Pure battle as Wicklow clinch win
WICKLOW DONEGAL 2-21 0-21
THE glass half full camp will say that this was a massively improved Donegal outfit that travelled to Joule Park, Aughrim, last Sunday and that Wicklow performed well to send them packing with an impressive tally of 2-21 on the board.
The glass half empty contingent could suggest that this was a Donegal team Wicklow would always be expected to account for and that Mickey McCann’s men posting 21 points over the course of 70 minutes suggests that serious improvements need to be made in the Garden County camp.
It’s fair to say that this is a Wicklow team that has yet to really click. On paper this was as good a Wicklow team as you would expect to turn out against Donegal. Granted Christy Moorehouse Snr only entered the fray late on, but the Bray man showed a lovely touch before sending Enda Donohue on for a shot at goal and looks to be finally returning from that frustrating injury. With him in the starting 15, this would be a very capable Wicklow outfit.
And yet, as Seamus Murphy said previously, they didn’t show their ruthlessness against a weakened Armagh side and were turned over badly in Ballycran and now face a tough task in Ballina where more of these stale periods that have blighted the last few games could prove very costly in terms of league ambitions.
Of course, the fact that several Wicklow players are just returning from injury must also be considered. Ronan Keddy, Danny Staunton and Eamon Kearns have only recently featured and the knitting together of a team can’t be expected to happen overnight, and the extra week should serve them well ahead of the vital clash against a Mayo team that narrowly defeated Derry by 0-13 to 0-10 on Sunday last.
Mayo and Down currently sit on full points, six after three wins, with Wicklow in third spot on four points, two wins and that defeat to Down, so a victory on Sunday in Castlebar is vital ahead of the visit of Derry to Joule Park, Aughrim, for the final league game on March 4. And with Down facing Mayo that day it could make for a very interesting afternoon.
A start this Sunday along the lines of the opening few minutes against Donegal would do nicely. Andy O’Brien could do no wrong in the opening five minutes as he stroked over three superb scores, one majestic strike from play from the sideline, one free, and a 65 to open a 0-03 to 0-00 lead.
It was a dirty, dour Sunday afternoon in Joule Park, Aughrim, with a real sneaky chill hanging in the air. Heavy, grey clouds looked to be struggling for inspiration as they hung sluggishly above the damp field, but that great start gave the small crowd plenty to cheer about.
A fine piece of fielding from John Henderson provided a big lift ahead of the next score. The Bray man plucked the ball from the heavens and lashed it back down on top of the Donegal 45 where Danny Staunton broke it to Padraig Doyle who added a few yards to it and Ronan Keddy scooped it up and split the posts with a fine effort to leave Seamus Murphy’s men ahead by 0-04 to 0-00 after six minutes.
A pointed free from the impressive Lee Henderson and Sean McVeigh from play brought Donegal back into the game before George O’Brien managed to get a bit of breathing space from the tight-marking Padhraig Doherty to fire over a sweet score to make it 0-05 to 0-02.
It couldn’t help being noticed at this stage that there were some issues at play out on the field. Wicklow’s striking wasn’t what it might be in certain sectors, the Donegal pressure on the Wicklow players was forcing plenty of errors and there was a slightly timid nature to some of the action that would be unusual.
Seamus Murphy’s men can be thankful that the excellent David Flynn couldn’t gather the ball quick enough when he got on the end of a lovely move. However, the centre half-forward couldn’t bring the ball up quick enough and gave the Wicklow defence time to crowd him and his batted effort went wide of Bob Fitzgerald’s post.
A fantastic point from Ronan Keddy from 50 yards gave the Wicklow crowd a major lift before two Lee Henderson pointed frees prompted plenty of cheers from the Donegal supporters.
A sublime effort from Danny Staunton made it 0-08 to 0-04 after 18 minutes but Donegal could always make little mini scoring bursts when required and Niall Cleary and Ciaran Mathewson made it a two-point game; Cleary’s point coming from a ball Wicklow should have cleared.
Padraig Doyle raised a white flag with a missile from the stand sideline before Donegal again made major inroads into the Wicklow lead with two points, one from Gerry Gilmore, the second from a Lee Henderson free, 0-09 to 0-08. Wicklow needed to make a bit of gap in the scoring.
The next few minutes were the key to the winning of the game. Enda Donohue gave Wicklow the first major boost. He charged 30 yards to calmly place the ball past Paul Burns in the Donegal goal.
Next up was John Henderson who gathered just beyond the D and showed pace and energy to get past Christopher McDermott and Gavin Browne before lashing the ball past Burns who will feel he should have kept it out.
Two Andy O’Brien points (one free) added to the sense that Wicklow were about to pull clear, but Donegal recovered and added the last three scores of the half to send the teams in with Wicklow leading 2-11 to 0-11.
The second half was a pure battle. Andy O’Brien grabbed the first three scores in this half as he had done in the first.
His opener came after great work from Enda Donohue who fed O’Brien with a fine handpass while under serious pressure on the ground after a great burst into Donegal territory.
Two frees from Andy O’Brien seemed to suggest that Wicklow were now on top and would see out the game at 2-14 to 0-11.
Donegal rattled off the next three points. Seamus Murphy sent in Seanie Germaine in place of George O’Brien, 13 gone in the second half, those two goals separating the sides at 2-14 to 0-14.
Eamon Kearns, the lively Germaine and Kearns again raised white flags for Wicklow with a sole Lee Henderson converted free in the middle and suddenly there were 19 minutes played in the second half and Wicklow led by 2-17 to 0-15.
But Donegal were far from done. David Flynn started to really dominate the game. He rampaged down on the Wicklow goal only to see his shot directed over the bar by the hurl of Bob Fitzgerald.
Mathewson added one from play and then Fitzgerald showed ligthening reflexes to thwart another Donegal goal attempt by batting it out for a 65 which Henderson pointed, 2-17 to 0-18.
It was all Donegal now as they sought to make the journey home a short one by taking their second big scalp in succession. Bernard Lafferty and Henderson brought them to within a score with 11 to go.
Andy O’Brien pointed a free won by Eamon Kearns only to see David Flynn swing over a mighty score at the other end. Enda Donohue won a free which the St Pat’s man pointed as Wicklow sent in Christy Moorehouse Snr for Billy Cuddihy with 28 on the clock.
Henderson went wide for Donegal before Christy got his first touch which he controlled sweetly on the hurl before feeding Enda Donohue who unleashed a rocket that was saved out for a 65 by Paul Burns. Andy O’Brien sent the 65 wide.
Excellent work by Padraig Doyle around the middle allowed Andy O’Brien send in a high ball which Seanie Germaine broke into space and the Baltinglass native was quick enough to gather it and split the posts fro a really uplifting score at a vital time, 2-20 to 0-21 with three minutes additional time announced.
The final word of the day went to Andy O’Brien who profited from a Danny Staunton ball to split the posts and bring the scoring to a close at 2-21 to 0-21 with 39 minutes on the second half clock.
Make no mistakes, this was a serious battle. Donegal have improved, but Wicklow made life difficult for themselves at times. Seamus Murphy’s men are improving and a win against Mayo would be just the tonic they need as the side looks to find that cohesion that will make them very hard to stop.
Scorers - Wicklow: Andy O’Brien 0-11 (6f, 1 65), Enda Donohue 1-00, John Henderson 1-00, Ronan Keddy 0-02, Padraig Doyle 0-02, Danny Staunton 0-01, Eamon Kearns 0-02, Seanie Germaine 0-02, George O’Brien 0-01.
Donegal: Lee Henderson 0-08 (7f, 1 65), David Flynn 0-04, Danny Cullen 0-02, Ciaran Mathewson 0-02, Bernard Lafferty 0-01, Gerry Gilmore 0-01, Ronan McDermott 0-01, Niall Cleary 0-01, Sean McVeigh 0-01.
Wicklow: Robert Fitzgerald; Stephen Kelly, Billy Cuddihy, Martin O’Brien; Garry Byrne, Warren Kavanagh, John Henderson; Ro-