LEINSTER CHAMPIONSHIP:WICKLOW MAY have failed in their request for some adjustment to this weekend's double-date with Kildare but it really doesn't matter. The prospect of the Garden County playing championship football and hurling at a competitive level is actually one of those enviable positions, even if it has to be on the same weekend.

Much of the attention will focus on Mick O’Dwyer’s footballers when they face off against Kildare in Portlaoise on Sunday afternoon, but before that the Wicklow hurlers also face Kildare in tomorrow’s Christy Ring Cup semi-final at Aughrim. O’Dwyer is famous for working miracles in whatever county he manages, although Wicklow – one of only two counties still without a provincial football title – are still waiting for that miracle to happen with them.

In the meantime Casey O’Brien has been working miracles with the Wicklow hurlers, at least in terms of their rapid progress. Since his appointment two years ago, O’Brien – a former dual player with Wicklow – has taken the county hurlers from the bottom of Division Three B to recent promotion to Division Two, establishing an impressive winning record along the way. If they beat Kildare tomorrow they’ll be one more win away from a Christy Ring Cup title, and with that promotion to the Liam MacCarthy Cup proper in 2012.

There is some crossover between the codes, most notably in dual players Leighton Glynn and Stephen Kelly, and it was with that in mind the Wicklow County Board requested a change of date for tomorrow’s game, given both Glynn and Kelly are set to line out with the footballers on Sunday.

“We didn’t mind if they brought the hurling game forward or back,” says Wicklow secretary Michael Murphy.

“Unfortunately neither was agreeable to them. We’re a small county, and having two fellas on the first 15 of both teams means there are places there not easily filled.

“In fairness to Croke Park, these dates have been down since last November, and they don’t like moving them around. And of course it’s the same with Kildare, out on Sunday as well. It’s a bit of a catch-22 for the GAA really, and while it is unfortunate, we’re really looking forward to both games.”

Murphy is quick to pay tribute to O’Brien, who has clearly brought a new sense of purpose to Wicklow hurling since his appointment in December 2009, at which stage they had gone the entire 2009 season without a single league or championship win.

“In fairness to him he took over the job when we were at rock bottom,” says Murphy.

“We were down to Division Three B, and hadn’t won a match the year previous. He got us promoted last year up to Three A, and he’s won Three A this year, and we’re up to Division Two for next year. Ultimately we’ve only six senior hurling clubs in the county. It would do wonders for hurling to get to the Christy Ring Cup final, and get it going that bit again. Progress is being made, no doubt about it. So really this competition is our All-Ireland in hurling, so if we could even get into the final it would be a great achievement, and I think do wonders for us.”

Both Glynn and Kelly have been juggling both codes all season, and are prepared to play with the hurlers on Saturday before lining out again with the footballers on Sunday. Glynn is no stranger to such demands: last October, less than 24 hours after playing for Ireland in the opening International Rules Test against Australia, he played with Rathnew in the Leinster club football championship, and less than 24 hours after that, he played with Glenealy in the Leinster club intermediate hurling championship.

“It’s still up in the air as to whether they’ll play in one or both games,” says Murphy.

“In fairness we came to an agreement during the year between both managers, who were very good, moving around, and accommodated players wherever we could. Although we’re still discussing what exactly will happen over the weekend. They could play a part in both. But Mick O’Dwyer has been very accommodating with dual players, as long as there was no direct clash. We’ve managed to avoid that so far.

“Believe it or not, we’ll have another clash if we do win both games. We’re out again in the football championship on June 5th, and the Christy Ring Cup final is down for June 4th. But we’ll worry about that problem if we get to it.

“In hurling there’s never been more than a point or two between us and Kildare in recent years, both ways. And I think if we get a result on Saturday it will give us a great lift for Sunday. We know Sunday will be very difficult. Kildare have been playing two divisions above us in the football league. But Micko has more or less said this will be his last season with Wicklow, and we all know how much Micko likes to win in the championship.”