Preview: Tailteann Cup Final - Down v Wicklow
Oisin McConville of Wicklow and Conor Laverty of Down, pictured today for AIB ahead of the Tailteann Cup Final between Wicklow and Down this Saturday, July 11th at 3:30pm. This year marks a significant milestone as AIB celebrates its 11th year supporting the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. This season, AIB are celebrating the profound impact of managers, mentors, and backroom teams. Behind every county, are those who lift us all.
Saturday, July 11
Tailteann Cup final
Down v Wicklow, Croke Park, 3.30pm - RTE
Down make two changes to the team that narrowly defeated Fermanagh in the semi-final for Saturday’s Tailteann Cup Final against Wicklow as Patrick Brooks and John McGeogh come in for Patrick McCarthy and Adam Crimmins.
Wicklow name the same starting XV that performed so brilliantly in their semi-final win over Offaly.
The Garden County will go into this game as significant underdogs, but if they can replicate the performance they produced in the second-half of that win over Offaly for the full game on Saturday they’ll at least give Down a serious run for their money.
The Mourne Men are favourites for good reason though. This is a side that defeated reigning Allianz Football League Division 1 champions, Donegal, in the Ulster SFC quarter-final after all.
Their subsequent heavy defeat to Armagh in the Ulster semi-final which combined with Westmeath’s win over Kildare in the Leinster semi-final meant Down had to compete in the Tailteann Cup rather than progress to the All-Ireland SFC must have been a bitter pill to swallow for the players and management.
They’ve responded well by giving this competition the respect it deserves, and will be all the more determined to win this match to ensure they compete in the All-Ireland SFC next year.
If Wicklow are to pull off a shock then the first priority will be to win the kick-out battle because if Down dominate possession they will be hard to resist.
Their running game can cut opponents open and a Wicklow defence that has conceded seven goals in their last two games could be susceptible to it.
That being the case, they’ll need inspirational team-captain Dean Healy to win his heavyweight tussle with the excellent Odhran Murdock, and the likes of Jack Kirwan, Christopher O’Brien, and Jonathan Carlin to compete well in the air too.
If Wicklow can get enough possession they certainly have the firepower to cause the Down defence trouble with the likes of O’Brien, Oisín McGraynor, Kevin Quinn, and Eoin Darcy all potential match-winners on any given day.
As well as going toe to toe with Down in the middle third they’ll also need their full-back line to have the game of their lives because Pat Havern and Eamon Brown have been in red-hot form all year for the Mourne men.
If Wicklow can produce their very best for the full seventy-plus minutes there’s the chance of a shock here, but Down’s quality should see them through if they play to their potential.
DOWN: Ronan Burns; Peter Fegan, Pierce Laverty, Patrick Brooks; Callum Rogers, Shane Annett, Ryan Magill; Ryan McEvoy, Odhran Murdock; Daniel Guinness, Ceilum Doherty, Miceal Rooney; John McGeough, Pat Havern, Eamon Brown. Subs: John O'Hare, Finn McElroy, Caolan Mooney, Tom McCarroll, Patrick McCarthy, Ruairi McCormack, Ross Carr, Ruari O'Hare, Tom Close, Órán Cunningham, Barry O’Hagan Stand By Players: Gareth McKibben, Lorcan Lynch, Liam Kerr, Finn Murdock
WICKLOW: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Matt Nolan, Malachy Stone; Darragh Fee, Eoin Murtagh, Gavin Fogarty; Dean Healy, Jack Kirwan; Jonathan Carlin, Padraig O Toole, Christopher O Brien; Oisin Mc Graynor, Kevin Quinn, Eoin Darcy. Subs: Cathal Fitzgerald, Mark Kenny, Cian Deering, Joe Prendergast, Liam O Neill, John Paul Nolan, Conall Ó Gallchobhair, Jacques Mc Call, Conor Fee, Sean Murphy, Cathal Baker. Stand By Players: Jack Hardy, Craig Maguire, Aaron O Brien, Brian Bohan.
