Oisin McConville calls for big Wicklow support for massive Sligo game
Garden County hoping for victory after draw with Carlow
Wicklow football manager Oisin McConville has called for a big turnout of supporters for the big game against Sligo in Echelon Park this weekend.
Oisin McConville has called for a big crowd to turn out at Echelon Park Aughrim this Sunday afternoon when his Wicklow footballers will hope to go one better than last Friday night in Netwatch Cullen Park and claim two vital points in this their second league encounter of the season.
It was hard to escape the general feeling that the 2-10 to 12-10 draw with Carlow under lights was an opportunity lost, with silly mistakes and unforced errors costing the Garden County dear but there was plenty of potential shown on the night and McConville will be hoping to build on that when Sligo come calling this weekend.
“There is not a massive amount of room for error as far as losing games so I think it is important to make Aughrim a fortress, but I think it is also important to whip up a bit of enthusiasm, get the crowd out and for the crowd to enjoy what the lads are trying to achieve on the field, and I think there is a lot to be said for, when you do get the opportunity to play at home, that you are able to put in a good performance and start getting on that winning trail,” he said.
In terms of the sharing of the spoils in Carlow in front of a superb crowd, the Wicklow manager is still not sure if it was a fair result.
“I am still not sure if it was a fair result,” he said. “I thought we probably had the lion’s share of possession. I thought we probably had the slightly better chances, but we could have lost it at the end, as well, so I suppose getting a share of the spoils was probably okay as long as we learn from the mistakes of being in that winning position and being able to close a game out.
“I thought we had ourselves, with 15 minutes gone in the second half, maybe even 20 minutes gone, we were three points up and I was more thinking at that stage we should have had enough wherewithal to kick on and win the game; score four or five simple scores and win the game”.
Ahead of the game this weekend, Wicklow GAA have announced that entry to Echelon Park Aughrim is free for all children under the age of 16 and that all children attending can enter their name into a draw to win 10 training balls for their club team.
Wicklow GAA Chairman Damien Byrne also said that if the day is dry, children are welcome to take to the pitch at half-time with a ball and have a kickaround with their friends.