Never-Say-Die Wicklow Hurlers Earn Kehoe Cup-League Double With Stirring Comeback Win

Wicklow have two trophies to their name after a late late win was secured over Donegal to land the Allianz hurling league division 3 title

A pair of injury-time goals from Seanie Germaine saw Wicklow land the Allianz Hurling League Division 3 title from Donegal in a thrilling finish at Echelon Park on Saturday. 

Bosco O'Neill's Wicklow turned a five-point deficit into a one-point win, finishing 3-16 to 2-18 victors, with Germaine completing a pivotal hat-trick for the ever improving Garden County men who made it a Keogh Cup/National League double in the process.

Bright start for Wicklow

Wicklow began strongly, with Pádraig Doyle opening the scoring before Fionn Darcy, fresh from his 2-07 haul against Louth, added a point of his own.

Donegal hit back as captain Liam McKinney scored his first of the day, followed by a stunning long-range effort from Ronan McDermott that just missed the post.

Brandon Ryan restored parity for Wicklow, but Donegal soon found their rhythm. Three quick points from Declan Coulter, Peter Kelly, and McKinney gave the visitors the upper hand.

Doyle kept Wicklow in touch with further points, while a Sam O’Dowd score added to the home tally.

Yet Donegal had more to come: wing-back Gavin Browne broke through the Wicklow defence to fire a goal past Conor McNally, then added a point on the run.

Josh Cronnolly-McGee won Donegal two frees which McKinney converted, and Richie Ryan slotted over a point, leaving Donegal seven points clear.

Wicklow trimmed it back to five by half-time, 1-11 to 0-09, with Doyle rounding off the first-half scoring with two frees.

Wicklow respond after the break

Wicklow needed a response early in the second half, and Germaine delivered, flicking home a goal from a goalmouth scramble.

Substitute impact followed as Eoin McCormack and Luke Evans scored, with Evans putting Wicklow ahead on the 49th minute. The lead changed hands several times as both sides traded points.

Donegal seemed to regain control when McKinney latched onto a break on the 45-metre line, racing through the Wicklow defence to fire a goal into the corner, before adding three more points.

Dramatic injury-time finish

As the clock ticked into injury time, Wicklow’s fightback culminated in Germaine scoring his second goal, keeping hope alive.

From a long free by goalkeeper McNally, the ball pinballed in the Donegal box. Evans’ initial shot was blocked, but Germaine doubled on the bouncing ball to smash home a winning goal to complete his hat-trick and seal a sensational one-point victory for Wicklow.

Both sides will meet again in three weeks in the Christy Ring Cup, promising another showdown after one of the league’s most dramatic finishes.

Wicklow: Seanie Germaine 3-00, Pádraig Doyle 0-08 (0-05 frees), Sam O’Dowd 0-03, Pádraig Doran 0-01 (free), Fionn Darcy 0-01, Brandon Ryan 0-01, Eoin McCormack 0-01, Luke Evans 0-01

Donegal: Liam McKinney 1-08 (0-03 frees, 0-02 ‘65s), Gavin Browne 1-01, Declan Coulter 0-02, Peter Kelly 0-01, Ronan McDermott 0-01, Richie Ryan 0-01, Josh Cronnolly-McGee 0-01, Dan Donnelly 0-01

Wicklow Division 3 Allianz Hurling League Trophy (Wicklow GAA)