New Wicklow boss wants united front

HUGH KENNY has been appointed manager of the Wicklow senior football team, replacing former Dublin goalkeeper John O’Leary who held the position for four years.

Kenny, a member of the Baltinglass club, was given the right to pick his own selectors but must put them before the county board for ratification.

Kenny is the holder of eight county SFC medals, a Leinster club medal and an All-Ireland club medal, won in 1990. (Baltinglass beat Cork champions Castlehaven in the semi-final).

He also won two Railway Cup medals with Leinster in 1995 and 1996 at full back, an All-Ireland B SFC medal with Wicklow in 1992 and an All-Ireland JFC medal last year when the Garden County defeated Kerry unexpectedly in the final. He is employed as a full-time coach by the Leinster Council for Wicklow county.

At his own request, he has taken the job for just one year: “It’s something of a poison chalice here in Wicklow, and someone has to take on the job and try and get football within the county back to where it was some years ago,” he said.

“It’s no secret we have problems at county board level, club level and with our supporters. They are not pulling together. If I can succeed in bringing all three together then I’d have achieved something in that period.

“The talent is within the county to be beating counties like Louth, Longford, Carlow, Wexford and Westmeath. People tend to forget that Dublin beat us in the Leinster U21 football final last year and that vocational teams within in the county are always in the honours list each year.

“I’m not going to set any unrealistic goals and will settle to win our next game for a start. Whatever I’m going to do, I hope to see an improvement within the 12 months. Otherwise there is no point in carrying on.”

Meanwhile Offaly football captain Cathal Daly has dismissed suggestions that the senior players are considering going on strike in protest at the removal of Paul O’Kelly as manager.

Instead, the players are to meet with the county board top brass in the next week to seek better conditions and to ’clear the air’.

When asked if O’Kelly’s treatment would be one of the issues discussed, Daly remained tight-lipped. “We’re not going to say a lot about it until we have the meeting,” he said.

“That’s what we agreed. But obviously we feel a few small things could make the difference to a team that lost championship games by only a couple of points this year. We’re not looking for mad things and there’ll be no strike if people think that’s what we’re about,” the Tullamore man added.

The GAC has fixed Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow as the venue for the replay of the All-Ireland MFC between Laois and Dublin on Sunday, October 12. Throw-in is 3.30 pm.

Dublin mentor Shane O’Hanlon said he had no problem with the venue and expects a huge crowd to travel to the replay.

“It’s only down the road so to speak for both counties,” he said. “Looking back on the game, a draw was probably a fair result although we had a couple of chances to win it before Laois got their equaliser.

“It’s all to play for in the replay but we are concerned about the fitness of our centre back Gerard Brennan. He picked up a thigh injury early in the match and was eventually taken off just before half time. He’s extremely doubtful for the replay.”

Meanwhile former Galway hurler John Ryan, has died, aged 45. Ryan won an All-Ireland SHC medal with the Tribesman in 1980 against Limerick. His younger brother Eanna won two All-Irelands medals (’87 and ’88).