Young guns shine

GAA Allianz National Hurling League Division 2B: Wicklow 2-13 Donegal 0-15

Donegal’s Danny Cullen and Wicklow’s Warren Kavanagh shake hands before throw in

The Wicklow Senior hurlers ahead of their NHL Division 2B clash with Donegal in Letterkenny

thumbnail: Donegal’s Danny Cullen and Wicklow’s Warren Kavanagh shake hands before throw in
thumbnail: The Wicklow Senior hurlers ahead of their NHL Division 2B clash with Donegal in Letterkenny
Brendan Lawrence at Letterkenny
© Bray People

A shocking first half from the Wicklow Senior hurlers was thankfully overcome in windy Letterkenny on Sunday afternoon last to steer Eamonn Scallan's men clear of any relegation play-off threat and leave them in a very healthy position in Division 2B ahead of the visit of Kildare this Sunday.

Key to the changing of fortunes for the visitors was the stamping of authority on the game by the younger players in the second half with Bray's Eoin McCormack being the stand out warrior on the day with his goal early in the second half providing a vital lift for his colleagues after they had retired to the dressing room trailing a limited but tough Donegal side by 0-8 to 0-5.

A second goal from Glenealy's Jonathan O'Neill Jnr and a fine showing from Luke Evans, Jack Doyle and Bryan Kearney suggests a coming of age perhaps among the younger players on a day when Wicklow were without the services of Eamonn Kearns and Padraig Doyle.

There were some decent showings among the more experienced stalwarts as well. Captain Warren Kavanagh looked steady and confident and drove over a magical score in the second half with the wind at his back.

Billy Cuddihy and Martin O'Brien battled hard in the full-back line while Garry Byrne, Stephen Kelly, John Henderson and Danny Staunton were impressive at times.

However, it just can't be said that this is a team firing on all cylinders or playing like a tight unit. Granted they faced a stiff breeze in the first half and a Donegal side who seriously fancied their chances despite losing key man Declan Coulter to injury the evening before the game, Wicklow looked totally disjointed and almost disinterested in the first half.

What ball went in to the full-forward line came back out almost as quick, players struggled to get the ball up, ran into trouble at times and then fouled their Donegal counterparts within the range of Lee Henderson who would finish the game with 10 points (nine frees and one 65).

It's more than fair to say that had Donegal had Coulter in their attack or had they any forward possessing real menace and threat, this game may well have been beyond Eamonn Scallan's men after those opening and forgetful 35 minutes.

However, it is early days, and this is a side still finding their feet. The return of Andy O'Brien was a welcome sight to see and he grabbed two sweet points and would have almost certainly shook the onion bag had Eoin McCormack seen him in space before he fired over for a nice point after 48 minutes.

Wicklow needed O'Brien back in a big way. Without him that goal threat he brings is not nearly as pronounced. It just didn't happen for Christy Moorehouse and Michael Boland on Sunday last, but both men are capable of producing the magic and hopefully that will happen when the Lilywhites come to town on Sunday.

Eamonn Scallan's men currently sit in fourth on the table but are level on points with Kildare and Down with all three having two wins and one defeat on their record so anything is possible ahead of this weekend's games.

Derry are in the driving seat at the top of the table on six points and, traveling to Birmingham to face Warwickshire on Saturday, that total will almost certainly rise to eight.

It's what happens on Sunday is what's most interesting. Down welcome Donegal to Newry and although the home side will be strong favourites, if Coulter was back then a victory for Michael McCana's men wouldn't be outrageous.

It's Aughrim where Wicklow need to be most concerned with, however. If Scallan's men can get over Kildare that would leave a likely scenario of Down and Wicklow on six points ahead of the last round of games which sees Wicklow make the long journey to Derry and Kildare welcome Down to Newbridge with plenty still left to play for.

Regardless of what happens, Wicklow can't have a first half like that one on Sunday if they are to have any hope of beating Kildare. The Lilywhites could have the fixture dead and buried if the Garden hurlers don't step up and hurl with passion and confidence.

Donegal grew in confidence in that opening half because Wicklow just weren't playing to their potential and with each passing Henderson score the home side began to believe more and more that a victory was most certainly within reach.

In fairness, there was a strong wind in that opening half in favour of Donegal and that did make life difficult for the visitors, but a five-point return and a lackluster effort was very disappointing for the dedicated Wicklow following who had made the trip to the northwest.

Lee Henderson had four points within the opening quarter with Wicklow's sole reply coming from Danny Staunton who waited cleverly just outside a churning ruck before gaining possession and rifling over for the visitors' opening score after seven.

A poor clearance from Donegal keeper Paul Burns gave Enda Donohoe a decent chance and the Carnew men obliged after 23 minutes, two minutes before Eamonn Scallan replaced Ronan Keddy with Andy O'Brien.

Wicklow enjoyed a short recovery after O'Brien's introduction. Christy Moorehouse swept over a free after a foul on Jack Doyle and then a short free from Enda Donohoe to Andy O'Brien saw the Pat's man loft over a lovely score with 27 gone to make it 0-4 to 0-4 and ease the concerns in the stand.

A foul on Michael Boland gave Moorehouse the chance of a point after 29 and the Bray stalwart split the posts and Wicklow led for the first time in the game.

However, Donegal recovered well and with the wind at their backs and some hard running at the Wicklow defence they bagged two points through Henderson frees, Ciaran Mathewson sent over a bomb and midfielder Danny Cullen sent them into the dressing rooms leading by 0-8 to 0-5 and looking good.

Sean McVeigh made it 0-9 to 0-5 in the opening moments of the second half but Wicklow woke up big time over the next 15 minutes.

McCormack plucked a high ball from the heavens and buried it past Burns for a major boost for Wicklow. Danny Cullen struck back for Donegal but Moorehouse (free) and a Warren Kavanagh beast from well inside his own half sandwiched another Henderson free to leave Donegal one point to the good.

Eamonn Scallan was giving youth a chance in this game and he sent in Luke Evans and Jonathan O'Neill Jnr as his side went in search of badly needed scores.

McCormack fired over from close range with Andy O'Brien standing free inside and then the Bray attacker sent in a lovely ball from the sideline and up went the hand of Glenealy's Jonathan O'Neill Jnr to pluck it from the Donegal sky before placing it beautifully past Burns for a badly needed major in terms of Wicklow's league hopes.

Wicklow needed to build on this goal and that they did, with an Enda Donohoe free and a Luke Evans point pushing the Garden County side 2-10 to 0-11 ahead after 16 minutes of the second half.

Donegal pushed hard to their credit and closed to within two points with nine minutes to go but Andy O'Brien's second point of the day and another Enda Donohoe free gave Wicklow some breathing space at the death and saw them hang on for a deserved but nervy victory.

Scorers - Wicklow: Eoin McCormack 1-1, Enda Donohoe 0-4 (2fs), Jonathan O'Neill 1-0, Christy Moorehouse 0-3fs, Andy O'Brien 0-2, Luke Evans, Warren Kavanagh, Danny Staunton 0-1 each. Donegal: Lee Henderson 0-10 (9fs, 1 '65'), Danny Cullen 0-2, Ciaran Matthewson, Dillon Duffy, Sean McVeigh 0-1 each.

Wicklow: Bob Fitzgerald; Bryan Keanrney, Billy Cuddihy, Martin O'Brien; Garry Byrne, Stephen Kelly, Warren Kavanagh; John Henderson, Jack Doyle; Ronan Keddy, Enda Donohoe, Danny Staunton; Christy Moorehouse, Eoin McCormack, Michael Boland. Subs: Andy O'Brien for R Keddy (25), Luke Evans for M Boland (45), Jonathan O'Neill Jnr for C Moorehouse (47), Ronan Byrne for J Doyle (62), Ciarán Breen for B Kearney (68).

Donegal: Paul Burns; Christopher McDermott, Pauric Doherty, Stephen Gillespie; Gavin Browne, Sean McVeigh, Jack O'Loughlin; Joe Boyle, Danny Cullen; Ciaran Matthewson, Lee Henderson, Conor O'Grady; Ciaran Finn, Ronan McDermott, Dillon Duffy. Subs: Sean Anderson for Browne (H/T), Conor Parke for O'Grady (54), Oisin Rooney for Finn (65), PJ McCarron for Anderson (70).

Referee: L Gordon (Galway)