Wicklow football kings
ON FRIDAY night I, amongst others, had the honour of joining our new county champions, St Mary’s in the plush surrounds of the Mount Wolseley Hotel as they gathered for the final act of a record-breaking year.
Their breakthrough in the Wicklow Senior football championship set a record that could stand for many years, and in fact may never by equalled, never mind broken.
One thing everyone appeared to agree on was that the circumstances that led up to the formation were quite unique and the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ journey through the championship would take some beating. I do believe that I detected a tear or two glistening in the eyes of mature men as the story unfolded once again on the night.
Just have another look at the background - two small clubs almost astride the border of Wicklow and Carlow, both struggling for survival; one year earlier both were on the way down.
A great Shillelagh team that came so close to glory without actually achieving it had now come equally close to the precipice.
They had lost their Senior status a year earlier and having seen the writing on the wall had protested long and loud about being asked to play in Division 1 of the League in 2011 and in the end they had to pull out after two rounds.
Coolkenno were little better; they too had lost their Senior status and were preparing for a stiff battle in the quagmire that can by Intermediate football in Wicklow - in fact it is 21 years since any club managed to bounce back first time after being relegated.
To help them end that sequence they had enlisted the help of Kerry man Karl O’dwyer. Great battlers like Keith Byrne and Paddy Dalton would have been less than human if they did not feel at that stage that their dream of winning a Senior championship had slipped away.
Then someone else had a dream - it could have been Ned Rossiter; it could have been Patsy Murphy - it matters little now. Could two neighbours and arch rivals be persuaded to put aside their sporting differences and join forces for a real bid for senior glory?
The two Club chairmen, Bob Doyle and Mark Dempsey with a few others called a meeting. Basic agreement was reached but it would still be some