Donegal juniors atop NY table
June 18, 2010Donegal NY's Junior team sits solidly atop the table after a 1-19 to 2-5 demolition of Westmeath gave them a 3-0 championship record.
The scoreline hardly reflected Donegal's dominance as all of Westmeath's points came in the last 20 minutes of the contest after going scoreless for the 40 minutes of the contest.
The leadership of Pettigo's Gary Dowd, long a Donegal and NY stalwart, supported by Ardara and NY veteran Pat McGill easily showed as the starting 15 were clearly the more disciplined and controlling team. As the balance of the full 30-man panel were slotted into the match Donegal lost little of those qualities. The ageless management duo themselves got a few playing minutes toward the climax.
Donegal continued their pattern of scoring early and often, dispatching all three opponents with a barrage that built hills too high to climb. None of the three, St. Raymond's, NY Celtics, Westmeath, were able to score until nearly halfway into the tie and Donegal's total edge is now 3-28 to 5-18, and in all contests their opponents respectability came as "too little too late" even without the regular goalkeeper absent from the Donegal net, leaving valiant Clareman Tony McMahon as the last line of defence.
Gaoth Dobhair's Antoin O Duibhir made his first appearance of the new season with 4 fast and well-placed points to open the second half and showed much of the form that had won him both Junior and Senior Player of the Year honors from past service on Donegal NY's championship winning sides.
The Donegal NY Junior squad missed the 2008 NY Final by 1 point and the 2009 crown in a hard-fought contest. If they continue their 2010 form in the two matches they face in the next 10 days (Rockland on 24th and Monaghan on 29th) they will be guaranteed a playoff slot and be favorites to capture the silverware, the Charlie Sweeney Cup, Donegal donated in memory of long-time supporter and officer. Tweet
