Players will learn from loss, says Burke

DAVY Burke has defended the young players and debutants in his Wicklow team that lost out to Carlow in their O’Byrne Cup opener last weekend, saying that playing against a side of the experience and quality of Carlow will stand to them as the season unfolds.

Burke named an experimental, youthful team for Saturday’s contest in Netwatch Cullen Park, with Andy Maher, Fintan O’Shea and Eoin Darcy featuring in a starting XV that boasted an average age of just 24. Meanwhile, Burke handed debuts to the impressive Wayne Doyle, as well as Paddy O’Kane and Conor Healy.

Unfortunately, Wicklow would not be able to kick-off their season in the way they would have wanted, as they laboured to a 2-5 to 0-8 loss in a drab, lethargic encounter.

Despite the result, Burke insisted that he was happy with the performances from his young team, stating that there was more to come as the season progresses into 2020.

‘I am delighted with them,’ he said. ‘I think we had five debutants to start, and three or four more came on, so I’m delighted with them.

‘Wicklow have had some serious underage teams the last couple of years. There is no point in having them if we’re not going to use them.

‘What can the likes of Andy Maher learn from that? What do we think they are going to face in the league? It’s only going to be a step up again, so us petting them and looking after them at home is not going to do any good. They have to take the field. I think they’ll be better next week because of playing today.

‘Sean Murphy is a serious player. They’re proper, proper players, those [Carlow] boys. How much can young [Padraig] O’Toole learn from playing Sean Murphy for 70 minutes, you know?

In addition to offering encouragement to the young and inexperienced players in his panel, Burke stressed the importance of patience when it comes to the new management at the helm of the county senior footballers; affirming that, with time and a bit more preparation, Wicklow will be ready to challenge for promotion in 2020.

‘I’m very, very happy. Look, we’re a month together; 15th of November was our first day in the field, technically.

‘It’s year four of Turlough [O’Brien]’s regime [at Carlow]. We’re in three weeks or four weeks of Davy’s regime.

‘It’s very competitive. We have seven or eight lads at home carrying knocks or in the stand for whatever reason. There are a few Pat’s boys still to come back.

‘Of last year’s panel, I probably have 25 of them back, but I need to add 10 to that to provide competition. To be honest, over the next few games, I need to find more lads, and get more experience into the younger boys and stay competitive, and we’ll be right there in Division Four.’