Rathnew ... 1-6 UCD ... 1-5: Few words could describe the nature of Rathnew's victory in yesterday's Leinster club football quarter-final. Team manager Harry Murphy at least found one - miracle. Ian O'Riordan reports from Newbridge
On the sort of day you shiver just looking out the window, the Wicklow champions gave yet another lesson in how to battle against adversity. Give the opponents a handy lead, bust a gut trying to close it, then get a man sent off. And still win with the last kick of the game.
UCD were stunned at the final whistle. Beyond the opening few minutes they were always in control on the scoreboard, and most areas of the field as well. Even when they collapsed in the final 10 minutes the worst they seemed destined for was a draw.
Instead they suffered the same fate as their fellow Dublin champions of a year ago, Na Fianna. It's old news to most people by now but Rathnew, the reigning Leinster champions, simply don't give up, and if that means having to dig themselves out of a major hole, then so be it.
On this particular occasion they couldn't have done it without Tommy Gill. His off-the-ball running and passing movements were enough to make him stand out from the start, but his total of 1-6 was - quite obviously - the key difference.
If any one of the UCD forwards had managed to click the way Gill did, then the result would surely have been different. But Beano McDonald was left scoreless, three other forwards ended up being replaced and Ciarán McManus hobbled off for the second half with a back problem, an injury that was inflicted in the opening minutes.
There were still areas where UCD players consistently shone, especially Cormac McAnallen at midfield. His first-half goal, coming after 22 minutes, epitomised the danger of UCD's breaking runs, with Ray Ronaghan and McDonald central to the build-up.
McAnallen and McManus added frees either side of half-time (with McManus retiring immediately after his effort) and that left UCD five points clear - 1-4 to 0-2. Rathnew had gone the last 24 minutes of the first half scoreless, and would have been further behind had goalkeeper Tommy Murphy not made two spectacular blocks.
As the second half progressed, however, Rathnew started hunting and gathering in more fervent packs. Seven minutes into the half and a succession of short passes, started by Trevor Doyle, ended in the necessary response, with Ronan Coffey finishing off to Gill for the fisted goal.
With the gap down to two points, the Rathnew supporters were on their feet. Minutes later they were sitting back down when corner back Barry Mernagh (one of four Rathnew players booked in the first half) saw a second yellow card for rugby tackling McDonald. Down to 14 men, and with 20 minutes left to play, the lights were flickering around Rathnew.
"When Barry was sent off, and we were still a few points down, it was looking bad for us," admitted the Rathnew manager afterwards. "It was a miracle I suppose to come back from that. We knew though that last year we were six points down against Na Fianna at half-time, and we turned it around then."
While Rathnew defensively and in attack were finding more from players like Leighton Glynn and Ronan Coffey, UCD were finding some of their players falling flat. For the last five minutes, and three minutes of added time, the game could have gone either way. Gill had taken Rathnew back to two points, but then Doyle missed a kickable free on 57 minutes. UCD still seemed to be the safer bet.
Two more frees were awarded to Rathnew in added time, one of which could have been passed off as a legal block by Noel McGuire, but Gill didn't miss either chance. With 63 minutes gone on the clock Rathnew had taken the lead.
In the closing seconds the game was again numerically balanced when UCD substitute John Lynch saw a straight red card, though the Rathnew supporters were too caught up in their celebrations to notice. Another Leinster semi-final with Meath champions Dunshaughlin - same Newbridge venue next Sunday - beckons.
For UCD manager Dave Billings there were no excuses: "Any time you have lousy winter conditions like that the game can go either way. We're not going to whine and cry about the result. They won the game and well done to them. But no matter what anyone says about UCD teams being eligible or ineligible, no one can say they don't have pride in their jerseys. They proved they had some passion and fire out there today."
RATHNEW: T Murphy; L Glynn, E White, B Mernagh; E Franey, M Coffey, C Murphy; J Stafford, D Byrne; R Dignam, T Doyle, A Mernagh; T Gill (1-6, two frees), R Coffey, M Doyle. Sub: S Byrne for Dignam (44 mins).
UCD: G McGill; A Costello, C Evans, B O hAnnaidh; N McGuire, D O hAnnaidh, R Kelly; S Lucey, C McAnnallen (1-1, point from free); J Hanley (0-1), J Byrne, C McManus (0-2, one free, one 45); R Ronaghan, B McDonald, R Barry (0-1, a free). Subs: J Fallon for Byrne (27), P Curran for McManus (32), J Lynch for Hanley (43), O O hAnnaidh for Ronaghan (55), D O'Connor (63).
Referee: E Whelan (Laois).
