The Letterkenny Rovers team which played Portmarnock in Dublin on Sunday.
ANOTHER REPLAY IN THE SEASON THAT KEEPS ON GIVING:
Portmarnock. Best known for its golf club but on Sunday last it was where Letterkenny Rovers teed up yet another Cup replay after coming from behind. This season just keeps on giving and giving.
Next Sunday, Rovers face Ringmahon Rangers in the Intermediate Cup semi-final replay – the following weekend they’ll host Portmarnock again when the sides will battle for a second round place in the F.A.I. Senior Cup. If these games don’t draw out local football followers – and indeed sports fans of any code – then we can only despair for the domestic game.
Eamon McConigley’s team earned this replay with a hard working approach right from the kick-off and despite falling behind inside the opening ten minutes, produced a particularly inspiring second half performance – another ‘despite’ here, Tommy Bonnar getting sent off for a two footed challenge – with ace marksman, Darren McElwaine, grabbing the equalizer that will mean the Dubliners travelling to Letterkenny on the 24th of the month.
Before that, however, comes the little (sic!) matter of that other replay to contend with – Ringmahon Rangers coming from the other end of the country to stake their claim for a place in the Intermediate Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium.
Leckview Park might not have the ambience of our national stadium but it surely won’t fault for lack of atmosphere – and tension – when Rovers and Rangers confront one another with that big prize in sight.
Rovers were seconds away from claiming that spot in the first game in Cork when Rangers grabbed the latest of equalizers through a deflected effort.
Name on the trophy, Ringmahon will believe, after that let-off. But this Rovers team have spirit in spades and with strength in every department and home advantage they can ensure their name and line-up goes into the match programme for that final at the Aviva.
On such occasions, support of a home crowd is essential – get along and lend yours even if you only have the mildest of interest in local football.
Paddy McBrearty scored eight points for Donegal on Sunday against Dublin.
OPEN CONTEST AT CROKER BUT OUTCOME JUST THE SAME:
Well, Donegal certainly didn’t bring along a fleet of Marley coaches this time out. No parking the bus to frustrate the All-Ireland champions as was the case in the recent outing between the teams.
Here was all the freedom of Croke Park for the Dubs if they’d so wished – but the end outcome was the same, defeat for Donegal and semi-final elimination from this year’s National League.
On a cold Sunday afternoon, how the visitors could have done with bringing some measure of blanket along to stem the chill. They did compete well in the opening half but the concession of a handful of points towards the end of it and a goal before the suits had vacated the Croke Park refreshment facilities at the start of the second signalled another inevitable loss at headquarters.
In the end, the ten point gap could have been greater had Dublin taken the glut of chances that came their way though it has to be said Donegal squandered in this department also with Michael Murphy, untypically, missing three or four scoring opportunities that he would normally convert with a blindfold on.
Full-back, Neil McGee was adamant afterwards that a lack of concentration in the lead-up to the goal had cost his side dearly and killed the game as a contest.
Dublin have triumphed in all but one of the last seven encounters between the sides – the Gweedore man asserting that if Donegal wants to win the All-Ireland this year they’ll have to dispose of Jim Gavin’s team somewhere down the line.
But somewhere down the line is where Donegal’s hopes of repeating the heroics of 2012 surely rest.
It will take an effort of supreme proportions to bring this side back to where they want to be, where they need to be if they are to be serious contenders in the battle for Sam. There is a hard working ethos in this squad but it will take even more than that to bridge the gap.
Ulster title? Perhaps and certainly not beyond Rory Gallagher’s men, but while the National League is invariably never a pointer to the Championship campaign and how things pan out there, it’s difficult to see how a team that has just lost five on the bounce can change things around in time for the ultimate challenge.
Ethan Boyle in action for Finn Harps on Monday night against St. Patrick’s Athletic.
NO POINTS FOR MORAL VICTORIES:
Moral victories don’t keep you in the Division. That post match comment from Finn Harps boss, Ollie Horgan, sharply summed up the feelings after Monday night’s reversal against St Patrick’s Athletic.
A quality second half performance that should have yielded more than Kevin McHugh’s late penalty but in the end Liam Buckley’s men headed back to the capital with three points, hardly merited but nevertheless in the bag (the Saints’ twitter account claimed that the visitors “deservedly won” but the two exclamation marks at the tail-end of the remark said it all).
After that lone goal defeat at Terryland Park on Friday evening – again a game where Harps should have got something out of – there was hope that they could at least secure a point against the Inchicore outfit.
The home side struck the upright and also had an effort cleared off the line as they piled on that second half pressure but then, having already gone behind to a freakish goal, they were again sucker punched when a son of Buncrana, Mark Timlin, raced through after a ball over the top to fire past Richard Brush.
McHugh’s spot-kick – another League of Ireland season marked with a goal for the Killea man – brought vague hopes but two free-kicks into the box in stoppage time brought no reward – except for Pat’s.
Referee Ben Connolly came in for some serious flack from both teams and touchline management – Horgan watching events from the stand for the last couple of minutes after throwing the ball – accidentally? – at Jason McGuinness – and there were some puzzling decisions from the match official to say the least. He failed to award fairly clear cut penalties to Harps and Pat’s but then did give one right at the end. And yet, despite that, I didn’t believe he was the worst referee we’ve seen at Finn Park. Not by a long chalk.
For the home side there were notable performances from Sean Houston – what a boost he can be to that midfield sector if he can avoid further injuries – and a sparkling second half display from livewire Tony McNamee. I thought McHugh should have been brought on much earlier than the 82nd minute mark but hail the man who did come on sooner, Michael Funston, making his 300th appearance for the club and what a servant he has been.
Harps showed they can mix it with some of the best in this Division but they’ll need to realise that moral victories won’t work against the likes of this Friday night’s opponents, Bray Wanderers. Here is where they will need to build up their points tally.
STILL ON COURSE:
In their league meeting with Ballyclare early last month, the Letterkenny R.F.C. under18-s ran out 27-0 winners but that was far from the story of a highly competitive fixture.
Switch to last Saturday at the same venue, Dave Gallaher Park, and the final scoreline in the Cup clash between the sides of 20-12 in favour of the home side painted a much more accurate picture of proceedings.
Here was a Ballyclare outfit up for it right from the kick-off and enjoying much possession in the home 22 after Peter Scott had put Letterkenny ahead with a well connected and directed penalty.
An Oisin Toal try, converted by Scott, had Letterkenny leading 10-0 at the interval but there was still plenty of time for the determined visitors to continue to make a match of it and that they duly did, even after conceding an early try from Stephen Holmes in the opening stages of the second half. Back they bounced with an uncoverted try of their own and still they refused to go away after Scott had landed another penalty to make it 20-5 on the scoreboard.
A converted try brought the gap back to eight points but there was a sigh of relief among home supporters when the clock ticked into time up territory.
Next stop, Dave Gallaher Park again for a Cup semi-final meeting with Virginia on Saturday week.
Meanwhile, we again had the refereeing pair of father and daughter, Shane and Claire Toolan, officiating at respective matches at the Letterkenny venue last Saturday, Shane blowing the whistle for the under-18’s game and Claire taking charge of the Letterkenny under-16’s Cup game on the parallel pitch, Mick McGarvey’s team advancing to the next round on a scoreline of 10-0 in that one.
GREEN MACHINE:
Didn’t quite glue myself to the flat screen for the weekend coverage of the Masters from Augusta National but I did drop in for some of it, not least the closing stages.
No doubt, Jordan Spieth will be back but his collapse was countered by Danny Willett who engineered a victory from almost nowhere. As sharp as a blade from his native Sheffield.
The green jacket had a worthy wearer in the end.
Though, of course, those of us in the Letterkenny Reunion Committee know all about green jackets and how to wear them. Only we don’t know how to play golf.
HOW NOT TO TIP
Apologies for the tips last week on the Grand National and the Masters golf.
Holywell fell at the second at Aintree and Shane Lowry fell at the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 13th, 15th and 17th at Augusta.
Meanwhile, my good friend, Liam Devenny said he was told to put a bet on Vee-Neck for the National as it was a good jumper…!
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