Wicklow hurling management team step down just ahead of Hurling League

STEPPED DOWN: Wicklow hurling team is in disarray as their manager Casey O'Brien and his background team have stood down just a week ahead of the Allianz National Hurling League is due to start.  Pic:Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Wicklow hurling is in disarray as their manager Casey O'Brien and his background team have stood down just a week ahead of the Allianz National Hurling League is due to start.

It is reported by RTÈ that O'Brien's backroom team of Leighton Glynn, Billy Cuddihy and Graham Keogh have left also.

Wicklow are the 2023 Nickey Rackard Cup champions and they missed out on a place in the Division 2B final after a one point loss to Donegal in the semi-final.

The Garden County are due to play Donegal in their Division 2B opener in Aughrim on Sunday February 4 (2pm) giving the Wicklow county board a very short window to find a replacement management team.

Wicklow got off to a tough start in the Kehoe Cup with a heavy defeat to Kildare before withdrawing from scheduled games against Meath and Down.

Conor McNally, Sam O'Dowd and Luke Evans are the only three players who featured in the Nickey Rackard final and the Kildare game. It is understood that the availability of players was a key factor in the decision for the management team to step away.