A spirited fight-back and eight points from the hurl of Tony French proved insufficient in preventing the college’s freshers slumping to their second league defeat on Wednesday last.
Beaten by NUI Galway in the opening round, the clash with neighbours St. Pat’s was viewed as the ideal fixture to get a first win on board, but DCU, try as they did, were unable to claw back a six point deficit in the
final 10 minutes.
The home side started the game in a commanding fashion as a long range free from Tony French and a fine score from Brendan Furlong edged DCU ahead. St Pat’s issued a swift response, but DCU continued to hold the scoreboard advantage and Robbie Greville swelled their tally subsequently. The visitors however, assumed control thereafter, hitting three unanswered points to take a slender advantage to the break.
Tony French knocked over two frees at the change of ends and though Darragh Lawlor also found the target, St. Pat’s remained in front. Then came the game’s crucial period as the winners hit 1-2 in a hugely productive spell to move into a six-point lead.
A second defeat looked ominous, but James Donnelly’s charges were not prepared to throw in the towel just yet and French slotted two consecutive frees to leave the door ajar. Robbie Greville was presented with a guilt edge opportunity subsequently to re-ignite DCU’s challenge, but the St. Pat’s ‘keeper produced a smart save to deny the forward.
French converted two further frees, while also finding the mark from open play as the clock spilled into time added on, but DCU couldn’t muster the required minor to gain parity and so any chance of advancing to the knockout-stages has all but evaporated.
DIT provide the opposition in DCU’s third league outing on Wednesday, November 7th.
Patrick Ward at St. Clare’s
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