Doyles claim their first silverware
DOYLE’S claimed their first title of the season when they beat Harney’s 5-0 in the Second Division Cup final in Arklow on Friday night.
Although, the final score didn’t do Harney’s justice and the Wexford side were better than the final score suggests.
The opening ’1001' went right to the wire but Doyle’s took advantage of some poor finishing from Harney’s to go 1-0 in front. Poor finishing would cost the Wexford side dearly all night.
Robert ‘Rosie’ Doyle and Martin O’Connor took on Colm and Paul Philips in the opening doubles of the night. The Rathnew men struck first but the Philips’ fought back well to level it. They had chances to will it but Doyle and Connor held their nerve to win it 2-1 and put Doyle’s into a 2-0 lead.
The second singles of the night saw Trevor Doyle and John Sayer take on Paddy Kirwin and Jim Carter. It was nearly a carbon copy of the opening doubles. Doyle’s struck first but Harney’s leveled it. They had shots to win it but poor finishing was costing them Doyle’s were ruthless in that department though and Trevor Doyle held his nerve to put them into a 3-0 lead.
That appeared to break Harney’s and good win’s for Martin O’Connor and Rosie in the two singles games of the night, sealed a good 5-0 win for Doyle’s and in the process handed them their first title of the season.
They were probably the best team throughout the Cup campaign and deserved the win,
Doyle’s: Eamon ‘Notcher’ Hughes, Martin O’Connor, Paddy Byrne, John Sayer, Robert ‘Rosie’ Doyle, Trevor Doyle, Eamon Doyle, Dave Duffy.
The Grand progressed to the semi-final of the First Division League on Friday night after a hard-fought win over Lynham’s in Ashford.
The Grand took the opening ’1001' to go 1-0 in front, and they made it 2-0 when the unbeaten doubles pairing of Martin Fortune and Don Healy took the opening doubles of the night.
John White and Barry Jones pulled one back for Lynham’s when they won the second doubles.
However, wins for John Quinn and John Edwards in the next two games put the Grand 4-1 up.
Lynham’s fought back strong after that but their comeback just came up short though, despite the best efforts of Danny Devitt, he couldn’t get the better of Martin Fortune who produced a good ’14' dart leg to seal it for the Wicklow men.
Next up for them is Glenmalure in the semi-next Friday night. Doyle’s will take on John Joe’s and Fitzpatrick’s will face Harney’s in the Second Division playoffs, also next Friday.