Juvenile delight

Dates confirmed for underage fixtures

THE Wicklow Coiste na nÓg Return to Play 2020 programme was set out on Thursday evening last, with dates and groupings conducted by a Microsoft Teams meeting, between the clubs and Coiste officials.

‘Groupings/divisions have been evened up as much as possible, to ensure everyone gets a balanced amount of games, with the programme condensed into roughly a 12-week period,’ said Wicklow Coiste na nÓg Chairman Pat Dunne.

‘Only one draw will be required, that for the two groupings for the under-15 hurling championship, which will take place tonight (Wednesday, June 24) via another Teams meeting with the nine clubs concerned,’ he added.

Wicklow’s under-7 and under-9 footballers can look forward to games on Friday and Saturday, August 7 and 8 depending on your location within the county.

This will be followed by fixtures in various clubs on Friday and Saturday, August 21 and 22, Friday and Saturday, September 4 and 5, September 18 and 19, October 2 and 3 and finishing up on Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17.

The county’s under-11 footballers get their season up and running on Wednesday, August 5, with a round of games and they will be in action on Wednesday evenings on August 19, September 2 and September 16 before finishing off with two Saturday fixtures, September 26 and October 10.

It’s a Monday start for under-13 footballers with August 10 penciled in as their opening game after lockdown. It’s Monday evenings after that with fixtures falling on August 24, September 7, September 21, September 28, and October 5 before the ‘D’ championship sides play a round on Friday, October 9, ahead of the conclusion on Wednesday, October 21.

Under-15 footballers will mostly have a Wednesday slot for their games, starting on August 5 and taking in August 19, September 2, September 16, September 30, before switching to Saturday, October 17, and Monday, October 26.

Co. Wicklow’s Minor footballers will do battle on Monday evenings for the most part, starting on August 3 before taking in August 17, August 31, September 7, September 18, September 28 before finishing up on Sunday, October 11.

The under-7 and under-9 hurlers in the county will be the first to see competitive action when their Go Games campaigns get underway on Friday, July 31. Other dates for clashes around the county are August 14, August 28, September 11, September 25 and October 9.

Under-11 hurlers will enjoy a Friday evening opening game on August 7 but will then have Wednesday evening fixtures for the following four dates, August 12, August 26, September 9, and September 24 before concluding their season on Saturday, October 3.

The under-13 hurlers commence their campaign on Monday, August 3, and they stay with Monday evenings for the next two fixtures, August 17 and 31. It’s then on to Friday, September 4, Monday, September 14, Saturday, September 26 and Monday, October 12 to finish.

The county’s under-15 hurlers get their campaign up and running on Wednesday, August 12, followed by Wednesday evening games on August 20 and September 9 before switching to a Saturday on September 19. It’s back to Wednesday evening than for September 23 and October 7 before concluding on Saturday, October 24.

The Minor hurlers of the clubs in Wicklow will see action for the first time since lockdown on Friday, July 31. This will be followed by a round of games on Monday, August 10, and Monday, August 24, before switching to Friday on September 4. It’s two more Monday evenings then on September 14 and 21 before their season finishes up on Sunday, October 4.

Times and venues still be to decided. The second last dates on the under-13, 15 and Minor fixtures are the semi-finals with the finals being decided on the last date. Under-11 hurlers will likely play their finals on the last date with a home or away option.

According to Pat Dunne, Coiste na nÓg cannot guarantee that the Minor finals will take place prior to the SHC and SFC deciders as is the tradition as the dates for said finals won’t be known until after the County Board meeting this Saturday in Aughrim.

‘We will liaise and work in conjunction with the adult board to accommodate our Minors to play on county final day where feasible,’