Wicklow champs to face Rhode day after SFC replay

WICKLOW’S Senior football champions will be forced to play their opening Leinster club championship clash against Rhode of Offaly the very next day after the county final between Rathnew and St Patrick’s finished in a draw on Sunday last with no extra-time planned for.

The replay between Rathnew and Pat’s is scheduled for Saturday, October 27, with Rhode coming to town the next day at 1.30pm for the Leinster club clash.

Wicklow GAA chairman Martin Fitzgerald said that there can be no extra-time unless it is pre-arranged with the clubs ahead of the county final and there was no arrangement for it ahead of Sunday’s decider that saw St Pat’s full-back Shane Murley salvage a draw at the death after Eddie Doyle had put Rathnew ahead with a late free after a pulsating encounter.

The mess relating to the Leinster Junior club hurling championship meeting of the Wicklow champions and the Longford representatives has been sorted out with the winners of Avondale and Arklow Rock Parnells now travelling to Newtownforbes on Friday, October 6, for an 8.30pm throw in against Wolfe Tones.

It’s a huge weekend for hurling in Wicklow this weekend with six finals down for decision in the small ball game.

The big one is the meeting of Carnew Emmets and defending champions Glenealy in the Dacia Cars Senior Hurling Championship final on Sunday at 3pm.

That is preceded by the eagerly awaited Intermediate hurling championship meeting of Avondale and Arklow Rocks at 1pm.

Saturday sees four finals down for decision. The Dessie Murphy Cup final takes place in Pearse’s Park at 3pm between St Pat’s and Bray Emmets.

Éire Óg and Kiltegan go head to head in the Billy Byrne Cup final at 1pm while in Joule Park Aughrim it’s the turn of the Minor ‘B’ and Minor ‘A’ finals with the ‘B’ gettting underway at 1pm.