Wicklow selector Kevin O'Brien has dismissed rumours that midfielder Thomas Walsh would be returning to play with his native Carlow in 2008.
Walsh transferred to the Garden County last season to play under Mick O'Dwyer but new Carlow manager Paul Bealin recently stated his intention to contact the midfielder in an attempt to reverse his allegiance. Walsh's brother Patrick will return to the Carlow panel once his injuries problems clear up. Brian Farrell has also committed.
"Thomas has been training with us and we hope he will be available to play for us against Dublin this weekend," said O'Brien yesterday. "We have brought in several new faces while keeping the senior members of the panel like Tommy Gill on board so things have started quite well.
"We won three games in the O'Byrne Cup last year and it was great to be playing competitive football consistently so early in the year. It might have affected our physical training but we would never turn down the opportunity.
"The goal this year is to gain promotion from Division Four and remain focused on playing Kildare, Micko's old team of course, in the opening round of the championship."
Wicklow's visit to Parnell Park marks the start of the Leinster GAA season with competitions in every province also being played the coming days. Indeed, the second match of the Dr McKenna Cup - the first being Queen's University's victory over 0-10 to 0-9 victory over Monaghan last Sunday - takes place this evening at Ballybofey where Donegal host UUJ.
Wicklow can expect to face an experimental Dublin line-up as manager Paul Caffrey has always utilised the pre-season competition as an opportunity for in-form club players to stake a claim for the National League panel.
The Dublin team fielded last Saturday against the Dublin Stars featured just one player, full back Ross McConnell, who was a starter last summer, although Jason Sherlock, Collie Moran and Alan Brogan came on as substitutes.
St Vincent's pair Dermot Connolly and Ger Brennan also played in the annual match in Portmarnock. Both players' club form suggests they will be given a chance to develop into intercounty regulars in the coming months.
Barry Cahill, Mark Vaughan, Bernard Brogan and Tomás Quinn also togged out for Dublin Stars so they too should be available for the opening round of a competition Dublin won last year by beating Laois by 1-18 to 2-13.
Weekend Fixtures
Today
Dr McKenna Cup(Ulster football) Section B: Donegal v UUJ, Ballybofey, 8.0.
Saturday
O'Byrne Cup(Leinster football): Dublin v Wicklow, Parnell Park, 5.0.
Dr McKenna Cup - Section C: Queen's v Antrim, Casement Park, 6.0.
Sunday
O'Byrne Cup: Westmeath v DIT, Mullingar, 2.0; Wexford v Laois, Wexford, 2.0; Carlow v Kilkenny, Dr Cullen Park, 2.0; Kildare v Longford, Newbridge, 2.0; Offaly v Athlone IT, Tullamore, 2.0.
McGrath Cup - Preliminary Round(Munster football): Waterford v University of Limerick (UL), Dungarvan, 2.0, B Tyrrell (Tipperary); Clare v University College Cork, Milltown-Malbay, M Meade (Limerick).
Waterford Crystal Cup(Munster hurling) - Preliminary Round: Clare v University of Limerick (UL), Mellick, 2.0, D Copps (Cork).
Dr McKenna Cup: Section A: St Mary's v Fermanagh, Lisnaskea, 2.0; Armagh v Derry, Lurgan, 2.0. Section B: UUJ v Tyrone, Omagh, 2.0. Section C: Cavan v Monaghan, Kingspan Breffni Park, 2.0.
Connacht Football League: Section A: Sligo IT v Roscommon, Ballinode, 1.0; Mayo v NUI Galway, Ballinode, 1.0. Section B: Galway v Sligo, Tuam, 1.0; Leitrim v GMIT, Carrick-on-Shannon, 1.0.
