Antrim ambush dismal Donegal
16.06.09
Cockhill Celtic...4
Convoy Arsenal...1
Report by Inishowen
Independent
DONEGAL'S miserable run of three years without an Ulster
Championship victory continued with a shock defeat to
Antrim on Sunday. John Joe Doherty’s men never got up to
championship pace and hit 18 wides on their way to a one
point defeat.
Sunday’s win was Antrim’s first in the Ulster
championship since defeating Cavan in 2003, and their
first over Donegal since 1970. Even at this early stage
in the race for Sam Maguire, it is unlikely that
Sunday’s shock will be topped this season.
Manager John Joe Doherty was aghast at his team’s
performance, saying that it wasn’t until after Antrim’s
goal that Donegal got into championship mode. It’s
impossible to argue with that assessment.
“It was hugely disappointing and with 18 wides we left
it behind us,” Doherty said. “It took the Antrim goal to
get us into championship mode and we played more in the
last 12 minutes than we did in the rest of the game. And
you’re in trouble when that’s the case.” |
Alluding to the kind draw
in the Ulster championship, Doherty said: “We had a
glorious chance to advance but didn’t take it.
Severely lacking in leadership, Donegal played the game
at a slower pace than the victors and lacked the
intensity that intercounty championship football
requires.
For their part, Antrim kept themselves in touch in the
first half and got themselves into a position where they
could go on to win the game.
Antrim manager Liam Bradley admitted that the negativity
surrounding Antrim football had been used as a
motivation in the build-up to the game.
“The last time Antrim won a Championship was 1951 and I
let them know that there today,” he said. “Hopefully we
can go on and build on that today.”
“There were massive performances. Donegal missed a few
in the first-half and on another day we might have been
four or five down at the half-time, but that’s the way
it goes.”
“It’s the lowest I’ve been in my Donegal career,” team
captain Rory Kavanagh said after the team spent a long
period locked in a post match dressing room meeting.
“You can’t legislate for the number of wides and the bad
decision-making. It wasn’t up to county standard.”
“The players have to take responsibility.” |
 |
“We seemed very lethargic
for long periods and we only started playing when we
went four points down,” the St Eunan’s man continued.
“There will be a lot of fingers pointed and men running
for cover. It’s a long road now and we need men to stand
up and be counted.”
Donegal will be hoping for a kind draw next Sunday for
the first round of the All-Ireland qualifiers. But maybe
we should be careful what we wish for.
After all, we were told that Antrim was going to be a
handy draw…
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Inishowen Independent. |
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