Glenea United vs. Rathmullan Celtic Brian McCormick Premier Division, Sunday 2pm, Glasserchoo Sport has a funny way of bringing you back to the same place over and over. Especially when that place has a habit of producing stirring contests, fierce rivalry, untold tension and sheer drama. Much has been made of the two-way battle for the title on Sunday as Rathmullan and Lifford square off for the biggest honour in Donegal Junior football. Ultimately, the only thing we can hope to control is our own game, nothing else matters. On Sunday we tackle some familiar foes. A year ago Rathmullan and Glenea were just two teams going about their business in the Donegal League. One with a history of producing strong title winning teams and taking their share of the major honours on offer (Glenea!) and the other attempting to make a name for themselves as they climbed the divisions and ruffled some feathers. Paired together for the Brian McCormick Cup Final last May, the two sides would also meet in their final league game of the season. Glenea travelled to the Seaside on the cusp of securing back-to-back titles and laying down a marker for the upcoming cup final. Rathmullan were determined to protect their home soil and show they would have plenty to offer in the showpiece finale. And so began a new rivalry. Perhaps the most dramatic ending ever to a Donegal League campaign saw Lifford crowned champions after Glenea had seemingly secured the crown with a stoppage time goal in Rathmullan that put them into a 4-3 lead only for Dara Patton to secure his hat-trick with the last kick of the game and deny Tom Coll’s men the glory. The stakes had been well and truly raised. There were handbags, handshakes and huffing in the local press before Rathmullan staged another recovery to win a high quality cup final 2-1 in Killygordon. Now, a year later and with the Seasiders this time desperately requiring a last-day win to preserve their title hopes fate has dealt a role-reversing visit to Glenea to try and secure it. Was it ever going to be any other way? Rathmullan know that only maximum points on Sunday will keep the destiny of this title in their hands. After having the jam removed from their donut in such heart-breaking fashion last May Glenea will be going all out to serve up some revenge. Truthfully, who amongst the Seaside faithful could blame them or claim it would be different were the shoe on the other foot. Didn’t think so. We are journeying into the lion’s den on Sunday and we really have made ourselves a most unwelcome visitor. As legendary boxing referee Mills Lane would say...”Let’s get it on”! Rathmullan come into the game in-form albeit on the back of a three-week break. Defeat to Lifford in March threatened to de-rail the title bid but the Bhoys displayed admirable testicular fortitude in beating Milford and Kilmacrennan to keep the ship on course. There are one or two niggles to be shaken off but joint-gaffers Paddy S and Burger are hopeful that everyone will be fit and ready come Sunday morning as they travel west. Glenea’s preparation had them suffering back-to-back defeats against Milford. They were denied a spot in the Brian McCormick Cup Final when the Swans defeated them 3-0 in Ballyare a couple of weeks ago and it was Milford again that triumphed 4-2 when they clashed at Moyle View Park on Wednesday night, a game featuring two under-strength line-ups. These sides have met twice already this season, with Glenea emerging victorious 2-1 in both visits to the Flagpole. There was little to choose in either game and it looks odd-on to be similar come Sunday. In five meetings over the past two seasons the sides have yet to be separated by more than a single goal. Rathmullan simply have to find a way of getting three points on Sunday. Nothing else will do. These Bhoys don’t often let us down. A seasons work all boiling down to one final 90-minute contest. Everyone has their part to play on Sunday. If you’ve read today’s Donegal News you’ll have noted joint-boss Paddy S thanking the supporters for their backing this season. The players hear every word along the line and that encouragement should not be underestimated. Sunday is a day to savour for everyone connected with this club. The good times took a very long time to arrive in Rathmullan and the only certain thing in any sport is that it won’t stay this good for too long. There have already been plenty well-wishers this week and none more so than multi-million selling artist Eminem who sent the following words of advice to Rathmullan Celtic from his stock pile of lyrical waxing... Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment... Would you capture it...or just let it slip?
Posted on: Fri, 25 Apr 2014 14:28:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015