AN interesting link between the teams is Carl ow wing forward Niall Rennick, who managed Wicklow for the four years before Dave Foran took over. Rennick was, by some accounts, the most influential figure on the pitch for Carlow in their big win over Wexford the last day.

Once Wexford's centre field was disrupted by injury and their big, early lead evaporated, Carlow took over the middle and Rennick was to the fore in hustling anything that was missed by Messrs Kavanagh and Tracey, and moving it astutely to the forwards. He is to be marked by Mickey McDonald, one of his old charges in a Wicklow team that has nonetheless changed a good bit since Rennick's time.