UCD face tricky quarter-final clash with Rathnew

NEWLY crowned Dublin senior football champions UCD are looking to bridge a 28-year gap by winning the All-Ireland Club title.

They have two titles to their credit, 1973/’74 and 1974/’75, the latter at the expense of Nemo Rangers.

But the students face a tricky Leinster quarter-final against champions Rathnew on Sunday in Aughrim. A waterlogged pitch caused the postponement of the game last Sunday.

The Leinster Council have taken the added precaution of naming Newbridge as a standby venue in the event of Aughrim being ruled out again. But Rathnew, keen to keep the match in Wicklow, will push for Arklow should the Aughrim venue become unavailable

UCD boss Dave Billings is keeping his fingers crossed Nigel Crawford will be fit. The Meath inter-county man, just recovered from a punctured lung, is struggling with a thigh injury and has only a 50/50 chance of playing.

“We’ll need everyone for this game,” said Billings, who won an All-Ireland Club medal with St Vincents when they defeated Roscommon Gaels in the 1976 final.

“For such a small club, Rathnew have a tremendous record. This year they won their seventh successive Wicklow county title and are the reigning Leinster champions after defeating Na Fianna in last year’s final after a replay.

“Because a number of our players play senior with their clubs in Dublin, we are unable to call on them, but we still have a big pool to choose from, and we have our sights firmly set on winning our third All-Ireland title.”

UCD include Gary McGill (Donegal), Alan Costelloe (Mayo), Conor Evans (Offaly), the O-hAinnadh brothers Brendan, Dara and Oisin (Wicklow), Cormac McAnallan (Tyrone), Stephen Lucey (Limerick), Redmond Barry and David O’Connor (Wexford).

Meanwhile, concern is growing in the Rathnew camp over the long gap between matches.

It’s been five weeks since they won their county championship, while their opponents have been active most Sundays.

“You have only to look at what happened to All-Ireland champions Ballinderry last Sunday to understand our anxiety,” said Rathnew official John Snell.

“Prior to the game they had been inactive for a couple of weeks and we are convinced that’s what proved their downfall.

“The lack of match practice can have a huge effect on a team and we are becoming increasingly concerned that we could go the same way.

“While we have no problem keeping the players’ interest going, they need to be playing games regularly to maintain their edge.

“The inclement weather hasn’t helped and if another postponement was forced upon us I would be fearful for our chances.

“As it stands, we are up against what is almost an inter-county team in UCD and will have to be at our very best to win this one.

“However, we hold no fears of any team and if our attitude is right, we’ll be more than a match for the students.”

Despite the long delay in playing the game Darren Coffey has not benefited.

He will still be an absentee on Sunday because of a leg injury but his brother Ronan returns to add a bit more steel to an already potent attack which includes inter-county man Tommy Gill.

Brian Tyrell (Tipperary) has been appointed referee for the Munster Club SFC final between Nemo Rangers and Monaleen on Sunday, December 8.