Dean Healy still going strong for Wicklow

By Cian O'Connell

Dean Healy has learned valuable lessons during a decade and a half on the senior inter-county beat.

So, to be getting ready for a game at Echelon Park against a decorated Dublin outfit is something that must be embraced. There will be a healthy crowd in Aughrim and these are the type of occasions players relish.

Healy is fully aware of the enduring challenges for Wicklow. The fact that the Allianz Football League matters so much means not securing promotion from Division Four hurt, especially considering Wicklow had edged into a good position in a key match against Limerick. "When we came back at the start of the year we thought with the bit of momentum we finished last year with, we would have carried over at the start of this year," Healy explains.

An early defeat to London in Ruislip was a significant setback. "Obviously, with the London result the first day out it just put us on the back foot straight away in terms of teams winning around us and you're always looking at that table and seeing who was in around us, and who was there at the top," he adds.

"Obviously, starting with Division Four, generally the most consistent team will always get promoted and that was obviously Wexford this year winning all their games.

"Outside of that everyone beats everyone. When it all boils down to it, probably that Limerick result in Aughrim, we were four points up going into added time and couldn't see out the game.

"That, then, gave Limerick the foothold they needed in terms of all they had to do was win the last day out to be promoted. So, it took things out of our hands and put it into Limerick's.

"So yeah, massively disappointed. One thing I would say on it is obviously with the condensed year, you don't have too much time to dwell on it."

An extra-time Leinster SFC win over Longford was registered. Now Wicklow host Dublin on home turf. It is precisely the type of game Oisín McConville enjoyed as a player.

Healy acknowledges the contribution made by the former Crossmaglen Rangers and Armagh attacker in the Wicklow football story. "I think Oisín came into a team that was very much in transition in terms of, if you actually look at the age profile of the team when he would have came in, I'm still clinging about in terms of I'm at the upper end of the scale in terms of age itself," Healy says.

"From me down, there's a significant drop in terms of, I'm 33, going on 34. The next batch of players down are probably 23, 24 years of age and then it's even lower again.

"To be fair to Oisín, he came into a team in transition. We were very, very fortunate in terms of getting promoted that year and that brought a bit of a lift about the county.

"We went into Division Three and probably underperformed. Going into the start of Oisín's second year, we had five or six injuries to core players and we just didn't have players to replace them essentially."

McConville's willingness to carefully listen to players is important according to Healy. "In terms of what Oisín brought, he brought a breath of fresh air," Healy adds.

"He obviously has played football at a significantly high level. He's extremely good with the group itself and addressing – he was involved in college football previously from a management aspect as well.

"So, even in terms of managing younger players that have them commitments in terms of their U20’s panels, you know, Sigerson football, he's very good at managing all that.

"He was one of the first managers that I've come across that actually seeks feedback and puts in actions on it as well. In terms of a lot of managers, their approach would be that the model they have is fit for purpose and works, whereas Oisín was very much of the ‘let me know what's working and let me know what's not working’ and he'll try his best to address it.

"That's not saying that anything that you thought wasn't working, that he was of the opinion that you were correct in any way, shape or form.

"I do think in terms of being open and honest and trying to get the opinions of players, he is very much of the opinion that players' opinions matter and that he will do anything to try to address anything that he sort of agrees with you, that maybe isn't going according to plan or fit for purpose.

"You're looking at a footballer that has won an All-Ireland, a couple of Ulster Championships. He himself as a footballer is held in so high regard and I do think as a manager, what he's brought and the experience, I'm sure he'll tell you himself, what he's done in year one with Wicklow, he's continuously evolving and learning himself in terms of even the group that he has available to him.

"So, it's all a learning curve for him along the way as well, but I do think the positives that he has brought are massive."

Inevitably Wicklow have been forced to deal with a turnover of players. That is one of the reasons why it can be demanding according to Healy. "I read an article where I think Kerry used close to 40 players throughout the course of the National League and most top tier teams are probably in the same boat, especially with the load of players with the new rules that were brought in," Healy explains.

"Unfortunately, with Wicklow, we don't have that level of depth so you're heavily reliant on a core group of lads and unfortunately, especially with lads coming out of the U20’s at this stage, the majority of the time they probably need a year or two of work in order to be prepared to have their bodies in a position to play senior football.

"Unfortunately, a lot of lads just won't give it the year or two that is required. Lads want to come in, to play football straight away. Sometimes it's not that feasible.

So, what you see across the majority, even speaking to some of the lads here today, what you see across the majority of lower tier counties in inverted commas is a high turnover of players and then you are obviously heavily reliant on that core group and with the run of games and how condensed the year is.

"If you start losing one or two lads with injuries, your backs are against the wall straight away."

The versatile Healy adapts to the changed circumstances. New rules and different approaches, but Healy remains relevant.

Three points, including a two pointer, were supplied against Longford in the midlanders. Another Wicklow win eked out. Healy is still going strong.