Tough Tailteann Cup draw but Wicklow will travel to face Down with hopes high of victory

The draw, made on Monday morning, has pitched Oisin McConville’s side against the Mourne men for the second time this season, but hopes are high in the Garden County that the result will be radically different this time around.

Wicklow enjoyed a superb victory over Leitrim on Saturday evening in Glennon Bothers Pearse Park and that win should send them to Newry this weekend with confidence high that they can secure a semi-final berth of the Tailteann Cup.

A 0-18 to 0-13 loss to Down in Echelon Park Aughrim in late January is the most recent result that supporters will look to when casting their minds towards this weekend, but so much has changed since that day.

Injuries hampered Oisin McConville’s plans and hopes throughout the league campaign but a wonderful win over Westmeath and that heart-breaking defeat to Kildare in the Leinster championship campaign should give the Wicklow players great heart as they hit the road to Newry this weekend.

But Down will be a formidable challenge. Their Division 3 league final defeat to Westmeath was followed by a handsome 0-13 to 0-9 victory over Antrim in the opening round of the Ulster championship but came up short to Armagh by 0-13 to 2-6.

Conor Laverty’s side have impressed in the Tailteann Cup since that exit, seeing off London, Limerick and Offaly to go unbeaten in Group 4.

One factor that will hopefully be improved upon this weekend from a Wicklow point of view will be the support that travels to the game. Granted, the time and venue for last weekend’s game didn’t help the cause in that regard, but it was hugely disappointing to see so few Garden County supporters mixed in among a sizeable Leitrim crowd.#

Full quarter-final draw:

Down v Wicklow

Fermanagh v Antrim

Sligo v Limerick

Kildare v Laois