By Liam Maguire
Tailteann Cup preliminary round: Wicklow v Waterford (today, Aughrim, 3pm); Wexford v Offaly (tomorrow, Enniscorthy, 2pm, live on GAAGO)
THE Tailteann Cup makes its bow this weekend with two preliminary round fixtures in the southern section of the competition.
First up this afternoon is the clash between Leinster men Wicklow and visitors Waterford in Aughrim.
The Déise have found 2022 tough going to date, finishing bottom of Division Four with just the single point to show from seven games before losing in Munster at the first hurdle to Tipperary.
While the Garden county also endured a league campaign to forget, suffering relegation from Division Three with one win from seven, they picked themselves up for the Leinster Championship, knocking Laois out in the preliminary round.
Wicklow blew Laois away in that encounter, leading by 16 points at one stage and hitting five goals in a 5-15 to 4-12 victory. Mark Quinn was in inspired form that afternoon, while Kevin Quinn bagged a hat-trick of majors.
Although Wicklow then exited Leinster at the quarter-final stage, losing to Meath by 10 points, they should have enough to get past Waterford.
Tomorrow afternoon, the second preliminary round sees Wexford taking on Offaly for the second time in a month in Enniscorthy.
The counties met at the Leinster preliminary round stage in late April, with the Yellowbellies coming out on top in a 1-15 to 1-12 victory.
The Faithful county have been licking their wounds since, while Wexford went on to register just four points in a 23-point Leinster quarter-final defeat to Dublin at Wexford Park.
In their previous encounter, veteran Ben Brosnan was to the fore, hitting 1-8 as Wexford overcame a team who had played their football two divisions higher than them during the National League.
If Brosnan can reprise that form tomorrow, the Model county could complete a championship double over their Leinster rivals.
