Wicklow give lesson to students

at Greystones out to George O’Brien that didn’t seem necessary when he could have taken an easy point but he had other ideas.

He stopped while George collected possession, lulling the full back into a false sense of security, before a sudden burst of speed gave him a couple of yards of space to take the ball back and unleash a rocket into the top corner from 14 metres.

You have to laugh at how easy he made it look.

Seamus Murphy and Michael Neary took the opportunity in the second half to empty their entire bench and have a look at some of their players.

James Cranley did well and impressed, if perhaps he tried to do too much.

Neary gave his reaction a couple of hours after the match and spoke about how happy the management were with the victory.

“It was a chance to get more game time for the players. We had to win the match even if they weren’t very strong.

“We were pleased with the shooting and some of the performances like Eamonn Kearns, Garry Byrne and George O’Brien. We have nearly forty players training and it was good to get everyone out there today and have a look at the substitutes.

“We have huge competition for places. We’d like to get into the final just to have another match at least.”

Neary also touched on some of the improvements that could be made before looking towards the league.

“We’d have liked to have been tighter in defence and more clinical, especially in the first half. We had a couple of goal chances that we didn’t convert.

“Our first two league matches are very important, away to Roscommon before being at home to Mayo.

“We need to win those to set us up for the league and give us a chance. We’d like to be competitive again and not be in a relegation battle at least.”

It’s Trinity next weekend and Wicklow will go in as favourites.

They’ll face tougher opposition in the coming months but the win over IT Tallaght will be good for the confidence.

Scorers – Wicklow: Christy Moorehouse (8f, 1 65) 0-16; Andy O’Brien 3-04; James Cranley, George O’Brien 1-01 each; Andrew Kavanagh, John Connors 0-02 each; Eamonn Kearns, Padraig Doyle, Enda Donohoe, Eugene Dunne, Gorge Connors 0-01 each.

IT Tallaght: Adrian Clabby (7f) 0-07; Adam Doyle 2-00.

Wicklow: Robert Fitzgerald; Oisin Furlong, Warren Kavanagh, Martin O’Brien; Garry Byrne, Eamonn Kearns, Peter Keane; Ronan Keddy, John Connors; Christy Moorehouse, Padraig Doyle, Enda Donohoe; George O’Brien, Andy O’Brien, Mikey Lee. Subs: Andrew Kavanagh for Mikey Lee (10 mins); Tiernan Mellon for Enda Donohoe, Eugene Dunne for Martin O’Brien (both 46 mins); Joey Driver for Andrew Kavanagh, George Connors for Padraig Doyle (both 48 mins); Wayne Kinsella for Ronan Keddy (50 mins); Ruairi O’Neill for Peter Keane, James Cranley for Andy O’Brien (both 52 mins); Michael Connors for Garry Byrne (55 mins); Paddy Mellon for George O’Brien, Peter O’Reilly for Robert Fitzgerald (both 57 mins).

IT Tallaght: Keith Byrne; Makwan Moildi, John Keane, Jack McDonald; Adam Mitchell, Paul O’Brien, Graham Proctor; Adam Doyle, Ciaran Whelan; Joey Canon, Conor Byrne, Adrian Clabby; Darragh Pepper, James Cavanagh, Danny Scully.

Referee: Antoin Keating (Dublin)