Wicklow outmuscle under-strength Donegal on the road

Allianz HL Division 2B

Wicklow 2-24, Donegal 0-11

Wicklow's Sam O'Dowd

March 12 2023 06:11 PM

Sam O'Dowd and Gavin Weir netted second-half goals as Wicklow outmuscled Donegal in Division 2B.

The Garden men were far from lagged by the trip to Letterkenny and were far superior against a Donegal side down some experienced battlers.

Wicklow roared into a nine-point (0-14 to 0-5) lead by half-time, and by that stage, it was only a matter of how much of a margin they'd have by the conclusion.

The absence of the likes of Danny Cullen and Declan Coulter certainly harmed Donegal, but Christy Moorehouse and Eoin McCormack set Wicklow on their way.

McCormack fired over three first-half scores for the visitors. Only for Liam McKinney's points, Donegal would have been further behind.

Donegal's woes were compounded when Conor McNally, the Wicklow goalkeeper, saved Ritchie Ryan's penalty after the forward was fouled. The follow-up, from Gerry Gilmore, was put wide.

Andy O'Brien showed his muscle as Wicklow surged away and Pádraig Doyle opened the second-half scoring to quell any hopes of a Donegal fightback.

Twelve minutes into the second half, O'Dowd fortuitously deceived Luke White in the home goal for the opening goal of the afternoon.

Weir stepped in for the second Wicklow goal when he fired home in the 65th minute.

SCORERS – Wicklow: C Moorehouse (3f), E McCormack, P Doyle, D Staunton 0-4 each; S O’Dowd 1-1; G Weir 1-0; A O’Brien, D Masterson 0-2 each; M Murphy, L Maloney, D Maloney 0-1 each. Donegal: L McKinney (3f) 0-7; O Marley 0-2; B MacIntyre, C Bradley 0-1 each.

DONEGAL – L White 6; S McBride 6, M Donaghue 7, P Doherty 5; B McIntyre 7, B Lafferty 6, G Browne 5; C Gartland 6, J O’Loughlin 6; L McKinney 7, R McDermott 6, D O’ Maoileidigh 5; R Ryan 5, Gerry Gilmore 6, R Campbell 6. Subs: P Nelson 6 for Browne (11), O Marley 6 for Hartland (30), S Ward 6 for O’Maoileidigh (47), C Bradley 5 for McDermott (56), K Curran 5 for Campbell (60)

WICKLOW – C McNally 7; B Kearney 7, A Kavanagh 7, M O’Brien 7; P Doran 6, J Henderson 6, S O’Dowd 7: L Maloney 7, D Masterson 7; D Staunton 7, P Doyle 8, E McCormack 6; S Geramine 6, C Moorehouse 7, D Maloney 7. Subs: A O’Brien 6 for Doyle (43), G Weir 7 for Henderson (51), M Murphy 6 for L.Maloney (55), M Lee 5 for D.Maloney (57), D Byrne 5 for O’Brien (56)

Referee – K Brady (Louth)