The Wicklow footballers have endured more than their fair share of heartbreak over the last few seasons, but they've always shown serious resilience to come back off the ropes.
The nearly moments still linger fresh in the memory.
A last-minute loss to Kildare in the Leinster quarter-final two years ago. Last season, following a disappointing end to the league, they looked well set against Limerick in the Tailteann Cup semi-final, only to lose out to Billy Lee’s team who only narrowly lost the final to Kildare. And in this year’s Division 4 they again lost out on promotion, this time in the final round of group games, losing by a point against Longford having been well in front.
When opportunity has knocked, the door hasn’t always been answered. However, to their immense credit, they keep coming back and putting themselves in the frame again.
This Sunday, they host Dublin at Echelon Park Aughrim on the back of a brilliant win over Carlow, a victory achieved without some of their top players, including their brilliant defender Malachy Stone, Kevin Quinn, JP Nolan and Darragh Fee.
Manager Oisín McConville will be hoping to call upon a few of the injured quartet for the Dubs this weekend in a game that could well be a cracker.
Their goalkeeper Mark Jackson has long been a standout player and hit three two-pointers as Wicklow won last weekend.
Dean Healy, another stalwart, hit two points, but his presence alone on the pitch is surely worth another few points for his team. Last year he scored 1-15 in the championship and his experience, intelligence and passing ability are invaluable.
At the other end of the scale, Quinn is in his sixth season of senior inter-county football but still only 24 years of age.
The Blessington man starred for Naas CBS during his time there, playing in the 2019 Hogan Cup final, and speaking at the recent launch of this year’s Leinster SFC, he reflected on how they let some big leads slip during the season but said it was up to the team to learn from such experiences.
That they certainly did that against Carlow last weekend.
"We have a good panel and when we are on it we are hard to break down," Quinn said.
"We are a tight unit. From last year’s panel, everyone came back bar Paddy O’Keane, who went travelling.
"Dean and Oisín staying on this season gave us momentum to carry on again. We always drive each other on and hopefully we can go further in our ambitions this year.
"It’s all about playing matches now and when you train in December on cold, dark nights, that’s what you are playing for – championship football."
A team well capable of putting up big scoring tallies, Wicklow play a nice brand of football, going at teams and kicking the ball.
When they get a run on teams, they are a difficult opponent.
They have a top-class goalkeeper, tight and man-marking defenders, lots of legs around the middle third and they boast mobility and physicality in their forward lines.
For Quinn, a nephew of Wicklow great and former All Star Kevin O’Brien, it’s just about getting the maximum from those resources every day they go out.
After sitting out last weekend’s game against Carlow through injury, he will be hoping to start his summer this Sunday.
No better way to do so than with a game at home to the Dubs.
Dublin, for their part, have named a team with a couple of unfamiliar faces in it for the trip to Aughrim. The Cuala pair of Charlie McMorrow and Eoin Kennedy are slated to make their first championship appearances while, in the forward line, St Sylvester's Páidí White is named at left-half forward.
Evan Comerford, who appeared to have lost his place to Hugh O'Sullivan in the Boys in Blues' goal during the latter part of their league campaign, starts between the sticks. Con O'Callaghan is named at top of the left.
DUBLIN (v Wicklow): Evan Comerford; Eoin Murchan, Nathan Doran, David Byrne; Greg McEneaney, Charlie McMorrow, Eoin Kennedy; Brian Howard, Tom Lahiff; Seán Bugler, Niall Scully, Páidí White; Paddy Small, Killian McGinnis, Con O'Callaghan.
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