BIG TESTS FOR WICKLOW

Wexford and Meath to ask major questions

AFTER last weekend’s difficult opening jousts for the Wicklow county teams, the Garden County footballers and hurlers are in action again this weekend in three games, two of which will be significant tasks.

On Saturday, Seamus Murphy and Michael Neary will send their ‘A’ side out to face Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford in the Walsh Cup in Ashford on Saturday at 2pm.

Carlow took care of the Wicklow challenge in Netwatch Cullen Park last weekend with three early goals killing off the Garden County hopes.

The results from this competition are unlikely to bother the Wicklow management a whole lot as it is experience of hurling at a higher level that they are looking for.

On Sunday, the ‘B’ side will travel to Louth to take on the home side at a venue to be decided and a victory here will be much more appreciated as Seamus Murphy looks to secure some silverware to get the year off to a winning start in one competition.

John Evans takes his footballers on the road this weekend when they make the trip to Navan on Sunday to take on Meath in their second game in the O’Byrne Cup at 2pm.

The defeat to Carlow in Bray on Sunday was disappoint- ing but it is early days yet for the Wicklow boss. Meath could provide more evidence of the size of the task at hand for Evans, however.

The Wicklow side looked a little lost against a Carlow team that were physcially dominant and looked to be far more advanced in terms of a game plan and defensive competency.

Evans handed out five debuts in the starting 15 and is still to welcome back the likes of James Stafford and Stephen Kelly to the ranks but supporters will no doubt be looking for major improvement when they take on the Royals.