Manager O’Brien rues a missed opportunity
KEVIN O’Brien looked back on his team’s journey and while he is full of pride for his players and their achievement he only felt one emotion in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.
“It’s extreme disappointment. We’ve just lost a Leinster semi-final which we’re not used to being in. We can look at things that happened against us but Kildare are a fine team and they’ll be the better of two strong games against Meath. It’s disappointing but we wish Kildare the best of luck.”
Wicklow started the game minus three of their named players, with Gavin Fogarty (stiches in his knee), Alan Barrett (cartilage) and Andy Foley (collarbone) all ruled out of the match through injury.
“We’re not looking to make excuses. We went into the game today without three players, we thought we might get one to come on but it didn’t happen. They are three valuable players who have been playing with us all year but we didn’t dwell on it, the players who came in have been coming in anyway.”
Wicklow, and O’Brien, will look back on the game in the knowledge that they had an opportunity to win.
“The chances were there, we missed a few 45s, we had two brilliant goal chances. Usually Johnny (Keogh) puts that away. Just before half time we were disappointed with the goal we conceded, the ball was flicked over the goalkeeper’s head. But these are 16 and 17-year olds, Shaun Cranley probably brought one of the best saves off the goalkeeper, if it was in the World Cup they’d probably analyse it every night.
“We had chances and they kept going until the very end. Of course we’re disappointment, we’ll look at the video and pull it apart why we lost.
“But the lads will be the better for it. We had four 16-year olds out there, we played a Dublin side that didn’t have one 16-year old in their panel.
“They’ve given everything, they fought like tigers. We kept saying they are representing themselves, their family, their own little area in Wicklow but when they’re in this dressing room they’re representing Wicklow.”
O’Brien knows the effort the young team made to get so far in the Leinster championship and set the path for the coming years.
“Our story doesn’t change. We got the guys in the dressing room in January and we asked them to try and make a difference, no matter what has happened with other teams in Wicklow, this is our team. We wanted the guys to put in an honest and committed effort, we asked the parents to put in an honest and committed effort which they did, they were fantastic.
“There’s exceptional pride in that, of course it’s disappointing to lose a Leinster semi-final. We told the guys there’s a bulk of people out there looking for a team to follow and I think they saw that in Newbridge when I asked them to go and thank the crowd and the place erupted and I think they saw that again today.
“They wanted to make a difference and they have made a difference.”
For the first time in a long time the car park in Joule Park, Aughrim was full to the brim before the game started and the Gardai had to stop cars in the village turning left for the pitch. The only seat available were at the outer edges.
“The lads deserved it. We tried to keep them focussed and keep their attention away from that but we asked them to embrace it. The dressing room in there is upset and full of disappointment but I think in a few days they’ll reflect on it and say we gave it the best shot, we just got beaten by Kildare on the day.
“We always asked to put a performance and every day they put in a performance. We took it one match at a time. The first day we lost to Offaly we still performed.
“We shook up everyone in the group, we went to Parnell Park and it was difficult to get a result. It was very important we backed that result up and we beat a Meath team that already qualified. It was a nervous game, an edgy game, because they put out so many new players. it was nice to get that out of the way and then we backed it up in Newbridge and to a certain extent today without qualifying for a Leinster final.”
O’Brien finished by reiterating his praise for the players.
“I’m extremely proud of the guys, my heart is broken for them because it means so much to them. In a funny way there is a bit of satisfaction in that because they are so disappointed. They gave everything, they couldn’t have given any more.”