Football

Leinster SFC: Cosgrove 'enjoying' Wicklow role

25 May 2018 - 2:40PM

GAA.ie hears from both camps ahead of Saturday's Laois vs Wicklow game in the 2016 Leinster Senior Football Championship - Laois captain Donie Kingston outlines that his side are fully focused on the challenge Wicklow will present, while Wicklow's John McGrath outlines that the Garden County are determined to get past the first round of the Leinster SFC. Tickets for Saturday's game (throw-in 7pm, Portlaoise) are available for purchase in selected SuperValu and Centra stores nationwide, as well as from the ground on matchday.

Saturday May 14

Leinster Senior Football Championship First Round

Wicklow v Laois, O’Moore Park, 7pm

By Cian O’Connell

Ray Cosgrove smiles when the question is asked. Is being involved as a selector in Johnny Magee’s project to improve Wicklow enjoyable? “Absolutely I have enjoyed it,’ Cosgrove, once the darling of Hill 16, instantly responds.

The circumstances have changed, but the game and passion is still the same. There is something about Gaelic Football that continues to stir Cosgrove.

“Coming from a Dublin set-up where you've got the best of everything, now you can see on the other side how the teams in the lower divisions struggle,” Cosgrove comments about the present challenge.

“That is an eye opener, but you do get to appreciate the work you are doing with the Wicklow lads. You can see the progress that is being made. All we want to do is to leave Wicklow in a better position than when we got involved. I'd like to think that we have made progress from last year.

“We have integrated a number of under 21s this year which is fruitful in itself. When you see these young kids learning and progressing, getting bigger and stronger, improving technically. That is the big buzz you get out of it. They are willing to learn too which is a big part of it.”

A former Dublin colleague of Jim Gavin, Cosgrove is adamant that the All Ireland champions remain the talented team to beat even without Rory O’Carroll and Jack McCaffrey. “Ah yeah, I don't think Jim would like to hear me saying this, but you cannot look too far past them,” Cosgrove laughs.

“The quality that they have shown throughout the league, the strength in depth that they have. Dublin have even lost Rory and Jack and they have absorbed that. They don't seem to have missed them at all.

“The beating the Kerry lads got nobody was expecting that so it is very hard to look past Dublin. Being an ex Dub you have to be realistic, whoever beats Dublin will probably end up winning an All Ireland.”

Wicklow selector Ray Cosgrove.

Wicklow’s brief for 2016 is more modest, but Cosgrove is hopeful about springing a surprise against Laois. “It will be a tough game, we are coming from Division Four playing against a team that was in Division Two so it will be an uphill task,” Cosgrove admits. “Certainly preparation has gone well since we finished up after the league. We are looking forward to a tough challenge.

“We got off to a flyer in the league, we won two games, then we picked up a couple of injuries. That set us back, we lost a couple of key guys, who would be leaders on the field. We tried to integrate a couple of under 21s at that stage.

“It is difficult asking young guys to step into the shoes of experienced footballers so we struggled for the middle period. Then we got back on track at the end of the league, we finished with a win away to London. We finished on a high which was positive.

“Preparation has gone well since, we have played a couple of challenge games. We got a couple of wins there so that was satisfying.”

In 2015 Wicklow summoned a gutsy display before eventually losing to Meath at Pairc Tailteann. That was an encouraging sign for Wicklow according to Cosgrove, who isn’t placing too much emphasis on Laois’ relegation in the league.

“The only thing we can focus on is trying to cause a big upset in Portlaoise,” Cosgrove said. “They've had a difficult enough campaign, but there is a big gulf in class between Division Four and Division Two. So you have to gauge it from that perspective.

“We know it is going to be a really tough task pitting our wits against them. We performed really well against Meath last year.

“Nobody gave us a prayer going to Navan, but we ran them to four points. With five minutes to go you could see the panic setting in.

“We will need to perform to that level and beyond if we are going to be in contention. Definitely we have the belief in the camp that we can do a Leicester City by causing a shock.”