Wicklow Must Overcome Offaly Challenge To Reach Tailteann Final

Wicklow are Croker bound! Offaly are their Tailteann Cup semi-final opponents after a dramatic last-gasp win over Antrim on Saturday

Wicklow have been drawn to face Leinster rivals Offaly in the Tailteann Cup semi-final at Croke Park next Saturday (21st).

It's the Garden County’s reward for a dramatic win over Antrim on Saturday with the Faithful County at GAA HQ.

The tie will decide who goes through to this year’s Tailteann Cup final. The other semi-final sees favourites Down face off against provincial rivals Fermanagh. 

Wicklow staged a grand stand finish to pip Antrim at Corrigan Park in Belfast, 2-19 to 3-15 in an extraordinary comeback win characterised by incredible never-say-die spirit and belief. 

Nine points behind at one stage, Oisin McConville's charges qualified thanks to a late Mark Jackson two-point free and captain fantastic Dean Healy's point, thirty seconds from time to the acclaim of the Wicklow followers.

Antrim made the brighter start with Conor Hand and Ryan McQuillan to the fore, but Wicklow stayed in touch through Mark Jackson and Oisín McGraynor in a tight opening half.

Antrim took control after the break, hitting two quick goals through Tiernan McCormick and Paddy McAleer, with Wicklow briefly denied by a key penalty save.

Wicklow mounted a late surge with goals and points from Eoin Darcy and Dean Healy to close the gap to four.

Despite late pressure and a frantic finish, Antrim held on after Wicklow’s final attack drifted wide at the hooter.

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'Crazy, crazy'

Wicklow manager Oisín McConville described the match as a “crazy, crazy game,” saying there were “so many incidents in it” and revealing confusion over a black card decision where, he claimed, “the linesman forgot what the number was!”

He told East Coast FM's Michael Sargent: “I’ve probably seen most things in football in 50 years, but I’ve never heard that one before,” adding that Wicklow were “disappointed” not to see Antrim reduced to 14 players at a key stage.

McConville praised his side’s response, saying: “For the last 16 or 17 minutes of that game, I thought we were absolutely outstanding. We owned the ball, we wanted it.”

'Overpowered'

He added: “We just overpowered them completely… we just really wanted it.”

Reflecting on the comeback, he said: “We dusted ourselves off… Ossie McGraynor’s goal was so important to us,” and highlighted late scores from Darcy, Quinn and Healy in a finish where “you can relax at that stage.”

He also insisted the win was significant given the opposition: “That wasn’t a bad Antrim team… for the last 25 minutes we just wanted it.”

And on the bigger picture, he added: “We’ve been on the wrong end of this too many times… but not today.”

The exact throw-in for the match against Offaly will be confirmed by the CCCC this week. 

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