Kiltegan claim first scalp in Wilson/Buttle clash

KILTEGAN 2-10 DONARD-THE GLEN 2-07

IT was back to the old days in the West over the last few weeks.

They had won ‘Home Rule’ once more and the few around that could remember what that that meant in the past, or even heard the stories at the father’s knee were already predicting better days ahead.

The first of the listed competitions was ready to role; The horse trading, the wheeling and dealing was back; the sacrosanct rule book was given its proper title – the guide, well the official guide if you must get it right.

Guide books of all sorts have to be read and interpreted and in the West we interpreted this one in the way it suites us best.

Of course we had learned from watching men like Billy Lawless and Sean O’Farrell in action; we might even be able to learn a thing or two from Mick Hagan still.

Anyway they learned enough to get the first of the winter competitions under way - a little belated perhaps but on the road anyway.

One master stroke John Stones and Pat Dunne did pull was letting two of the past masters at wheeling and dealing, Paddy Toomey and John Timmons, kick off the first of the new competitions.

So just when the rest of Wicklow is closing down for a well earned rest the new West Board kicks off its first competition with Kiltegan picking up the first brace of points in the Wilson/Buttle Cup at Donard.

The Carlow border side got off to a great start with Darren Hobson scoring an early goal. While a goal by Dermot Daly brought the home side back into contention Kiltegan still led by 1-6 to I-0 at half time.

Donard-The Glen came more into the game in the second half. Players like Bill Flynn and Dermot Daly were making Senior experience tell.

Kiltegan manager Pat (Judy) Keogh was able to call on returned emigrant Stephen Farrell and the semi-retired Barry Dalton to restore the balance.

However when Paul Griffin got through a tonic goal the game was wide open.

When man of the match Mark Ryan struck for Kiltegan’s second goal they were well on their way to victory.

Neither Kiltegan or Donard have Minor teams of their own so the players to benefit fom this sort of competition are young developing lads like Mark Pierce, Laurence Murphy, Gavin Keogh, John O’Keeffe, Phillip Pentose, Luke Byrne or Eoin Coogan on the Kiltegan team or Donard-The Glen players like Des Mann, Oisin Addler, Anto Moynihan, Stephen Pierce, Gavin O’Neill, Stephen Dowling or Conor Kelly.

And If all clubs play this competition with the youth in mind and put their future before short time benefit then the real winners will be football in the West.

Kiltegan – Ned Doyle; Faustas Andrulenis, Gavin Keogh, Ciaran Doyle; Mark Pierce, Stephen Farrell, Liam Kavanagh; Mark Ryan (1-0), Barry Dalton; Bryan Cullen, Pat Keogh, Luke Byrne; Laurence Murphy (0-1), Darren Hobson (1-1),Johnny Boy Keogh (0-1). Subs: John O’Keeffe (0-2); Phillip Penrose and Eoin Coogan.

Donard-The Glen: Antaoe Moynihan; Gavin Walsh, Ger Healy, Oisin Addler; Dermot Daly (1-3), Stephen Pierce, Bill Flynn (01); Gavin O’Neill (0-1), Gerry Daly; Des Mann(0-1), Phillip Pierce, Conor Kelly; Stephen Dowling, Paul Griffin (1-0), G. Kelly (0-1)

Referee : Noel Kinsella, Kilbride.