Lucan United 7 – Portmarnock 0
BY Jonny Stapleton
Lucan United’s already amazing start to this season got even better on Sunday.
One of the form amateur sides in the country managed to put no fewer than seven past Portmarnock whilst maintaining their unbeaten start to term in yet another win at Celbridge Football Park.
The victory, which came courtesy of goals from Jamie Doyle (2), Gary Seery (2), Marco Chindea, Andrew Bracken and Anto Kavanagh was Lucan’s 10th in the league this season.
United have now banked an astonishing 31 points from a possible 33 in the first quarter of the new campaign, their only blemish a draw with Willow Park back in August.
The statement and eye-catching win cements their status as second tier favourites and a charge to the Intermediate top flight looks likely.
However, manager John Doyle is wary of getting carried away and is preaching caution.
The coach is taking an ‘a lot done a lot more to do’ approach.
“It was a good performance,” he said. “Everything went right on the day. We have had a good start to the season but we know we have a lot of work to do and a lot hard games and good teams to play against. We are delighted with the good start.”
Lucan’s nearest rivals are Northside outfit Ballymun United, who registered a 2-0 win over Skerries Town over the weekend. The ‘Mun sit six points behind with a game in hand and are also serious promotion candidates.
Former Senior Sunday title challengers and FAI Intermediate Cup finalists Tolka Rovers are in third 11 points a drift from Lucan and will be battling out with fellow former top flight sides Greystones, St Patricks CY and Glenville as well as Skerries for a place in the top three.
Lucan and Doyle also wanted to point attention to Mark Rutherford’s fundraising efforts. A former United player, who also wore the crest of Shelbourne, Bohemians and St Patricks Athletic among others, plans to run 5K runs at 10 Women’s National League and U19 League of Ireland women’s football matches to raise money for BCI and raise breast cancer awareness.
The former wide man of note, whose wife Melanie Hill-Rutherford sadly passed after a battle with the illness ran his first 5k at Shelbourne and DLR Waves’s historic game last weekend.
“I’m hoping the awareness raised may assist to be proactive against breast cancer, and the funds raised with your support will help with the continuous research and much needed cure for breast cancer,” said the former profesional footballer.
“Mel’s legacy lives on in our four children Naoise, Holly, Eabha and Rian. My fundraiser may prevent even one family from going through the pain of their loved ones’ life taken away by this disease.”
Action from Lucan United’s 7-0 win over Portmarnock at the Celbridge Football Complex last Sunday. The west Dublin club are now 10 games unbeaten and top the LSL Senior 1 Sunday table
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