Wicklow beat Kildare
Late 1-1 from O’Brien sets up date with Dubs
WICKLOW KILDARE 1-7 0-6
WE turn our attentions to 1990 in this week’s look back at the sporting life of Co. Wicklow and it turns out to be a mixed weekend in the Garden County with a fine win by the county’s Senior footballers over Kildare in Aughrim and the ladies against Louth but defeats for the hurlers in Keady and the Minor footballers against the Lilywhites.
‘Unfancied and injury hit Wicklow pulled off another surprise victory in the Leinster Senior football championship on Sunday last when they deservedly beat Kildare by 1-7 to 0-6 at Aughrim,’ wrote reporter Mark Kennedy in the Wicklow and Bray People that appeared on the shelves on Friday, June 8, 1990.
The prize for Wicklow’s victory was a chance to meet the Dubs on June 24 in Newbridge.
Kildare came into this game as solid favourites given that they had won promotion to Division 2 of the league after a campaign that seen them take care of Wicklow on two occasions. Added to that Wicklow were hit hard with injuries with Tinahely’s Seamus Morris out after picking up a knock in a practice game against Louth and Kevin O’Brien carrying a rib injury but lining out regardless.
It’s reported that there was significant surprise at the positional switches made by the management team ahead of this crunch game with Kildare. Fergus Daly was moved into full-forward, Philip McGillycuddy was sprung from the bench to replace the injured Morris, Philip Healy moved to midfield from wing back, Ashley O’Sullivan was drafted back to fill Healy’s position and Pat Baker switched to the wing from full-forward to complete the reshuffle.
‘The new Wicklow defensive line-up was a revelation, harrassing the Kildare forwards at every turn and never allowing them an unimpeded shot at goal. Indeed, the sharpest shot at the Wicklow posts in the opening 35 minutes was when full-back Hugh Kenny booted the ball out for a 45,’ wrote Mark Kennedy.
Ashley O’Sullivan came in for special praise for his first-half performance as the Wicklow rearguard kept Kildare to four points and a two-point lead at 0-4 to 0-2 at the break. O’Sullivan got great support from David Gordon, Philip McGillycuddy, Mick Murtagh, and Billy and Hugh Kenny, who we are told put the shackles on Kildare dangerman John Crofton.
The Lilywhites would have the wind in their faces in the second half and a not insignificant job of protecting that slender twopoint lead. They had also kicked nine wides in that opening half to Wicklow’s one.
‘Wicklow were on level terms with Kildare after just seven minutes of the second half as a result of two fine points scored by Fergus Daly and wing back Mick Murtagh,’ writes Kennedy, ‘ and were unfortunate to have a goal disallowed in the fifth minute when Pat Baker was judged to be in the square when he got on the end of a Robert McHugh free to punch the ball to the net.’
Another goal chance was spurned shortly after when Robert McHugh fired wide but Fergus Daly would give Wicklow the lead in the 10th minute only for Kildare to enjoy a surge to regain the lead themselves through points by Jarlath Gilroy and Tom Harris.
Robert McHugh leveled matters from a free after 23 minutes and then Kevin O’Brien, who had been relatively quiet due to his injury according to the report, produced some magic when he grabbed 1-1 to secure victory.
Despite heading into the Dublin game with plenty of confidence, missed chances and some dark tactics left Wicklow losing by 2-14 to 0-12.
Wicklow: John Walshe; David Gordon, Hugh Kenny, Philip McGillycuddy; Ashley O’Sullivan, Billy Kenny, Mick Murtagh (0-1); Pat O’Byrne, Philip Healy; Pat Baker, Kevin O’Brien (1-2), Robert McHugh (0-2); Conan Daye, Fergus Daly (0-2), Niall O’Dare. Sub: Terry Allen for N O’Dare.
Kildare: S. Sargent; D. Dalton, D. Malone, P. McConnon; S. Ryan, B. Sex, S. Dowling; B. Donovan, S. McGovern (0-1); M. Lynch, P. Donohoe, T. Harris (0-1); D. Kerrigan (0-1), J. Crofton, J. Gilroy (0-3). Subs: P. McLoughlin for P. Donohoe; D. Fenning for D. Kerrigan.
Referee: P. Moran (Laois)