PREMIER UPGRADE Will the new merger with LSL improve our top flight?
SEAVIEW WANDERERS will have the honour of playing the first game in the new O’Neill’s LFA/ WDFL Andy McEvoy Premier Division when they take on Knocklyon United at the Bridgewater Centre Park at 7.30pm on Friday evening.
The brand new and dramatically different Premier Division will feature five Wicklow teams and five teams from the Leinster League.
The WDFL released the following statement when the news broke last week.
“The Leinster Football Association at their Executive Council Meeting on Tuesday night last gave their consent for the Wicklow League and Leinster Football League to combine for the purpose of forming a viable Premier Division between both League’s. This formation will be reviewed at the conclusion of the current season, and, if successful, will be repeated for the 2017/18 season.
“This is a forward step for both Leagues with all involved working towards a continuance. The Wicklow clubs involved are 100 per cent behind this venture and see it as a huge step forward for the League.
“It is scheduled to kick off week ending October 2.
“The five Wicklow teams, Ashford Rovers, Newtown United, Seaview Wanderers, Rathnew AFC and Wicklow Town will be joined by five teams from the Leinster League”.
The Andy McEvoy Premier 1 will now consist of: Ashford Rovers A, Blackrock College, Knocklyon Utd, Newtown Utd A, Rathnew AFC A, Rialto FC, Seaview Wanderers, Tallaght City A, Tallaght City B, Wicklow Town.
Many people reacted positively to the move when the story broke on the Wicklow People Facebook page.
Newtown United’s Hughie Nolan said that all parties should be applauded for their efforts.
“All parties need to be applauded on this move. At last a bit of thinking outside the box. Let’s hope little things like lack of communication doesn’t throw a spanner in the works.
“Tradionalists might not go for this but something had to be done. Personally I think it breathes new life into the league,” he wrote.
Mark Nolan said that: “Things needed to be sorted on the refs side too. Imagine driving to Tallaght from Arklow and the ref doesn’t show. Happening too many times. As for the Dublin teams coming to the league it’s good to see WDFL trying to improve the league but not sure this is the answer. We will see. I’d like to see the likes of Enniskerry, Wicklow Rovers St. Peter’s Boys back in the Premier division.
Damo Gill was of the opinion that it doesn’t reflect well on the league if they have to go outside of the county to get teams to play.
“Just goes to show just how badly run the league is when they have to draft teams in from the LSL cause they can’t get 10 teams in their own Premier,” he wrote.