Donegal begin Christy Ring Cup with a dominant win over Wicklow

The hurt of that heartbreaking defeat in the NHL Division Three final in sunny Aughrim spurred Mickey McCann’s men to a most emphatic victory over Wicklow at a chilly O’Donnell Park.

A revitalised Donegal produced their best display of the year against a team that had beaten them in their last four outings.

Donegal played against a swirling wind, but dominated from the off, winning all of the 50/50 balls and curbing the threat of Wicklow’s giant full-forward Padraig Doyle.

Wicklow never matched the hunger of the home side and posted eleven wides to Donegal’s five in Letterkenny.

The home side were well worth their half-time lead of 0-10 to 0-3, and this tie was effectively decided in the 43rd minute when Richie Ryan netted from a cross-field pass from Declan Coulter.

Wicklow did manage a late goal from substitute Willie Cash, but it was a token effort on a poor day for the Garden County.

Donegal started smartly, and Brian MacIntyre darted through the Wicklow defence as a goal appeared on briefly, but he tapped it over the bar.

Paudie Doyle replied with a pointed free for Wicklow.

But Donegal was much livelier and hit four points on the spin from a Liam McKinney free, Josh McGee Cronolly, Ronan McDermott and Peter Kelly by the ninth minute, as they led by 0-5 to 0-2.

But Donegal keeper Luke White was forced to pull off a great save from a rocketed first-time effort from Wicklow’s Jack Phelan in the ninth minute.

It was all Donegal, and Liam McKinney (free), Richie Ryan, and Gerry Gilmore made it 0-8 to 0-1 by the 15th minute.

But Wicklow were settling slowly into the game, and Jack Phelan and Tommy Collins hit two soaring points, but they also hit four wides.

The scoring rate dropped in the run-up to the break, with the home side completely dominant.

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Points from McKinney and Gerard Gilmore pushed Donegal to a 0-10 to 0-3 lead.

McKinney increased that lead on the restart from a free before Ryan’s killer goal.

Wicklow had quite an amount of possession and persisted on playing the high ball into the Donegal square, which proved so profitable in Aughrim.

But the Donegal full-back line snuffed out all danger.

McKinney added another point as Doyle got Wicklow’s first score in 25 minutes.

Both sides ran their benches as the wind picked up and Donegal had further points from McKinney (0-2), Gilmore, substitute Ruairi Campbell, and a thundering effort from 70 metres from veteran Ronan McDermott.

Wicklow sub Willie Cash responded with a goal and a point in injury time.

But the day belonged to the home side, who travel to Kerry next week, a team they beat at home in the League on their last encounter.

Donegal scorers: Liam McKinney 0-8,7f; Richie Ryan 1-1; Gerry Gilmore 0-2; Brian MacIntyre, Ronan McDermott, Peter Kelly, Josh McGee Cronolly, John Kealy 0-1 and Ruairi Campbell 0-1 each.

Wicklow scorers: Willie Cash 1-1; Padraig Doyle 0-2f; Jack Phelan, Tommy Collins and Kenneth Cullen 0-1 each.

Donegal: Luke White; Oisin Kelly, Ciaran Bradley, Steven McBride; Conor O’Grady, Kevin Kealy, Gerry Gilmore; Danny Cullen, Brian MacIntyre; Liam McKinney, Ronan McDermott, Peter Kelly; Declan Coulter, Richie Ryan, Josh Cronolly McGee. 

Subs: John Kealy, for Josh Cronolly McGee (45), Ruairi Campbell for Richie Ryan (55), Dan Donnelly for Peter Kelly (60), Ryan Hilferry for Declan Coulter (68).

Wicklow: Conor McNally; Ben Kearney, Bryan Kearney, Ian Clancy; Padraig Doran, John Henderson, James Boland; Tommy Collins, Sam O’Dowd; Andrew Kavanagh, Jack Phelan, Luke Evans; Fionn D’Arcy, Padraig Doyle, Seanie Germaine. 

Subs: Jack Doyle for Fionn D’Arcy (ht), Brandon Ryan for Ian Clancy (48), Willie Cash for Andrew Kavanagh and Kenneth Cullen for Seanie Germaine and Emmet Blanchfield for James Boland (63).

Referee: Michael Connolly (Sligo).