Donahies are just too hot for Rathcoole

Daire Walsh – 07 February 2013 10:35 AM

DUBLIN SCHOOLS Sf ‘D’ FINAL

DONAHIES CS 3-9

HFCS RATHCOOLE 1-12

A SECOND-HALF goal blitz from Donahies Community School proved to be the difference between the sides at St Brigid’s GAA Club yesterday afternoon, as the Streamville Road outfit narrowly overcame Holy Family Community School Rathcoole in a highly competitive Dublin Schools Senior Football ‘D’ decider.

Although the two sides appeared equally matched in the opening moments, it was the Dublin 13 boys who were making the bigger impact on the scoreboard, as a brace of scores from half-forward Sean Boylan, along with a point apiece from midfielder Stephen Robinson, Evan Whelan and Craig Burke gave Donahies a five-point lead by the 16th minute.

They had missed a number of opportunities to edge even further in front, but likewise Rathcoole had their fair share of chances, as full-forward Niall O’Grady twice went close to finding the back of Aaron Farrell’s net before midfielder Michael Russell finally got Rathcoole up and running with a point from play after 25 minutes.

It was hoped that this would calm the nerves of Holy Family, but it was Donahies who had the stronger finish to the half, as corner-forward Burke’s second point of the afternoon ensured that his side held a 0-6 to 0-1 buffer at the interval.

This placed Donahies in an ideal position to push on for victory, and even though Russell narrowed the gap with a point in the opening minute after the resumption, a coolly finished penalty on 34 minutes from centre-forward Whelan (following a foul by netminder Nathan Fitzharris on Donahies full-forward Dean Farrell) increased the margin to seven.

Rathcoole’s No 11 Paul Kirwin was starting to becoming increasingly influential as the game wore on, and four points from him reined in the Donahies challenge to a certain degree, but when their opponents registered a second major courtesy of a flicked finish by Jamie Stewart with 13 minutes remaining, it looked like Rathcoole were going to come off second best.

Rathcoole were not prepared to drop their heads, though, and a terrific goal by the towering Michael Byrne from the subsequent attack immediately cancelled out Stewart’s effort. This score instilled plenty of belief in the south Dubliners, and four more points from the magnificent Kirwin (three of them from frees) incredibly reduced their deficit to just one with 54 minutes gone on the clock.