Useful workout for Minors as sevens plan fails
BRENDAN LAWRENCE at Ballinakill
THE plan for an under-17 hurling sevens tournament failed miserably on Monday evening last when only four clubs sent players to take part.
Organised by Wicklow hurling GDA Jonathan Tallon, the sevens blitz was designed to give young hurlers competitive games following complaints from clubs about lack of hurling.
The event was received with wholesale support by clubs earlier in the year and dates agreed upon. However, as the date approached, Carnew Emmets, Bray Emmets, Luke O’Toole’s and Michael Dwyers contacted the organisers to say they would have no teams entered on the night.
Tallon, a man who seems to be able to turn a negative into a positive, refused to let the evening be a disaster and he turned the small numbers from Pat’s, Glenealy and Avondale Parnells into a useful workout for the Wicklow Minor hurlers who also attended on Monday evening ahead of their Celtic Challenge semi-final battle with Derry in Iniskeen, County Monaghan, this Saturday at 12.30pm.
The Minor hurling panel did contain players from Carnew and Bray Emmets in Ballinakill on the night it should be said.
The Wicklow Minors enjoyed a superb group journey through their Celtic Challenge tournament, topping their group and only suffering one defeat, that at the hands of Kildare in their last and more or less meaningless game in Hawkfield.
Their group performances meant that they had qualified for the quarter-final against Down. However, last Friday, word came through that the Down side had withdrawn from the tournament anbd Wicklow had been awarded a walk-over and a pathway through to the semi-final where they will now face Derry.
Derry finished second behind the Down side in their group and will be a stiff test for Owen Doyle’s side but one they are more than capable of nevigating with captain David Maloney leading the charge.
Victory in the semi-final will propel Wicklow to the final where they would meet the winners of the semi-final between Limerick Treaty and Galway Tribesmen.
First, however, it’s the clash withDerry.