Donard-The Glen grab a championship lifeline

DONARD-THE GLEN threw themselves a championship lifeline with this fully merited victory over Rathnew at Rounwood on Sunday.

After collecting just one point from their two earlier intermediate fixtures – losing to Laragh and drawing with Carnew - this must a must-win’ scenario for the men from West Wicklow.

But the victory over a depleted Rathnew side missing eight regulars, through a combination of suspensions from the previous game against Ashford and some injuries incurred when playing for Glenealy hurlers, means that Donard-The Glen can head into their two remaining fixtures against Ballymanus and Ashford harbouring some hope of progressing to the knock-out stages of the competition.

On the other hand, the ‘Village’ men will probably have to pick up maximum points from their two remaining contests against Laragh and Carnew to prolong their involvement in the competition.

In a game re-scheduled from Saturday evening to the following morning due to a clash with a Glenealy hurling game, and for which Donard declined to take a walk-over, the West Wicklow men made the brighter start, shooting the first three points inside eight minutes.

First off the mark was the industrious Mark Daly, who bagged a whopping seven points in total, splitting the posts from a free after just a minute’s play, and almost immediately the same player set up midfielder Harry Mangan for his side’s second score.

Six minutes later it was a case of keeping it in the family when Alan Daly’s cousin Laurence Daly added to Donard’s total to leave the scoreline 0-3 to no score in favour of the West men.

It took Rathnew a full 11 minutes before they registered their first score, Dean Franey converting a close range free, and they had to wait until just before half-time to record their initial score from open play, Robert Doyle being on target.

Midway through the opening half, Alan Daly cancelled out Franey’s point, but Franey quickly replied with an excellent kick from a ’45.

But in the next 10 minutes Donard reeled off six points on the trot, Alan Daly supplying four, and Eoin Kelly and Colin Osborne also making their mark to propel their side into a 0-10 to 0-2 lead after 26 minutes.

However, in the remaining few minutes of the initial period, Rathnew provided themselves with some encouragement for the second half, with Franey pointing another free and Ronan Doyle getting them off the mark from open play, to leave the half-time score reading 0-10 to 0-4 in Donard’s favour.

Two minutes into the second half, Alan Daly extended his side’s lead to seven points, but inside four minutes Rathnew hit a hattrick of points, Franey twice showing his accuracy from placed balls, and Paul Ellis scoring from play.

On 40 minutes, Donard fullback Alan Tutty showed his forwards the way, rampaging up the field, and breaking a few tackles before splitting the posts, and then Brian Lennon converted a free to restore the white jerseyed side’s advantage to six points once again – 0-13 to 0-7. Two points in quick succession by Paul Ellis closed Rathnew’s deficit to four points and the game looked in the melting pot at this stage.

But 10 minutes from time Alan Daly once again underlined his massive value to Donard once again when he expertly set up half-time sub Liam Mullen for the only goal of the game.

It was still 1-13 to 0-9 for Donard after 27 minutes of the second half, but Rathnew never gave up and were rewarded with three points from play by Jordan Graham, with Brian Lennon being on target twice for the eventual winners in remaining time.

Scorers – Donard-The Glen: Alan Daly 0-7 (1f), Brian Lennon 0-3 (3f), Liam Mullen 1-0, Eoin Kelly 0-1, Colin Osborne 0-1, Alan Tutty 0-1, Harry Mangan 0-1, Laurence Daly 0-1.

Rathnew: Dean Franey 0-5 (4f, 1 ‘45’), Paul Ellis 0-3 (1f), Jordan Graham 0-3, Ronan Doyle 0-1.

Donard The Glen: Mark Moore; Kevin Osborne, Alan Tutty, Mick Daly; Eoin Kelly, Joe White, Ger Healy; Harry Mangan, John Hanridge; Conor Kelly, Alan Daly, Brian Lennon: Laurence Daly, Colin Osborne, Dermot Daly. Subs: Billy Flynn for G Healy (21), Liam Mullen for M Daly (half-time), Ray Halloran for D Daly (48).

Rathnew: Patrick Reynolds; Paddy Keogh, Jason Devlin, Ronan Manley; Michael Nolan, James Manley, Tristan O’Toole; Ross Quinn, Jack Healy; Paul Ellis, Luke Corcoran, Ronan Doyle; Dean Franey, Jim Hollingsworth, Jordan Graham. Referee: John O’Brien (Newcastle).