A BIG change in fortunes at the weekend as both the hurlers and footballers stepped up their game and both got good and very important wins. Micko and his men are team building and continued experimenting on Sunday. It had to be good to be able to do that and still get a good win over Leitrim.

While the manager does not regard the league as one of his priorities the odd win will still make his build-up to the championship that bit easier.

It will also help to boost confidence in the camp and give the players another lift.

It was also noticeable during the week that the pace and intensity of the training has been stepped up.

The other good news was the return of former captain Dara O hAnnaidh from a stay in the US.

The Bray Emmets man was warmly welcomed at the training camp in Baltinglass on Thursday night.

With the hurlers

After a disastrous year in 2009 it was great to see new manager Casey O'Brien get a win in the final of the Kehoe Shield on Sunday.

The two outstanding features of the hurling year so far is the big turnout for training and the fighting spirit shown by the team against Armagh on Sunday. This was a match that they could, and probably should have lost. Even when things were going very bad one spectator remarked on the spirit of the team and how hard they were trying.

More of that spirit, a bit more fitness, and some beefing up of the panel and Casey could be going places.

The week ahead

Another hectic weekend on the playing fields lies ahead. Micko takes his Senior footballers to London where, we are told, we can expect fireworks when they take on the Exiles at Ruislip.

We are now back to the bad old days of enforced emigration when teams like London did not know from week to week what players might be available to them. That march in Ruislip is on Saturday and the team will be making the trip and returning the same day.

The hurlers open their league campaign with an away match against Fingal on Sunday.

Casey O'Brien's big task this time is getting feet back on the ground after that win on Sunday.

U-21 footballers

Tim Healy takes his U-21 footballers into action in the Leinster Championship on Sunday. They take on Longford at Aughrim and will be hoping to get a repeat of last years win up in Longford.

Dunlavin celebrate

The Dunlavin club gave their footballers a big 'welcome back' to Senior ranks when they assembled for their Annual Dinner Dance in the Seven Oaks in Carlow on Friday night.

Over 200 guests packed into the popular venue to say well done to Thomas Harney and his men on bringing home the Intermediate football championship and to wish them well in Senior ranks in the future.

The home based management team of Pat Kelly and Pat Lambe also got a rousing reception on the night.

To make this night a real 'homer' the chief guest and the man presenting the medals was none other than their own Andy O'Brien, Chairman of the County Board.

In fact when County President Peter Keogh was addressing the gathering he commented on the number of Dunlavin club people serving the County Board at all levels at the present time.

The County has prospered as never before under the Chairmanship of Andy O'Brien. In fact when there is work to be done the whole O'Brien family are behind the wheels

Ashling O'Brien/Grace is a member of the Féile committee and Eamonn O'Keeffe Race Day Committee as well as serving on the Croke Park Féile board and a number of committees at club level.

Margaret Allen is Chairperson of the Wicklow Ladies Football Board while long serving Club Secretary Jimmy Whittle is now a county Senior football selector and one on Mick O'Dwyer's top team.

And the service to the county does not stop there. Pat and Jimmy Kelly are part on Micko's paramedics team while Dave Barrett is the official photographer to the County Board and was in fact also celebrating the success of his book '125 and Counting' on the night.

Among the other presentations made on the night was 'Clubperson of the Year'. This award went to a rather shocked Club Chairman John Hammond. John was presented with a lovely new cup donated by Paddy and Maura Ging.

The Senior Player of the Year was won by Alan Bowens, a chip off the old block we are told. His father Victor Bowens won championships and other awards with his home club Walterstown in Meath

The Young Player of the Year award went to Lee Armitage while other presentations were made to four players who were leaving Minor ranks to move up to adult football - Paul Thackaberry, Michael Phelan, Ciarán Thornton and Nigel Willis.

Tinahely juveniles

Juveniles Bord na nOg Chairman Damien Byrne was the guest of honour at the Tinahely Juvenile presentation night, held in the Community Centre on Saturday night. County GAA Ambassador Leighton Glynn, Juvenile Coaching Officer Ciarán Gaskins and adult Club Persident Pat Doyle were among the other guests.

Four young Tinahely players, Willie Dillon and Paul Hogan from Mick O'Dwyers Senior panel and Stephen Dillon and Brian Walsh from Tim Healy's U-21 side assisted with the presentation of medals.

Boys and girls from U-8 up to U-16 were there to collect their hard-earned medals.

Team of the year had to be the U-12 footballers, trained by Willie Furlong, who won the County B Championship for the second year.

The captain of that team Noel Mulhall was presented with the cup by Peter Keogh while the team received their medals from Leighton Glynn.

The U-8's, trained by Eamon Bradley were presented with Go Game medals by the local stars. Rory Stokes's U-10 team were presented with Go Game medals by Ciarán Gaskins.

The U-14 team, trained by Martin Ging, and the U-16 team trained by Jim Lillis who both won the South/West League medals were also presented with their medals.

Martin Ging was the master of ceremonies for the night while the speakers were Damien Byrne and Leighton Glynn.

The Ladies Committee laid on tea and refreshments for everyone.

The year 2009

There can be no doubt that '09 was a great year for the GAA in Wicklow, in fact one of the best overall years in our history. It was none-stop action all the way from start to a belated finish - on the playing fields, in the board rooms, the function centres, the celebrations. The mystery has to be how the men at the top, like Andy O'Brien, Mick Hagan, Jimmy Dunne, Mick Murphy stayed the pace.

And where do we leave Mick O'Dwyer and his merry men. They reached the last 12 in the race for All-Ireland glory, the greatest run ever - by miles.

But really should we have been that surprised with this run of success. Anyone who plays the numbers game will have noted that Wicklow generally do well in years ending in a nine.

Starting right at the beginning, the football championships at national and local level started in 1887 and Wicklow's first taste of success came in 1889 when the county, represented by Bray Emmets beat Louth (Newown Blues) in the first round of the SFC by 1-7 to 1-4.

While 1898 still remains the greatest year in our history - Wicklow reached their one and only Leinster SFC final (beaten by Dublin). However they were also a force to be reckoned with in 1899 when they beat Offaly by 1-11 to 0-4.

That team was drawn from Wicklow, Rathnew, Annacurra, Parnell Volunteers, Rathdrum and Avondale.(No West Wicklow involvement in the first 25 years of the Associaton. For the record that game was played in Croke Park and the team was - J. Smullen, T. O'Carroll, M. Doyle, W. Nolan, Ed McCall, H. Doyle, J. Wynne, John Smullen, Jon Kavanagh, Geo McGraynor, Paddy Behan, T. Gill, J. O'Neill, J. Gortman, J. Jordan, and M. Keogh.

1909 was another great year; in fact it was the first time we brought home some silverware for the sideboard. Rathnew had emerged as the great force in the county at the time. They won the Leinster JFC in which all 12 counties took part.

They started with a draw against Wexford - 0-8 each at Wexford Park, won a thrilling replay - 1-9 to 1-7. They hammered Carlow in the second round; had a tough game against Laois in the semi-final but won by 1-14 to 1-8.

In the Leinster final at Jones Road Wicklow beat Westmeath by 1-10 to 0-3 with the following team - Jim Byrne; Tom Kavanagh (Capt), JJ Doyle, J. Gill, Alex Byrne, Pat Byrne (Rathnew), Jim Jordan, Wm Byrne, Larry Murphy and James Fogarty (Avondale); Jack Fortune (Clara), Jim Byrne (Carnew), Matt Carroll and Jim Nicholas (Wicklow), James O'Neill, Jim Kavanagh and John Kinsella (Annaurra).

Also involved at some stage were - W. Appleby, P. Turner, T. Cooper, Tom Byrne, Tom Smyth, Dunne and Kennedy.

By 1919 other national issues such as the 1916 Rising and the battle for independence had taken the eye off the football and Wicklow appeared to have gone down to Junior ranks.

Even then Wicklow did get off to a winning start in the Junior championship against Carlow.

However they well beaten by Wexford in the second round.

However, it may be no harm to note that football was on fire in the Model County at the time.

They had just completed the first fourin-a-row ever recorded in the All-Ireland SFC.

Other achievements in years ending in a nine included a Leinster JFC in 1949 and a Junior home final in the All-Ireland series in 1969.

We may come back to the subject again when space permits.

Sympathy

Our sympathy this week to Patsy Murphy and family on the death of their mother Anna of Main Street, Shillelagh.

The Murphy family are steeped in GAA tradition. Anna's late Husband Eddie and his brothers were on the first team, St Mary's Ballyconnell, to bring a championship to the area in 1945. Vincent Blake, the only surviving member of that team scored five of the points that saw them beat Kilcoole in the final by 1-8 to 0-10.

Her son Patsy carried on the proud tradition. winning hurling as well as football championships with Shillelagh in the 1970. He was also Club Secretary and team manager/trainer for many years.

Anna lived to see her grandsons Noel and Garry play for club and county

Her remains were removed to the local church in Shillilagh on Wednesday evening and burial took place on Thursday evening in the adjoining cemetery after Requiem Mass, celebrated by Fr Martin Casey PP.

Anna is survived by sons Pat, John and Noel; daughters Mary and Geraldine and extended family.

May she rest in peace.

Race Day

A note from County Treasurer Eamonn O'Keeffe to remind everyone that the Corporate Race day, run very successfully in Punchestown over the last two years will be coming up shortly.

For more information contact Eamonn at 087-2324829.

Scór finals

The date for the Wicklow Scór finals is rapidly approaching and Secretary John Timmins is asking all clubs that intend to enter teams in any sector to contact him

Have you got someone to carry the club colours on the night? Someone to sing a song, do a recitation, someone with a good general knowledge of the GAA to make up a Question Time team, dancers, musicians - a novelty act?

The finals take place in the New Hall in Roundwood (not the An Tochar Clubhouse) on Saturday the 27th of February. Entries close on Wednesday the 24th. Contact John at 087-9280728.

- WITH PETER KEOGH