Wicklow under-16s set for Gerry Reilly Memorial Tournament
WICKLOW will compete in the 28th anniversary of the Gerry Reilly Memorial under-16 inter-county football tournament in early July.
It is a tournament which Wicklow have had mixed fortunes in over the years, with the high point coming in 2014 when the Garden county side won the Gerry Reilly Plate competition.
Games in this competition are usually very competitive and played at a high standard.
Next year sees the All-Ireland under-17 football championship replacing the Minor championship, which gives all the counties a great opportunity in developing their teams for next year.
The opening games are on Saturday, July 1, with Monaghan taking on Wicklow and Laois taking on Louth.
On, Sunday, July 2, Dublin play Westmeath and Longford play Meath.
The competition proved a great success in providing a platform to launch inter-county football careers.
This is backed up with so many players from all the participating teams making it all the way to represent their Senior county teams
at the highest level. Indeed many went on to be national football All-Stars. Fixtures for the Gerry Reilly U-16 FT 2017:
The ‘round robin’ games are played on three successive weekends.
Group A: Laois, Longford, Louth and Meath
Group B: Dublin, Monaghan, Westmeath and Wicklow
Round 1 - Saturday, July 1 Group B: Monaghan v Wicklow at 1.00 pm.
Group A: Laois v Louth Sunday, July 2
Group B: Dublin v Westmeath at 4.00 pm.
Group A: Longford v Meath at 7.30 pm.
Round 2
Friday, July 7
Group A: Louth v Meath at 7.30 pm.
Saturday, July 8
Group A: Laois v Longford at 2.00 pm
Group B: Westmeath v Wicklow at 7.30 pm.
Sunday, July 9
Group B: Dublin v Monaghan at 7.00 pm.
Round 3
Saturday, July 15
Group B: Monaghan v Westmeath at 7.30 pm.
Group B: Dublin v Wicklow at 3.00 pm.
Sunday, July 16
Group A: Longford v Louth at 3.00 pm
Group A: Laois v Meath at 7.30 pm
All games in Millbrook, Oldcastle.
Finals: Weekend of July 29 and 30 for the Cup, Plate and Shield finals)
The tournament to be run on a ‘round robin’ basis, each team plays each other in their group. Two points for a win, one point for a draw
Group positions based on score difference in the event of teams on same points.
Top teams in each group qualify for the Gerry Reilly Cup final.
Second team in each group qualify for the Gerry Reilly Plate final.
Third team in each group qualify for the Gerry Reilly Shield final.
This tournament commemorates Gerry Reilly who died tragically in December 1987 at 16 years of age.
He had already proved to be a great footballer with huge potential to go on to great heights in the game.