Walshe Goal Makes History for Wicklow

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Walshe Goal Makes History for Wicklow

Wednesday, August 8 2007

Tommy Murphy Cup final
Wicklow 3-13 Antrim 1-17 (after extra time)

Former Carlow player Thomas Walshe played a key role as Wicklow rounded off a year of steady improvements with a great, but hard-earned victory over Antrim in the Tommy Murphy Cup final on Saturday.

If nervous tension was the yard stick then this game provided as much entertainment as any other game in Croke Park this year, and more than most.

Wicklow got off to a bad start and fell two points behind in the early minutes. It was not until the 14th minute that they got on the scoreboard - newcomer Derek Daly rounding his marker to score a smashing goal. It was the tonic that Wicklow needed.

While Ciaran Close levelled the game almost immediately with a point from a free it was the Garden County boys that stayed comfortably in front for the rest of the half.

Walshe set up wing-back Paddy Dalton for a point; Tony Hannon scored one from a free almost on the sideline before Leighton Glynn got Wicklow’s second goal after good work by Brendan ” hAnnaidh and Hannon in the 21st minute.

Leighton Glynn and John McGrath added points before Walshe had what was probably the score of the match when he fielded a kick out, drove forward and sent over without the ball touching the ground.

Antrim were battling hard however and Ciaran Close (three), Eoin O’Neill and Michael McCann had points to leave three between the sides at half-time (2-5 to 0-8).

The sides traded score for score in the third quarter but then Wicklow edged four points up and were looking good again.

Then came the big turning point in this game. Antrim were awarded a penalty in the 21st minute of the half and Conor McGourty drove a powerful shot to the roof of the net off the fingertips of diving goalie Mervyn Travers. It was now anyone’s game.

McGourty levelled the scores but Hannon edged Wicklow in front again. McGourty again made it all square but with time up Daly set up Glynn for the lead point.

With two minutes of injury time gone Antrim won a free and the ice-cool McCann pointed to send this thriller to extra-time.

Five minutes had passed before McGourty edged Antrim in front but Glynn equalised and that was how the score stood at the break.

Super sub Michael McGill gave Antrim the lead once more on the restart and try as they might Wicklow just could not get the ball over the bar again.

Under intense pressure Hannon missed from a 45 and a long range free and Daly and Paddy Dalton also kicked wides.

Then with the 20 minutes of extra-time up and the game once more in injury time a great passing movement opened up the Antrim defence in a way that had not happened before.

The move was started by corner-back Alan Byrne who found Daly and he in turn parted to Glynn who spotted midfielder James Stafford in the full-forward position. Stafford had Rathnew club-mate Gill up in support and the number 13 had the simple task of tapping to an empty net. The final whistle sounded on the kick-out.

Captain for the day Gill was happy to mount the steps of the Hogan Stand to become the first Wicklow man to receive a football cup from President Nicky Brennan.

A great boost for Mick O’Dwyer at the end of his first year in Wicklow but the man thrilled more than anyone else was Mayo/Kildare man Arthur French who managed the team in the Murphy Cup.

After a three-match unbeaten run Arthur was more than happy to hand back to Micko to allow him to make plans for next year.

WICKLOW: Mervyn Travers (AGB); Ciar·n Hyland (AGB), Damien Power (Rathnew), Alan Byrne (Annacurra); Paddy Dalton (Coolkenno, 0-1), Dara ” hAnnaidh (Bray), Brendan ” hAnnaidh (Bray); Thomas Walshe (Bary, 0-1) James Stafford (Rathnew); John McGrath (Baltinglass, 0-2), Leighton Glynn (Rathnew, 1-4), Don Jackman (Coolkenno); Tommy Gill (Rathnew, 1-1), Tony Hannon (Hollywood, 0-4), Derek Daly (Kiltegan, 1-0). Sub: Eamonn Rossiter (Coolkenno) for Jackman.

ANTRIM: Se·n McGreevey; Paul Close, Paul Doherty, James Loughery; Se·n Kelly, Eoin O’Neill (0-1), Justin Crozier; Joe Quinn, Darryl Martin; Aodhan Gallagher (0-1), Kevin Niblock, Kevin Barry; Ciaran Close (0-5), Michael McCann (0-4), Conor McGourty (1-4). Subs: Michael McGill (0-2) for Martin; Gavin Bell for Kelly; Brendan Hasson for Niblock; Mark Dougan for Quinn; Michael Rea for Loughery.

REF: Pat McGovern (Galway).

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