DONARD RUN RIOT
Éire Óg Greystones couldn’t live with Glen men’s pace
DONARD-THE GLEN ÉIRE ÓG 1-19 0-9
DONARD-THE GLEN all but booked a spot in the knock-out stages of the Arklow Bay Hotel Junior C Football Championship, with a comprehensive victory over Éire Óg Greystones on Thursday evening last.
Lively Des Mann was the man who put in a huge shift throughout the evening to punish a disappointing Éire Óg side. Donard were guilty of leaving their scoring boots in the dressing rooms against Kilcoole last time out, but the home side certainly made up for it here with an impressive display.
Des Mann pointed from a free inside the first minute to get Donard-The Glen up on the board. Tommy Dwyer knocked over his first of the evening in the next attack after great work by Rory Toomey.
Nicky Donovan was causing havoc in the east coast side’s rearguard, with penetrating runs throughout the game, and Nicky played a sweet pass into young Shane Eager who fired home for the first goal of the game in the seventh minute as Paddy Toomey’s side were cruising.
Two more points from Tommy Dwyer and James Eager followed with Eddie Flynn influential in both scores.
Willie O’Hagan got the N11 men of the mark with a pointed free after Luke Bradley was fouled to close out the first quarter with the Glen side leading by 1-4 to 0-1.
James Eager and another Des Mann free increased the lead.
Kurt Stack kicked a mighty point from 70 yards out, albeit from the ball bouncing over the crossbar, after a bad call by the Donard goalie. However, the home side replied with Eddie Flynn pointing.
Eoin O’Neill thought he had goaled, only for Colm Toomey to somehow clear before the ball crossed the line.
ÉireÓgfoundabitofmomentum, but some resolute defending by Brendan Daly and Ger Healy kept the Greystones side at bay.
A quick free from Des Mann to Tommy Dwyer yielded another white flag for the hom eside. Kurt Stack drew a point blank save from the evergreen goalie Enda Walshe going into injury time in the first half before the half-time whistle sounded with the scoreboard reading 1-9 to 0-2.
Willie O’Hagan pointed a free in the opening minute after Brandon Byrne was fouled. Paul Doherty pointed another free for the N11 side after good work from Gary Byrne and Andrew Kiely.
The industrious Nicky Donovan was to the fore once again, with marauding runs through the Greystones defence, Darren O’Neill was tugged back and ace marksman Des Mann split the posts from the resulting free.
Paddy Toomey, who seemingly got a few new players before the transfer deadline day window closed, sprung a couple of fresh legs into action, with a healthy body count in the home dug-out.
Substitute Philip Matuschka won possession, rounded two defenders, and coolly slotted over for a point with his right foot as Donard upped the ante.
A brace of pointed frees by Éire Óg’s Paul Doherty somewhat slowed down the green machine.
Ger Healy intercepted a pass and fed Des Mann who added to his tally with another point. A further brace of pointed frees from Des Mann put the result beyond doubt, with the scoreboard now reading 1-13 to 0-5 going into the final quarter.
Luke Bradley fielded a high ball on the 45m line and powered it over the crossbar for a point in the next attack for Éire Óg.
Dean Mann knocked over a long-range point after a great break up the field by Kevin Mills. Kurt Stark kicked over another humdinger off a point from 60m out the park, for one of the scores of the night.
Éire Óg couldn’t live with the pace of this finely oiled Glen outfit, as Eddie Flynn and Darren O’Neill each pointed.
It fell to the man of the match Des Mann to point his seventh of the evening and close out the scoring as the full-time whistle sounded.
The Donard-The Glen Junior management will be happy that Tadgh Fennin wasn’t in attendance, hoping not to lose anyone up to the Intermediate team.
Éire Óg will have to regroup and must muster a win from their final group game for any chance of making the knock-out stages.
- Donard-The Glen: Des Mann 0-7 (3f), James Eager 1-2, Tommy Dwyer 0-4, Ed Fylnn 0-2 (1f), Darren O’Neill 0-2, Dean Mann 0-1, Philip Matuschka 0-1.
Éire Óg: Paul Doherty 0-4, Willie O’Hagan 0-2, Kurt Stark 0-2, Luke Bradley 0-1.
Scorers
Donard-The Glen: Enda Walshe; Gavin Walshe, Colm Toomey, Shane Eager; Ger Daly, Brendan Daly, Joe White; Pat Flynn, Rory Toomey; Nicky Donovan, Tommy Dwyer, Darren O’Neill; Des Mann, Eddie Flynn, James Eager. Subs: Dean Mann, Kevin Mills, Colm O’Neill, Mick Foley, Stephan Dowling, Phil Matuschka.
Francis Chatham; Brian O’Sullivan, Dermot Blake, Sean Minogue; Thomas O’Brien, Willie O’Hagan,Daniel Byrne; Gary Dunne, Luke Bradley ;Kurt Stark, Paul Doherty, Andrew Kiely; Brandon Byrne, Gary Elliot, Eoin O’Neill. Subs:John Coveney, Michael Cawley, Eoin Kiernan, Colm Devitt, Nic Casey.
Eamon Doyle (Kiltegan)
Éire Óg: Referee: