Munster Express Online

Wicklow had two goals to spare at Dungarvan

Wicklow . . . 2-8; Waterford . . . 0-8.

Two well-taken first half goals proved sufficient to see Wicklow enhance their Division 2 Allianz National League promotion prospects, following this 2-8 to 0-8 fourth round victory over Waterford at Fraher Field, Dungarvan on Saturday afternoon last. Once again conditions proved far from satisfactory, as a heavy mist and a heavy underfoot surface, spoiled what might other wise have been a highly entertaining encounter. In the final analysis it was the team who made the most of their opportunities who ended up on top, and in this regard the visitors definitely came out on top to confine the Decies to the lower echelons of the table and to all intents and purposes out of consideration for the All Ireland qualifiers this Summer. A fair sized attendance, made up in the main of Wicklow supporters braved the weather to see Mick O’Dwyer’s men chalk up another important victory edge the Garden county colours a little closer to possible promotion. They have still a mighty long way to go before Division 1 football becomes anywhere near reality for the Kerry maestro’s adopted county.

For Waterford this represented their third successive League defeat, and with all hope now vanished of becoming power-brokers at least, and with Tipperary, Meath and Cavan still to come, the outcome of the remainder of the competition hardly breaches academic interest, and could only be utilised as preparation for the championship meeting with Clare at Fraher Field on May 20th. Sad to relate the homesters had more of the play over the seventy minutes, but the statistics of shooting thirteen wides to the winners half dozen in a way tells it’s own story. Tactically however, the Wicklow men scored heavily – they moved the ball about freely and more positively, hardly a solitary pass went astray and when the chances arose they had a clinical finisher in half back Leighton Glynn, whose two first half strikes, effectively made victory possible.

The losers on the other hand repeated many of the mistakes evidenced in their last home match versus Antrim, the place kicking for the most part left a fair deal to be desired, and one must seriously question the value of playing a third midfielder – or at best assigned to a roving commission, when a scarcity of numbers close to goal hampered the cause completely. Even with the wind advantage the folly of having at most one inside forward endeavouring to cope back fired in a major way, and while the extra man in the middle proved successful before, one would have to censure at least four of the other Decies forwards for their absence without leave, far too often.

Early chances squandered

The winners for their part allowed the ball perform the work most of the time and it paid off, they could consider themselves to get at least one of their first half goals, as it was a Waterford pass that went completely astray at the other end of the field, that made it a lot easier for the visitors to cash in on some sloppy defensive marking. Prior to all of that Waterford to their credit had laid down a marker from a very early stage – inside two minutes they had shot as many wides, and it was more than their due when an inch perfect Stephen Cunningham pass, resulted in a ‘fisted’ opening point from Wayne Hennessy in the 3rd minute. The first mentioned player later scorned a gilt edged chance to put the homesters two up, and some ten minutes had gone when Brian Wall rectified that situation from a free.

Immediately the visitors Paul Earls responded with their opening point of the day, but continuing to force the pace, Waterford went back to a two points advantage a minute and a half later, after the hard working Stephen Cunningham set up Mick Ahearne for the Decies third score of the day. J. P. Dalton pulled one back for the Garden County on the quarter hour, and two minutes later the same player was involved in probably the miss of the day when a Waterford Defender Shane Briggs was hard done by the referee and a testing ball provided a central defender J. P. Dalton with a great chance of a goal. It was a let off of monumental dimensions for John Kiely’s men and after Mick Ahearne had passed up on an opportunity to get something back at the other end the kick out galvanised the visitors into immediate action, and a well worked movement the length of the field was culminated when half back Leighton Glynn finished the ball past the helpless Tom Wall. That score rocked the homesters into the foundations and gave Wicklow the lead for the first time. To their credit Waterford came back to level – Gary Hurney getting his name on the score sheet as a result of a cross from the left by Ger Power, and on the half hour mark itself team captain Brian Wall came up field to finish a 30m free for the equalising score. A subsequent fruitless ‘45′ deprived the home side to go back in front and it was Wicklow who finished the initial half on a telling note.John Slattery restored their lead with a point in the 34th minute, and a minute later a long ball down the middle bounced fortuitously off full forward Don Jackman and there to finish home was none other than the brilliant Leighton Glynn. This left the visitors 2-3 to 0-5 ahead at the break and already shaping up as the most likely winners.

Successive wides

Territorially the second half belonged to Waterford, but once again short comings up front came back to haunt them. In total they replicated their first half tally of seven wides many of them from ideal scoring positions and to no avail as Wicklow held grimly on to their lead throughout. Indeed, the winners increased their half time advantage for a brace of points from John and Don Jackman in the 37th and 38th minutes respectfully, and when Keith Byrne finished off a Paul Earls free three minutes later Waterford found themselves with a glaring mountain to climb. Karl O’Keeffe came into the fray after a protracted absence through injury and made a little difference, Gary Hurney opened up a chance for Jason Ryan whose blasting rive from close range was admirably saved by the Wicklow goalkeeper at the expense of a fruitless ‘45′.

Play had entered the final quarter when the Decies pressure was finally rewarded when Paul Ogle added to their half time tally with a point direct from a ‘45′. Straight away a Keith Byrne solo effort yielded another Wicklow point at the other end. Home chances continued to go a begging and a further ten minutes of scoreless play ensued before substitute Donal Fitzgerald added to Wicklow’s tally in the 63rd minute for what transpired to be their last score of the match. Undaunted and putting in a strong finish, Waterford threw everything but kitchen sink at the visitors, but the best they could come up with was a brace of points in the 65th and 67th minutes from substitute Niall Curran who had made his appearance in the home side after a long absence.

In the end Wicklow held on to what yet may be a most significant brace of league points while for Waterford it is now simply a case of once again ‘back to the drawing board’. The winners having fielded without the influential Tommy Gill who cried off at the eleventh hour because of injury and mid fielder Thomas Walsh whose eligibility is still a matter to be resolved by the Leinster council, brought Donal Fitzgerald and Barry O’Donovan in as replacements and both played exceedingly well. Others to shine for the winners include: J. P. Dalton, Leighton Glynn, James Stafford, Keith Byrne, John Slattery and Don Jackman.

For Waterford this was a further chastening experience, but they certainly didn’t deserve to be six points adrift at the end. On a day when nothing seemed to go right for them they still had a number of players who stood head and shoulders over all others on view. In this respect Tomas O’Gorman truly excelled and gave a Man of the Match performance at full back, admirably assisted by his Nire club colleague Brian Wall, Eamonn Walsh, Mick Ahearne, Gary Hurney, Stephen Cunningham, and Paul Ogle.

Scorers

Wicklow:- L. Glynn 2-0, J. Slattery & K. Byrne 0-2 each, P. Earls, J. P. Dalton, D. Jackman & D. Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

Waterford:- B. Wall & N. Curran 0-2 each (frees), W. Hennessey, M. Ahearne, G. Hurney, & P. Ogle 0-1 each (’45′).

Teams

Wicklow:- Ray Daniels, Ciaran Hyland, Dara O hAnnaidh, Alan Byrne, Paddy Dalton, J. P. Dalton, Leighton Glynn, James Stafford, Barry O’Donovan, John Slattery, Keith Byrne, Paul Earls, Donal Fitzgerald, Don Jackman, Tony Hannon. Subs – Dean Odlum for P. Earls.

Waterford:- Tom Wall, Edmond Rockett, Tomas O’Gorman, Shane Briggs, Brian Wall, Eamonn Walsh, Paul Ogle, Mick Ahearne, John Hurney, Ger Power, Liam Lawlor, Wayne Hennessey, Stephen Cunningham, Gary Hurney, Jason Ryan, Subs – Karl O’Keeffe for J. Hurney, Liam O’Lionain for L. Lawlor, Aidan Ahearne for G. Power, Andy Hubbard for J. Ryan, Niall Curran for S. Cunningham.

Referee – Pat Sheehy (Kerry).