perfect exile.  He trains away himself and his experience, skill and hunger are great.  Micko is a big fan because his attitude is perfect.”

“The League and O’Byrne Shield showed that this will be a 50/50 game.  There will be nothing in this.  Championship football is what it’s all about and this team is ready.  If you are not fed you are hungry and these lads are hungry to succeed.”

Alan O’Briain was talking to Jimmy Whittle.

For details of both teams ahead of the big match CLICK HERE

Gerry Grehan Spoke to Wicklow GAA Online about this years Senior Football Championship and what to expect:

“Looking at the draw, it’s the perfect draw for the county Board. Every team will feel they have something to play for so we could be looking at some cracking games.

Take Group 1 & 4. you’d have to say Rathnew and Baltinglass will come out of those respectively, but for the remainder of the teams, it will be somewhat of a mini championship. Every game being crucial as the next.

In Group 3, you have 3 teams that have reached the Quarter Finals over the past couple of years, Kiltegan, Bray & Newtown all vying for one place. Add Hollywood into the mix who will be a big challenge for all three and you have what we traditionally call the ‘Group of Death’.

Group 2 is a tough one too; although you would say St. Pat’s have enough experience to get out of it. But then you’ve got Dunlavin playing Senior Football for the first time in ten years, they’ll be massively up for it. Tinahely have faired well over the last couple of years and Belssington are a clever team. There will be some mighty battles.

As for the eventual winner?

Well this really is a year for someone to have a good go of it. Rathnew have a squad that has really come together and are looking impressive. Pat’s have a panel good enough to win it and they were good enough last year but defensively they are a bit weak. They really miss Gary Jameson but it will be interesting to see how Gerry Farrell organises them. Kiltegan will find it tough, Baltinglass are never to far away and Carnew are always an interesting championship team.

But you really have to look back at who has the pedigree and Rathnew, Baltinglass and St. Pats have that experience, over 60 of the 125 Championships have gone to those teams.

Either way, it should be a cracking championship!”

We would like to thank Gerry for taking the time to speak to us.

Read Gerry’s Newsletter here or subscribe to his mailing list!

You broke your collarbone last year, how frustrating is it being out injured?

Very tough, to train so hard during the winter and spring and compete for a starting place and then to miss out on championship because of it is hard to take.

You missed the O’Byrne Cup/Shield with college obligations.  Do you agree with playing with the College as opposed to your County?

It’s always nice to get games no matter what team you’re with but it is hard to come back into the county team after being away with the college for so long.

Back in a Wicklow shirt last week, good to be back?

Yeah, there’s no better feeling than playing for your county… there’s lots of competition in this squad, it’s nice to play in any game, so just have to put the head down between now and the Carlow game and fight for a place!!

What are your thoughts on the Limerick game?  Is promotion a priority now?

Limerick are a tough team as they showed last year against Cork, and they won’t want to slip up after losing to Waterford last week but this Wicklow team is really beginning to grow in confidence and a win against Limerick on Sunday would set us up nicely for promotion.

If you could take any Inter County player from any County for the Wicklow Team who would you pick and why?

Declan O’ Sullivan of Kerry. He has everything a forward needs; he’s strong, fast, great accuracy, great ball carrier and is a really intelligent player!! A great leader in attack!

Who is the Wicklow player most in love with himself?

There are a lot of lads in love with themselves in that squad but i’d have to give it to Hyland (Ciaran) and his timberland boots!!

Who is the worst dressed?

Mervyn Travers would probably shade the worst dressed over Jacko!

Who is the biggest joker?

Dean Odlum would be the joker; he always has something to say!!!

Great win against Longford. Did you expect to win by so much on the day?

No. We didn’t think we would win by so much. We played them last year and we were lucky to win. We thought it might have been closer. The forwards done well from the off and were on hand to punish all their mistakes

Big game against Laois this week – what’s the feeling in the camp ahead of the match?

It’s a big game and we are all looking forward to it. It’s a great chance to make up for last years defeat and it would be good to get a big name scalp. Everyone is really looking forward to getting out and playing.

How important is home advantage?

Crucial.  Hopefully there will be a big crowd to support us this year. The seniors were well supported in Aughrim last year and it paid off for them so hopefully it will be the exact same this Saturday for us.

Should the game have been played before the Senior League Game?

It would be nice to be a curtain raiser for the seniors but all that we are worried about is getting a win and Saturday and making the semi finals.

Can we win the Leinster Championship?

We are taking each game as it comes. Laois is the big test and if we get over that we will think about reaching the final. We just take 1 game at a time and build from there but it is a possibility.

U 21 player most in love with himself – Robert Lambert. (Hair gel like Jedward)

Worst dress sense – Roddy Carroll

Biggest Joker – Ciaran Walshe (never leave your towel down beside him)

I would like to thank Brian for his time and wish him a happy birthday and good luck this Saturday.

Under 21 Leinster Championship – Wicklow v Laois – Aughrim 2.30pm Saturday 6/3/2010

Describing Wicklow’s trip to face the exiles as a lovely opportunity to meet people from his birthplace Feily was impressed with Wicklow’s new brand of quick football.  Reminiscing on the older days the Rathdrum native felt at times the ball appeared to be picked off the ground but conceded that’s looks may have been conceiving as the game was a lot faster than back in the day!  The spritely 75 year old reserved a special mention for the travelling Wicklow Gaels whose company he enjoyed immensely.

Feily didn’t even realise there was a match in Ruislip as the Wicklow People is not available in Kilburn anymore!!  A chance meeting with Daryl Tighe and Peader Smith to name a few of the gaels on tour duly informed Felim of the match and he was joined in the Emerald Grounds by his Son and other family members.

Ger Reilly an inside forward from Donard and Jim Rogers ranked highest among Felim’s favourite players and as the evening drew to a close the Emerald Grounds offered the perfect setting for a Wicklow Gael who found pastures new to reminisce of his home County.

While McWalter plays in the backs for Wicklow he was known for his versatility on a soccer pitch with spells in midfield, on the left wing and up front.  In 2005 Pat finished UCD’s top scorer in the league with 7 goals.  Those scoring exploits would help explain the history teacher’s eagerness to get forward and split the posts in the Blue and Gold of the Garden County.  Last year against Clare McWalter took the ball from his centre back position and burst forward with speed, control and determination before taking a score that prompted Mick O’Dwyer to proclaim after the match that it was “as good a score as I have ever seen”.

A huge compliment from a man that has been part of and witnessed some of the finest football teams our sport has ever seen.

Alan O’Brien spoke with Pat ahead of this weekends National League second round tie with Leitrim.

Opening day defeat to Clare last weekend in the National League – Is it a game we should have won?

Definitely we were disappointed with it really.  While May is the big agenda we do want to get out of the league and when it’s a game that you are dominating like that, I don’t know what happened to us, we just switched off.  Very like some of the league games last year.  We just stopped playing.  Micko was delighted with the effort we showed but we were all disappointed with the way the last 20 minutes went.

How important is it to bounce back against Leitrim this Sunday?

Ah well we need that big time.  Three outings and we haven’t won and winning becomes a habit so we want to fix that, and I think it’s getting better.  Last week wasn’t great but it was a lot better than the two O’Byrne Cup matches.  We are doing an awful lot more football in training and I think hopefully we will turn it on this Sunday.

You suffered a serious cruciate knee ligament injury in 2006.  Did you ever think you would not get back to play at a top level again?

Well that’s always the fear but I had good physio with the soccer all the time, they were all saying that it’s so common nowadays that everyone does get back once you apply yourself.  At the time I had just finished college and I spent three months just doing total rehab before I got a job, so that made it a lot easier because the rehab is very intense.  When you come back playing then you’re always nervous for a while but it never gave me a bother, touch wood.

You made 164 soccer appearances for UCD before retiring to play Inter County football with Wicklow – Are you happy with the choice in hindsight?

I have to say now that I enjoyed the soccer but I come from a Gaa family and I always wanted to give it a crack when Micko was there.  The timing then last year was just right and I am delighted with the decision I made.  I really enjoyed the soccer though and it was a great experience.  In many ways it has helped me, I dedicated myself to the soccer and now the commitment to the Inter County is so high it has made it easier because I was giving that level of dedication already.  The changeover wasn’t that hard.

What is it like to work with Mick O’Dwyer?

Ah, he is a great bit of stuff.  He has been there two years and I was always wondering what it is going to be like in a dressing room with him.  I have never played under a manager that gives you such confidence to go out and play and that is probably his biggest thing.  The confidence he gives the players and the passion he has for the game, he really is everything you would think he is.  A legend really and we are privileged to have him and that’s why we know it is important to do as well as we can while he is here.

Do you think that Wicklow have a realistic chance of winning a Leinster Title in the next 10 years?

Well we would hope so.  We won’t get too carried away with what we done last year in the qualifiers but the biggest thing we got from last year is confidence.  Everybody is looking at it now and aside from the top three or four teams there is not a huge gap between the rest and that’s what the qualifiers showed us last year.  All we can do is give it our shot and the commitment is fantastic, everyone’s putting the effort in and if you’re not going to be good enough at the end of the day then let it not be for the lack of hard work.  For now we are just focused on May and Carlow and nobody is getting ahead of themselves. Carlow is a massive, massive game.  Get over that and then we can worry about it.

In ten years time we should benefit from bigger numbers playing the game on the back of Micko coming and so it’s important to kick it on when Micko leaves for the next generation.

Wicklow player most in love with himself – Paul Earls

Worst dress sense – Any of the lads from the West (they haven’t a clue!!)

Biggest Joker – Gotta be Dean (Odlum) again

Amazingly Ciaran didn’t kick an O’Neills ball until he went to school in Good Counsel College in New Ross, County Wexford.  Having played soccer up to that stage, the Arklow man found himself togging out to play Gaelic Football as Old Counsel did not play soccer.  Considering his late arrival to Gaelic Games the unassuming prison officer has amassed quiet a trophy haul with four south Leinster titles, three Leinster titles and a coveted Hogan Cup medal in 1999 when Good Counsel won the All-Ireland Colleges A title against Jarlath’s of Tuam.  Of course he also played a pivotal role in Wicklow’s Tommy Murphy Cup triumph against Antrim in 2007 which was followed up in 2008 by Wicklow’s first Championship win in Croke Park against Kildare before a rise from the ashes run to the last 12 of last year’s All Ireland Championship.

Ahead of the 2010 season www.wicklowgaaonline.com spoke to Ciaran Hyland on his ambitions for the season ahead, the upcoming league game against Clare and his All Star Nomination.

Can Wicklow improve from last year?

Definitely I think anyway, this year’s team compared to last year’s team is totally different again.  The first two games this year in the O’Byrne Cup we didn’t get off to a great start but I think it was the same last year when we started off with a defeat to Louth by a greater score.  So definitely, obviously last year was the best year Wicklow has ever had, but I think we can improve on it this year.  Micko wouldn’t be sticking around if he didn’t think we could so as far as I am concerned and all the young lads that have come onto the panel we can definitely improve on last year.

Is promotion from Division 4 a priority or is it all about Championship?

We haven’t talked about it in great detail and we obviously want to get out of Division 4 but I think the main thing always lies in Championship and anyone that knows Mick O’Dwyer will know that’s what he always concentrates on.  We were not too concerned about the O’Byrne Cup with all the young players coming in but Micko will be looking for a good start this weekend against Clare.  We will definitely be looking to get out of Division 4 this year and we feel that we should be out of the Division at this stage.  With that said the main focus is still the 16^th May and Carlow.  The next five or six weeks though will get 100% and everything we have to get out of that Division.

How important is a good start against Clare this Sunday?

Massive, two years ago we should have got out of Division 4 but it came down to one or two games and games we should have won.  Down in Clare two years ago, same venue, same everything we played them and they beat us in torrential rain and when we looked back on that game at the end of the campaign if we had won it we would have got up to Division 4.

The first game is massive and to get a win and a good start would be great.

What are your thoughts on a derby against Carlow in the Championship?

As a draw I think it’s a good draw, ourselves and Carlow are still perceived as the weaker Counties so I suppose we could have got the Dubs or Kildare so we have to look at it as a plus that we did get Carlow but we played Carlow in the O’Byrne Cup a few weeks ago and they beat us by six points.  We know they are going to be tough, a local derby match again.  In Wexford park a few years ago they beat us in a match (Championship) that we thought we were going to win and that stunned us a bit.  So we won’t be looking past Carlow.  The lads are looking forward to it, we will be ready and up for it but certainly nobody is looking past Carlow.

Massive personal honour last year with the All-Star nomination – Should you have won it?

(Long laugh)

You’re probably asking the wrong person that question!!  I don’t know, I wasn’t expecting to be nominated at all to tell the truth but I was over the moon, delighted that I did.  I had a good year personally last year but I think it’s very hard to pick one or two lads out of the team.  I thought everyone had a great year from Travers in the goal to Paul Earls at corner forward and the lads that came on against Westmeath.  Delighted to be nominated and would have loved to get it but I was just delighted to be up there with the big names like Galvin & the O’Ses and those kind of lads, Leighton as well.

Who is the best player you ever marked?

Oh there have been a good few.  John Doyle (Kildare) is a good one.  Good head on his shoulders and knows how to play it.  I really don’t know there’s been that many but Paddy Bradley from Derry is very tough to mark.  Any two footed player because they can turn you and leave you so I if pushed I would say Bradley.

For a bit of craic we finished the interview with a few light hearted questions about his team mates.

Wicklow player most in love with himself – James Stafford

Worst dress sense – Tony Hannon – No doubts

Biggest Joker – Dean Odlum

Alan O’Brien was speaking to Ciaran Hyland