Coach says everything rosy in the Garden County
The way the league is currently structured, victory over the O’Moore County won’t give the Garden County automatic promotion to Division 1 for 2008. To attain that status the winners of Division 2 must play Limerick to decide who gets promoted and who will join Offaly in the loser division next season.
There may be a change to that for the coming year however. At the annual congress in Kilkenny last weekend, the powers that be were given permission to examine the structures for 2008, and there is every chance that Offaly may stay in the top flight despite losing heavily to Limerick in a play-off game last Sunday.
For Wicklow hurling and their coach John Mitchell, the chance to play in Thurles before a huge crowd will be a new experience, but it’s something the former Blarney and UCC player is eagerly looking forward to.
“I had hoped that Cork would have beaten Waterford in the semi-final as it would have given us that extra bit of support,” said Mitchell. “We’ll now have to depend on our own followers to carry along.”
“It’s going to be a great day for Wicklow and the lads. To play in Thurles is another huge step for us, but they’ll relish the opportunity. There is a very small pocket in the county for hurling and it’s a fantastic boost for those people promoting the game to see the county doing so well.
“We went into the league semi-final against Kildare without five first choice players, and things weren’t looking good for us coming up to full time and two points down. Leighton Glynn wasn’t able to start because of injury but we gambled and put him on. Thankfully he came up with the winning goal.
“The scenes at the final whistle were incredible. People were coming up to me with tears in their eyes, but I can only do so much, the rest is down to the players and they have been magnificent.
“Before I became involved, training was just one night a week, but now we can’t keep them out of the field.
Another knock-on benefit from the county’s success is that the club scene has improved greatly.
“I’m being invited to speak to clubs in Wicklow and I can see a bit of a buzz around the place. Clubs like Arklow Rocks and Avondale who were once the kingpins of the game in the county but fell on leans times, are on the way back, and it’s very much a case of a rising tide lifting all boats.
Apart from winning Division 2 of the league, Mitchell has set his sights on reaching the final of the Christy Ring Cup. Wicklow will play London in the first round, and then three counties, Carlow, Kildare and Derry all of whom they have already beaten.
“Should we get to the final that will be played as a curtain-raiser to the All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park and that would be amazing day out for the lads. So they have something to aim for.
“To win the league title would be massive, but we are now competing to win everything. Winning has become a habit and it’s one we want to keep.”
