PREVIEW: Dublin v Wicklow Senior Football Championship

Image Courtesy Niall O'Connell

Dublin will look to take their first positive steps towards regaining the Leinster Senior Football Championship title when they travel to Aughrim to face Wicklow in their provincial quarter-final clash at Echelon Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm). 

Last year was the first time since 2010 that the Dubs didn’t achieve provincial success and they will come up against a home side that impressed many in their Round 1 victory over Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park last Sunday. 

The 2-15 to 1-7 scoreline adequately reflected Wicklow’s dominance on the day with goalkeeper Mark Jackson leading the way with three two-pointers. 

Goals in the second-half by Padraig O’Toole and Oisín McGraynor cemented their victory, while Wicklow manager Oisin McConville has plenty of experience of putting one over on the Dubs. 

Of course, the counties met in Aughrim last year with first-half goals from Niall Scully and Con O’Callaghan helping Dublin to a hard-earned 2-21 to 0-18 victory. 

O’Callaghan’s presence is critical to Dublin’s general wellbeing, particularly in a forward line that has been without the likes of Colm Basquel, Cormac Costello, Luke Breathnach and Paddy Small at various stages this year. 

Dublin’s resources have also been stretched further down the field through lengthy injuries suffered by both Theo Clancy and Lee Gannon and Dublin can ill-afford any further absentees as they look to get over the disappointment of their relegation from NFL1 earlier in the year.

There were crumbs of optimism to take from the league campaign, however, with Killian McGinnis impressing in attack, while the form of both Niall Scully and Paddy Small in Dublin’s forward line highlighted their leadership qualities.

Hugh O’Sullivan has benefitted from the prolonged time spent between the sticks while Nathan Doran has become more comfortable at senior inter-county level, too. 

Despite losing their final two league matches to Armagh and Galway, Dublin controlled large parts of the first-half in both games, only for their challenges to peter out after the break.

A strong start would certainly help Dublin in Wicklow this Sunday and a semi-final berth is well within their reach should they produce a more consistent showing over the seventy minutes.