An Tóchar “Good Enough To Win” In Leinster, But Wary Of “Impressive” Wolfe Tones

Wicklow champions An Tóchar open their Leinster club senior football campaign this weekend

An Tóchar believe they are good enough to beat Wolfe Tones in Ashbourne on Sunday, but manager Shay Cullen is expecting nothing to come easy against the Meath champions.

The Wicklow champions open their Leinster club senior football campaign at an early throw-in. It comes five weeks after they ended a 31-year wait for the county title. ECFM News spoke to Cullen to look ahead to the game.

A respected opponent

Cullen has seen Wolfe Tones up close. Their manager Shane McCoy went to Aughrim to watch the Wicklow final, and Cullen returned the favour by going to see them in the Meath decider.

He liked what he saw. Wolfe Tones won that final 1-19 to 0-12 against Donaghmore/Ashbourne, their first Meath crown since 2021.

“Wolfe Tones are a very, very good team,” Cullen said. “I went to see them in the Meath county final. I’m very impressed with them. They’re well organised, they have a good defensive structure and good forwards.”

That respect does not mean An Tóchar are neccessarily heading to Ashbourne as underdogs. Cullen is clear that his side has the quality to go through, as long as they perform.

“We’re expecting a really tough battle. We are good enough to win the game, there’s no question about that. We have the belief to win the game, but nothing will come easy from any Meath team. We need to get our best to beat them.”

There is also a bigger prize at stake. The winners will play the Westmeath, Longford, Wexford or Louth champions in the semi-final. That makes this an opportunity for a club that has never won a Leinster senior title.

Cullen won’t be drawn into looking beyond Sunday. “The opportunity is there, but we’re certainly not taking anything for granted. It’s a huge challenge to be facing Wolfe Tones, and we need to be at our best.”

Five weeks on from Aughrim

The long gap since the county final has been a mixed blessing. An Tóchar had time to enjoy a historic win, but then had to get a celebrating squad refocused for a provincial game.

“The five-week break has been positive and negative,” according to the Roundwood boss. “It’s probably too long to wait from the county final to the first round of the Leinster championship. It’s been a little bit hard in preparation, because the boys have been celebrating and then we’re trying to get them back on track.”

The manager says the last three weeks have gone well. The panel has trained properly and is looking forward to the challenge.

Injuries are a small concern. Cullen confirmed that a couple of players who featured in the latter stages of the county championship are doubtful, though he says the panel is deep enough to cope.

“We have a couple of knocks, unfortunately. But it’s about the panel, about other guys stepping up. I think we have enough cover. Lads are in good form generally.”

Shay Cullen - An Tóchar

Beating Blessington

An Tóchar beat Blessington 0-21 to 1-7 in Aughrim to win their first Wicklow senior football title since 1995. The sides were level at half-time, but An Tóchar pulled away after the break. Conor Fee was outstanding, finishing with 0-10, and every score in the final came from play.

Fee had plenty of support. John Paul Nolan and Eanna Nolan both kicked points in the second half. Cullen, though, was quick to point to the group rather than any individual, and says the whole panel has been involved in the championship.

“It’s a real panel effort. It takes 21 or 22 players. We have a panel of 28, and most of those 28 have got game time in the championship. One player won’t win a game. It takes a collective effort, and we’re very strong on that.”

He also believes the club is well stocked with forwards for the future. “We’ve a strong panel and a lot of good young guys coming through. You need good forwards to finish the scores, and we’re lucky to have those.”

The county final was not the club’s only tough test on the way. They also beat Arklow Geraldines-Ballymoney in the semi-final, and the standard in Wicklow football has risen in recent years.

Rooted in the juvenile section

For Cullen, the win is the product of years of work at underage level. He remembers the day the group began as an under-8s team. Several players from that team featured in the senior final five weeks ago.

“Fifteen or sixteen years ago we started with an under-8s team,” Cullen said. “Four or five of those guys were on that team in the final of the senior championship. There’s a lot of work done, and continuing to be done, in the club in terms of bringing players through at juvenile level.”

He also thanked supporters, both at home and in the wider county, for the backing the club has received since the county final win.

“The support we’ve had, not only in our own club but throughout the county, has been amazing. Hard work pays off.”

The Meath factor

No Meath club has reached a Leinster final since Skryne in 2004, and Wolfe Tones have won only once in the province, against St Joseph’s of Louth in 2006. That record will add motivation for Wolfe Tones as well as An Tóchar.

An Tóchar v Wolfe Tones is at Ashbourne on Sunday, November 15th.

Throw-in is at 1.30pm.