Currin 0-7 Rockcorry 1-15 (Reserve Team)
RESERVE LEAGUE DIVISION 4
Reserve team secure semi-final spot with electrifying display
Team: Jamie Smith, Cathal Sheridan, Rory Carroll, Pauric Reilly, Ryan Sharkey, Colin Reilly, Colin Quinn, Barry Patterson 0-1, Liam Connolly 0-1, Keelan Clerkin 0-2, Martin Carroll 0-2, Conor McGeough, Declan McCullagh, Mark McGuirk 1-7, and Anthony Tate 0-2.
Subs: John Greenan for Pauric Reilly (injured), Josh Butler for Declan McCullagh.
Our reserve team travelled to Currin on Monday 30th August knowing that it was make or break time as we needed to overcome them in order to secure a semi-final position as they trailed us by a single point in the league table and victory for either team would clinch that qualifying spot. Despite the fact that it took us a while to warm up, little by little, we got into the game and took control as the team produced some delightful football and secured the semi-final spot on a score-line Currin 0-7 Rockcorry 1-15.
The game was played in excellent weather conditions and Mark McGuirk opened the scoring on the 1st minute with a fine score after collecting a pass from Anthony Tate. Currin kicked wide a minute later but they registered their first score on the 4th minute to level proceedings. Seven minutes elapsed before the next score which arrived when Currin converted a free-kick in the 11th minute to take the lead. A minute later Keelan Clerkin made a penetrating solo run towards goals and he off-loaded to Mark McGuirk who was through on goals and should have put us back in front but surprisingly he miss hit his shot and it went wide. We drew level midway through the first half when Martin Carroll scored an excellent point after he collected a pass from Colin Quinn, inside his own half, and soloed through the heart of the Currin defence before slotting over from thirty metres. This kick started us into action and shortly afterwards Keelan Clerkin fired over a lovely point to take the lead.
Cathal Sheridan is on hand to halt a Currin attack.
Currin were guilty of squandering a couple of chances on the 18th and 19th minutes and when they launched another attack shortly afterwards good defending by the tigerish Cathal Sheridan broke down their attack and as we raced down field at pace it appeared that Barry Patterson turned into trouble but he withheld a couple of solid tackles before setting up Liam Connolly for a goal opportunity but he scuffed his shot into the ground and the ball was easily gathered by the goal keeper.
Barry Patterson sets up Liam Connolly for a goal opportunity
A well engineered move on the 23rd minute saw Ryan Sharkey, Liam Connolly and Keelan Clerkin exchange swift passes to tee up Barry Patterson who notched over a wonderful score. Mark McGuirk added a point on the 25th minute after a fine flowing move involving Ryan Sharkey and Martin Carroll to open up a 0-5 to 0-2 advantage. Two minutes later Barry Patterson delivered a lovely pass into Anthony Tate and he showed great perseverance after having his initial route to goal blocked and he laid the ball back to Martin Carroll who sailed over a sweet point. Mark McGuirk extended our lead on the 29th minute when he collected a pass from Liam Connolly and when Currin converted a free-kick on the 31st minute this was the last action of the first half and the score at the break was Currin 0-3 Rockcorry 0-7.
Martin Carroll gets the better of his opponent in this action shot.
We began the second half just as we did the first with Mark McGuirk, who was deadly accurate all throughout the game, notching over points on the 1st and 3rd minutes to stretch our lead to six points. For some reason the game turned scrappy with plenty of attacks being broken down, shots dropping shot into goal-keepers hands by both sides as things became rather ragged however, this period of indecisiveness was halted when Currin converted a free-kick on the 10th minute. Currin narrowed the gap further when they added points in the 12th and 15th minutes to leave the score 0-6 to 0-9.
Pauric Reilly on the ball as he attempts to clear his defence.
However, we produced an immediate response when Mark McGuirk managed to get on the end of a lovely move downfield that involved Liam Connolly, Keelan Clerkin and Anthony Tate to blast home from close range as he hit the back of the net. At this stage we were relentless and a couple of minutes later Keelan Clerkin increased our lead when he added a great point and when substitute John Greenan delivered a measured pass into Mark McGuirk, on the 19th minute, he threaded a lovely pass through to Anthony Tate who rounded his opponent and tapped over a superb score.
Conor McGeough makes a determined run to win possession.
Currin stayed in touch when they converted a free-kick in the 20th minute but when Martin Carroll was dragged down around the midfield area he delivered a pass to Liam Connolly who quickly shifted the ball across field to Mark McGuirk who stepped up and calmly slotted over a great point to make it 0-7 to 1-12. Anthony Tate kicked wide shortly afterwards but Liam Connolly raised the white flag moments later with a terrific score. Mark McGuirk added another point to his tally on the 25th minute to put ten between the sides and Currin’s misery was complete on the 28th minute when Mark McGuirk turned provider as he played in Anthony Tate who atoned for his earlier miss to coolly fire over to leave the final score Currin 0-7 Rockcorry 1-15.
Colin Quinn gets away from the challenge of his marker.
At times during this game the lads were very impressive in every line on the field and simply had too much fire power for Currin in the end. Having said that, Currin made it difficult for us especially in an extremely scrappy third quarter and we would need to work on this as we now progress to a semi-final clash. Well done lads and the best of luck to you in the semi-final.
Rory Carroll moves in to make a challenge
Declan McCullagh does not let his opponent out easy.
Rockcorry 0-14 Emyvale 0-10 (Championship)
McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship
Rock edge out Emyvale to progress through back door
Team: Jamie Smith, Colin Reilly, Niall McKeown, Garry Calvert, Keith Daly, Johnny Reilly, Stephen McGuirk 0-2, Barry Patterson 0-2, Mark Daly 0-3, Noel Carroll 0-1, Martin Carroll 0-1, Keelan Clerkin 0-1, Mark McGuirk 0-1, Damien Matthews 0-3, and Paul McKeown.
Subs: Liam Connolly for Keelan Clerkin
Having lost against Doohamlet after a replay and a recent league game against Tyholland we travelled to Monaghan on Saturday 28th August to take on Emyvale in the ‘back door’ championship very much on the back foot but we were looking to make a return to winning ways. Despite winning the two league encounters against Emyvale we knew it was going to be another tough contest and we needed to get off to a bright start and that’s exactly what we did. Stephen McGuirk opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when he tapped over a free-kick. Barry Patterson kicked wide moments later and when our forwards put the Emyvale defenders under pressure we were awarded a sideline ball and Mark Daly (had a Maurice Fitzgerald moment) split the posts with a fantastic score to double our lead.
Martin Carroll puts his opponent under pressure. Don't let them out easy!
Emyvale responded on the 6th minute when they scored a fine point from play and when Martin Carroll was dragged down on the 8th minute the normally reliable Mark Daly kicked the resulting free-kick wide. Moments later an attempt by Paul McKeown was off target but when Damien Matthews, who put in a fine performance at full forward, collected a pass from Keelan Clerkin on the 10th minute he scored a sweet point. A couple of minutes later a Mark Daly effort fell short into the goalie hands and Emyvale counter-attacked with a good move up field and after their initial shot hit the crossbar the rebound was collected by the Emyvale corner forward and he slotted over to close the gap 0-3 to 0-2.
Keelan Clerkin delivers a pass into Damien Matthews
Niall McKeown made a tremendous and courageous block in the 14th minute that prevented Emyvale from scoring but when Johnny Reilly was penalised for a lift ball Emyvale kicked the resulting free-kick wide. Shortly afterwards Mark McGuirk delivered a pass into Martin Carroll but it was just too strong as the Emyvale goal-keeper gathered and cleared his lines but Keith Daly made a swift interception and off-loaded the ball to his brother Mark who glided over a superb point to make it 0-4 to 0-2.
Noel Carroll makes a surging solo run goalbound
A promising attack on the 17th minute resulted in a Martin Carroll effort hitting the upright and arguably the best score of the game came moments later when Noel Carroll made an eye-catching solo run through the heart of the Emyvale defence leaving a couple of defenders in his wake and he finished in style to stretch our lead. Keelan Clerkin got his name on the score-sheet a minute later with a great point following good work by Noel Carroll and Barry Patterson. An Emyvale attempt moments later lacked power and Jamie Smith collected with ease and he cleared his lines to Mark Daly who delivered a long pass into Mark McGuirk who was brought down on the forty-five metre line but Mark Daly’s free-kick effort drifted narrowly wide.
Damien Matthews goes to ground following a heavy challenge from his opponent.
When Damien Matthews was fouled on the 22nd minute Mark Daly got another chance to further extend our advantage and he duly obliged when he tapped over from twenty-five metres to make it 0-7 to 0-2. Emyvale closed the gap on the 24th minute with a fine point but this was quickly cancelled out when Martin Carroll landed a well earned score from play. Both teams missed scoring opportunities over the next few minutes but when Barry Patterson burst through the Emyvale defence on the 28th minute he fisted over the bar to make 0-9 to 0-3. Noel Carroll was fouled off the ball on the 29th minute and Mark Daly’s stepped up to take the free-kick but his effort drifted to the right and wide. Good defending by Colin Reilly on the 30th minute halted an Emyvale attack and with half time looming we raced down the field and when Mark Daly was fouled on the 32nd minute he delivered a quick free into Mark McGuirk who managed to round his opponent and hit a great point under pressure leaving the scoreboard at the interval reading Rockcorry 0-10 Emyvale 0-3.
Barry Patterson braces for impact with the incoming challenge
On the restart, just twenty-five seconds had elapsed when Emyvale broke through our defence and when Stephen McGuirk brought down his opponent they duly converted the free-kick to close the deficit. Mark Daly kicked into the goal-keepers hands in the 3rd minute and a minute later an effort from Keith Daly was off target before Emyvale kicked wide on the 5th minute but shortly afterwards they capitalised on some bad passing and scored a neat point to close the gap 0-10 to 0-5.
Colin Reilly on the ball as his opponent closes in to mount a challenge
When Damien Matthews was fouled on the 8th minute, Mark Daly got another chance to increase our lead but his effort drifted to the right and Mark McGuirk was able to keep the ball in play and he slipped a lovely pass back to the onrushing Barry Patterson who tapped over the bar. We added another point a couple of minutes later when Damien Matthews fended off two challenges and drove towards goals and fisted over the bar after good approach play by Noel Carroll and Mark McGuirk.
Garry Calvert takes on his opponent in a sideline battle
Emyvale responded at the other end and could’ve grabbed a goal on the 11th minute, after they launched a long probing ball towards our danger area that deceived our defenders, but their low drive just went wide of the upright. This kick started a dominant five minute spell for Emyvale as they scored three unanswered points on the 12th, 15th and 16th minutes to leave the score 0-12 to 0-8 and it took a brave save from Jamie Smith to deny Emyvale a goal in the 18th minute after they launched another long ball into our danger area and it broke favourably for the Emyvale corner forward but Jamie Smith showed quick reactions to make a terrific save and in doing so the ball was diverted for a forty-five which was duly converted. Emyvale added a further point in the 20th minute, to close the gap to two points and at this stage there were definitely some tense and nervous moments.
Keith Daly keeps tags on his opponent.
With these scores the Emyvale players were growing in confidence and had a real belief that they could actually go on and win the game. During that period we were definitely on the back foot but this is when we dug deep, and quite frankly we had too, and when Damien Matthews found his way through the crowded Emyvale defence, on the 24th minute, he slotted over his third point to regain a three point advantage. An effort by Paul McKeown a minute later was blocked for a forty-five and Mark Daly’s attempt was well fielded by the Emyvale goal-keeper. With time running out Emyvale needed a goal but as they attacked on the 27th minute they came up against a stern defence and their effort at the uprights drifted wide. Clearly boosted by this we attacked again and when Stephen McGuirk fired over the insurance point on the 31st minute following good approach play by Keith Daly and Martin Carroll the outcome was beyond doubt as we knew we had secured our place in the next round of the championship and when the final whistle sounded the score-board read Rockcorry 0-14 Emyvale 0-10.
This win will be a big psychological boost for the lads after the setback against Doohamlet and Tyholland last week and we have pulled ourselves right back into the battle for the McGuigan Builders intermediate football championship title and while everyone is pleased with the win if we are to advance in this competition we need to sharpen up for our next encounter which is against Eire Og this Sunday (5th September) in Clones at 7.00pm.
BEST OF LUCK LADS.
Tyholland 1-14 Rockcorry 0-15
Streamline Coaches Intermediate Football League, Round 14 – Sunday 22nd August
Too little, too late!
Team: Jamie Smith, Colin Reilly, Damien Matthews, Garry Calvert, Keith Daly, Johnny Reilly, Stephen McGuirk 0-7, Barry Patterson 0-2, Mark Daly 0-2, Noel Carroll 0-1, Niall McKeown, Martin Carroll, Mark McGuirk 0-1, Paul McKeown 0-2 and Keelan Clerkin.
Subs: Liam Connolly for Damien Matthews, Dwayne Rooney for Paul McKeown.
A famous American coach was once questioned after losing a game and he said something to the effect like “in my entire career, I never lost a single game….I just ran out of time”. It struck me that this quotation was very adequate to describe our encounter last Sunday (22nd August) against Tyholland. In what were perfect conditions, the two sides served up a very open game of football but a dubious goal in the 7th minute of the second half proved the difference as Tyholland emerged winners to came away with the spoils on a score-line Tyholland 1-14 Rockcorry 0-15.
Paul McKeown tries to skip away from his opponent.
Within forty seconds of the throw-in Tyholland kicked wide but a minute later they registered the first score of the game with a fine point. Noel Carroll kicked wide in the 3rd minute, but we opened our account shortly afterwards when Paul McKeown slotted over having linked up well with Mark Daly and Keelan Clerkin. Good defending by Garry Calvert and Damien Matthews in the 5th minute prevented a possible Tyholland score and when we launched a counter-attack Martin Carroll’s effort at the uprights drifted narrowly wide. In the 6th minute Noel Carroll collected a pass from Paul McKeown but his effort was blocked and Tyholland broke down the field at pace and fisted the ball over the bar to take the lead.
Garry Calvert puts pressure on his opponent
A minute later Stephen McGuirk intercepted a pass and he surged forward with a determined solo run and finished in style when he rifled over a lovely point to draw the sides level on 0-2 apiece. Tyholland regained the lead immediately as our defence appeared very charitable and allowed them to walk through to hit over. We equalised in the 9th minute when Johnny Reilly made a well timed tackle and he found Noel Carroll who made a trademark solo run through the heart of the Tyholland defence and he teed up Mark McGuirk who showed good composure and slotted over a great point.
Noel Carroll in full flight as he makes a determined solo run.
Tyholland kicked wide in the 11th minute but they did manage to drop one over in the 12th minute and things could off got a lot worst for us when they broke through our defence a minute later but luckily they fired over the bar when perhaps a goal was on the cards and they extended their lead to three points when they placed the ball over the bar in the 13th minute to open up a three point gap 0-6 to 0-3. We replied instantly as Niall McKeown collected the breaking ball and delivered a lovely pass to Barry Patterson who curled over a sweet point from the left wing but Tyholland restored their three point advantage moments later when they scored a fine point.
Niall McKeown is taken off his feet by the challenge from his opponent.
Damien Matthews fouled his opponent in the 15th minute and Tyholland duly converted the free-kick to open up a four point gap. Johnny Reilly had an opportunity to reduce the gap but his effort drifted wide following good work by Keelan Clerkin. Martin Carroll thwarted a Tyholland attack, in the 20th minute, he off-loaded to Mark Daly who made a surging solo run goal bound and he slipped through a pass to Mark McGuirk but he was quickly surrounded by Tyholland defenders and the attack came to nothing and as they broke down field they stretched their lead to five points when they scored a neat point.
Mark McGuirk in a tussle to win possession.
The ensuing kick-out was broken down by Martin Carroll and Keith Daly won the breaking ball and he delivered a measured pass into Paul McKeown who was hauled down and the free-kick was brought up for dissent and Stephen McGuirk coolly sailed over a wonderful kick. Tyholland missed opportunities in the 26th and 27th minutes and when Keelan Clerkin was brought down in the 28th minute Mark Daly stepped up and glided over the free-kick. A minute later Tyholland regained their four point advantage and in additional time at the end of the first half Paul McKeown fired over to leave the score at the interval Tyholland 0-10 Rockcorry 0-7.
Mark Daly goes airbourne to win the high ball
When play resumed Tyholland opened the scoring in the 3rd minute and a minute later Mark McGuirk was fouled but Mark Daly’s free-kick attempt fell short and the Tyholland goal-keeper easily collected and cleared his lines. In the 5th minute, Stephen McGuirk bisected the uprights following good work by Paul McKeown and when Noel Carroll collected a pass from Niall McKeown he scored a superb point to narrow the gap to two points 0-11 to 0-9.
Damien Matthews moves in to mount a challenge.
A promising Tyholland attack was snuffed out by Garry Calvert in the 6th minute and his pass to Keith Daly cleared the danger but unfortunately we lost possession as it resulted in a sideline ball for Tyholland. The resulting sideline ball was delivered down the right wing and when they launched a long ball across our goal mouth it deceived our defenders, as they thought it was going wide, but it was kept in play by the Tyholland corner forward who turned and shot for goals but it appeared that Jamie Smith saved the day when he made a terrific diving save but the umpire maintained the ball crossed the line and the referee awarded the goal! This goal lifted the home side and they pushed their advantage home when they notched over another point to give them a comfortable 1-12 to 0-9 lead.
Stephen McGuirk tries to escape two Tyholland players
We responded instantly when Stephen McGuirk converted a free-kick after his younger brother Mark was fouled but this was cancelled out shortly afterwards when Tyholland clinched a point from play after capitalising on more careless passing. Stephen McGuirk converted another free-kick, in the 14th minute, after Paul McKeown was dragged down but when Damien Matthews was deemed to foul his opponent a minute later the resulting free-kick was off-target but they made amends shortly afterwards when they fired over from play to open up a six point gap 1-14 to 0-11.
Liam Connolly stands firm against a strong challenge.
Barry Patterson got his second when he slotted over from the left flank in the 18th minute and Stephen McGuirk showed his accuracy once again in the 19th minute when he split the uprights after Mark McGuirk was fouled. At this stage of the game Liam Connolly and Dwayne Rooney were introduced into the game for Damien Matthews and Paul McKeown respectively and Dwayne soon got into the action but his attempt at the uprights, in the 21st minute was off target.
A minute or so later, we surged forward and when Johnny Reilly was put through on goals his shot went wide via the woodwork. Keith Daly kicked wide in the 24th minute, following good approach play by Garry Calvert, Stephen McGuirk and Keelan Clerkin. Gary McQuaid was dismissed in the 25th minute when he picked up his second yellow for a tackle on Noel Carroll and Stephen McGuirk gave us a glimmer of hope when he taped over the free-kick to leave just a kick of the ball separating the teams. In the closing stages we launched frantic attacks but were denied any real goal chances and while we battled hard the goal that we badly needed never materialised and all we could manage was a point from Mark Daly in the 28th minute to leave the final score Tyholland 1-14 Rockcorry 0-15.
Rockcorry 0-5 Doohamlet 0-7
McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Replay
Senior team to progress through the back door
Team: Jamie Smith, Colin Reilly, Damien Matthews, Garry Calvert, Keith Daly, Johnny Reilly, Stephen McGuirk 0-2, Barry Patterson, Niall McKeown, Noel Carroll 0-2, Liam Connolly, Martin Carroll, Mark McGuirk, Paul McKeown 0-1, Dwayne Rooney.
Subs: Keelan Clerkin for Martin Carroll, Anthony Tate for Liam Connolly, Colin Quinn for Paul McKeown.
Our quest to progress to the next round of the McGuigan Builders intermediate football championship smashed into a wall of blue as our senior team hit the self-destruct button against Doohamlet as we contributed considerably to our own downfall and lost on a score-line Rockcorry 0-5 Doohamlet 0-7. After match discussions deemed the weather conditions to have been a paramount reason for the defeat but in my book it’s not a factor. Wet conditions certainly placed extra demands on players on the evening but both sides had to contend with wet and slippery conditions and the game was there for the taking and at the end of the day it was a cuter and cunning Doohamlet side that emerged with a crucial two point victory to progress to the next round of the championship.
The game was played at St. Mary’s Park, Castleblayney on Thursday 19th August and we lined out without the services of Mark Daly which saw a midfield pairing of Niall McKeown and Barry Patterson with Paul McKeown returning at full forward. While Doohamlet had the advantage of the elements in the first half, Noel Carroll got the ball rolling with a well taken point from the right wing after barely two minutes of play. Doohamlet equalised in the 5th minute after we carelessly gave away possession and the corner forward raced through and his fisted effort split the posts. Doohamlet took the lead, a couple of minutes later, when they converted a free-kick after Damien Matthews fouled his opponent. A minute later Mark McGuirk was brought down and his older brother Stephen stepped up and curled over the free-kick to draw the sides level again. Doohamlet enjoyed a good spell but were guilty of kicking a series of wides in the 9th 10th and 11th minutes and when Johnny Reilly was brought down around the midfield area Stephen McGuirk delivered a lovely pass into Paul McKeown who made a surging solo run down the left wing, cut inside his marker and fired over a lovely point to put us ahead 0-3 to 0-2. In the 13th minute Doohamlet were awarded a penalty when Jamie Smith fouled his opponent and the resulting spot kick was put over the bar. We were awarded a forty-five in the 14th minute but Noel Carroll’s effort drifted to the right but Mark McGuirk was able to kept the ball in play and after a goal mouth scramble we got another forty-five which Dwayne Rooney played a one-two with Noel Carroll but his attempt at the uprights was off target.
Powerful defending by Garry Calvert broke down a Doohamlet attack in the 17th minute but we were guilty of losing possession in our forward line and Doohamlet launched a counter-attack that yielded a score to stretch their lead to two points 0-3 to 0-5. Doohamlet kicked wide in the 20th minute before Noel Carroll got his second of the evening when he scored a sweet point following good approach play that included Stephen McGuirk, Martin Carroll and Paul McKoewn. Paul McKeown was fouled in the 24th minute but Dwayne Rooney’s free-kick effort drifted wide. Doohamlet kicked another wide in the 26th minute and when Johnny Reilly fouled Colin Walshe they extended their lead to two points to leave the score at the break Rockcorry 0-4 Doohamlet 0-6.
Regarding the second half I just don’t know where you would begin with this!!! With the wind advantage now on our backs one would off thought that we would take control of the game but nothing could be further from the truth, as our second half performance was extremely disappointing with just a single point from a Stephen McGuirk free-kick in the 5th minute being our only return. Without being too harsh on anybody, this was a dire and sluggish thirty minutes display from the team. While we had ample opportunities to get something from the game we were unable to convert possession into scores. We were over-reliant on passing by hand and time and time again we either gave possession away through bad passing or our passes were intercepted. The creativity and inventiveness or should I say, the lack of creativity and inventiveness was most disappointing from both on and off the field. We simply malfunctioned in a similar way the Monaghan team did against Tyrone! When we reached the final third we looked disjointed, we looked very predictable and at times we looked liked a rabbit caught in the head lights, not knowing what to do!
Unfortunately, the game will be remembered for the high percentage of mistakes, careless passing, indecision and ball handling errors but strange as it may seem the match remained interesting not for the quality of football on display but because of the closeness of the score! If it was not for the efforts of our full back line of Colin Reilly, Damien Matthews and Garry Calvert who worked tirelessly and restricted Doohamlet from running away with the game the result may have been a lot worst. However, despite our poor performance we are still in the championship as we now progress through the ‘back door’ but I imagine that moving forward we will be eager to ensure that more of our quality football is reflected on the scoreboard and we will have to up our performance if we are to progress in the championship campaign. Scoring a mere point from a free-kick during the second half is a worrying statistic for the team and much improvement is needed from everyone involved.
Rockcorry 1-8 Doohamlet 1-8
McGuigan Builders Intermediate Football Championship Clash – “Ends All Square”
We locked horns with Doohamlet in the first round of the McGuigan Builders intermediate championship campaign last Friday evening and at the end of, at times a very scrappy but entertaining, game of football it ended all square Rockcorry 1-8 Doohamlet 1-8. The game was by no means an epic as the quality of football on display was not the highest standard but there was no shortage of effort and determination from the players and as expected there was very little between the sides and Doohamlet just shaded the opening half and at the interval they led by the narrowest of margins 0-5 to 1-3. Despite creating chances early in the second half we found ourselves trailing by four points as Doohamlet were more clinical with their scoring chances and led 0-5 to 1-6 after ten minutes. At this stage we appeared to be dead and buried as nothing was working but to the lads credit they showed they had fire in their bellies and continued to battle away and an inspirational point from Noel Carroll midway through the second half kick started our comeback and when Martin Carroll was fouled outside the forty-five metre line Mark Daly glided over a fabulous long range free-kick to reduce the gap back to 0-2. Both teams exchanged scores before the turning point of the game arrived in the 25th minute when Johnny Reilly was brought down in the large parallelogram and Mark Daly showed nerves of steel and coolly converted the spot kick to put us ahead 1-8 to 1-7 with five minutes remaining. As the game reached a dramatic climax it was tense, it was edgy, it was very nerve-racking and the question on everyone’s lips, could we hold on? The answer was, unfortunately, no as Doohamlet put our defence under severe pressure and while we defended stoutly, in the last minute of ordinary time a Doohamlet player showed good composure to curl over a point to take the game to a replay. In fairness, a draw was probably a fair result as both teams were guilty of squandering several scoring opportunities through-out the course of the game and no doubt they will work on this before the replay which takes place tonight Thursday 19th August and is fixed for St. Mary’s Park, Castleblayney and has a throw-in time of 7.45pm. Best of luck lads.
Full Match Report & Action Shots to Follow.
Rockcorry 0-17 Aghabog 1-3
Streamline Coaches Intermediate Football League, Round 13 – Wednesday 4th August.
Sharper Rock too strong for Agahbog.
Team: Jamie Smith, Colin Reilly, Niall McKeown, Eoin Fitzpatrick, Keith Daly, Johnny Reilly, Stephen McGuirk, Barry Patterson 0-2, Mark Daly 0-7, Liam Connolly, Martin Carroll, Noel Carroll 0-2, Mark McGuirk 0-2, Paul McKeown 0-2, Dwayne Rooney 0-2.
Subs: Keelan Clerkin for Colin Reilly, Colin Quinn for Barry Patterson, Conor McGeough for Mark McGuirk
We continued our impressive form in the Streamline Coaches intermediate football league when we proved too strong against a struggling Aghabog outfit that has yet to pick up points in the campaign. We were far more dominant in pivotal positions and used the ball more economically but strange as it may seem, there is still room for improvement as there will be bigger days ahead! This win will certainly help us stay in the race for a top four position but with five games still remaining there’s no room for complacency as we must remain focused and continue to work hard for each other in order to achieve our objective.
A small crowd gathered for the throw-in that was played at Pairc Naomh Mhuire on Wednesday 4th August. It was a pleasant evening and Aghabog had a slight wind advantage in the first half however, we opened the scoring in the 1st minute with a fine point from Noel Carroll following good work by Mark McGuirk and Paul McKeown. Aghabog responded a couple of minutes later when they finished a good move and perhaps should’ve gone ahead shortly afterwards when they were awarded a free-kick but they kicked it wide. In the 5th minute, we were guilty of some careless passing that allowed Aghabog to counter-attack but Colin Reilly made a timely interception and Eoin Fitzpatrick was on hand to gather the breaking ball and clear the danger. Aghabog kicked wide in the 7th minute before we went ahead a minute later as Dwayne Rooney slotted over a sweet point after collecting a pass from Noel Carroll.
Eoin Fitzpatrick gives chase
We had scoring opportunities in the 9th and 10th minute but Mark McGuirk’s efforts were off target on both occasions. Aghabog adopted route one football and launched a high ball into our danger zone and Jamie Smith did well to hold on to the high ball, despite being under severe pressure, to clear his lines. Mark Daly doubled our advantage in the 12th minute when he notched over a point after much of the graft work was done by Stephen McGuirk. Aghabog kicked wide in the 13th minute and when they got another free two minutes later, somewhat fortuitously it must be said, after Johnny Reilly was harshly penalised for a challenge on his opponent they failed to find the target.
An Aghabog player goes to ground following a challenge from Johnny Reilly.
Undoubtedly, the score of the game came in the 17th minute, when Stephen McGuirk collected the breaking ball after Barry Patterson broke it down and he picked out Noel Carroll who produced a blistering solo run and he finished in style to score a terrific point to open up a three point lead. Martin Carroll kicked wide a minute after collecting a pass from Liam Connolly but moments later we stretched our lead to four points courtesy of a wonderful effort from Mark Daly to leave the score 0-5 to 0-1. Barry Patterson was hauled down in the 20th minute but Mark Daly’s effort was off target and Aghabog narrowed the gap shortly afterwards with a pointed free-kick after Colin Reilly was adjudged to foul his opponent.
Barry Patterson in full flight goalward as he gets away from his opponent.
In the 26th minute, Niall McKeown, playing at full back, produced a timely interception to thwart an Aghabog attack and thirty seconds later we were five points to the good when Martin Carroll and Liam Connolly combined to set up Barry Patterson who finished a good move but this was quickly cancelled out when we conceded a soft free and Aghabog closed the deficit. A foul on Johnny Reilly, in the 29th minute, after a dashing run goal-ward, gave Mark Daly a simple chance which he duly converted. Good defending by Colin Reilly and Johnny Reilly instigated a move down the field that involved Noel Carroll, Dwayne Rooney and when Martin Carroll delivered a pass into Mark McGuirk he redeemed himself for his earlier misses when he turned inside his marker and showed good technique to curl over a lovely point to leave the score at the break Rockcorry 0-8 Aghabog 0-3.
"Thou shall not pass" - Niall McKeown adopts his father's attitude and stands firm.
Within thirty seconds of the restart Mark Daly drove forward and he was very unlucky to see his effort come back off the upright and the ball broke kindly for Paul McKeown but his attempt at the uprights drifted wide. Both teams kicked wides during the 3rd and 5th minutes and when Mark Daly was brought down on the forty-five metre line he sailed over a marvellous long range point to open up a six point gap.
Noel Carroll looks ahead for options after he side-steps the challenge
Paul McKeown had a fantastic opportunity to put us further ahead in the 9th minute after receiving the ball from Noel Carroll and as he went baring down on goals he opted to fist the ball over the bar, but surely should the occasion required he would off went for goal! Barry Patterson kicked wide a minute later following good work from Liam Connolly down the right wing and moments later Aghabog threatened but Niall McKeown once again made a superb tackle to prevent a possible score and as we raced up field Mark McGurik completed a great move when he blasted over soccer style to extend our advantage. Both sides struggled to find the target during the next passage of play with Aghabog kicking wide in the 13th minute and up the other end we followed in the 14th minute when Mark McGuirk kicked wide.
Keith Daly attempts to blocks the route of his opponent.
It soon got worse for Aghabog as we hit a brace of points in a fruitful five minute spell. Barry Patterson, who had a tremendous game, added a fabulous point, in the 15th minute, after collecting a pass from Liam Connolly and when Barry was hauled down moments later Mark Daly maintained his fine form with a well taken long range free-kick. Noel Carroll made another trademark solo-run in the 17th minute and it looked like he should have been awarded a free kick but play continued and he still had the wherewithal to slip a pass through to Stephen McGuirk and when he was impeded Mark Daly made no mistake with a straightforward kick over the bar. In the 20th minute, Mark Daly made a burst through the Aghabog defence and when he was brought down he converted the free-kick himself and moments later Paul McKeown added another point from play to give us an unassailable thirteen point lead, 0-16 to 0-3, entering the final ten minutes.
Dwayne Rooney tries to push aside the challenge of his marker.
Aghabog recorded their first score and only score of the second half when they got a lucky break, in the 25th minute, as the referee to the surprise of most spectators and players awarded a dubious penalty after Mark Daly was adjudged to foul his opponent when competing for a high ball and the resulting spot kick was excellently converted past Jamie Smith. A couple of minutes later Aghabog launch another speculative high ball into our goal mouth area and on this occasion Jamie Smith did extremely well to fist the ball away but we were careless as we gave away possession but Aghabog failed to capitalise as they kicked narrowly wide. In the closing stages Paul Mckeown was fouled and Dwayne Rooney rounded off the match by converting the free-kick to leave the final score Rockcorry 0-17 Aghabog 1-3.
Mark Daly moves in to mount a challenge
Whether this game is ideal preparation for the tougher clashes ahead is debatable but with this victory we now move up to 3rd place in the league standing and for the moment it’s a case of a job well done. I imagine our team management will not be getting carried away with the team’s performance against a pointless Aghabog side, although a return of 0-17, from six different players, must be considered satisfactory.
However, there’s an old saying “the devil’s in the detail” and we all know that it’s the small things that could be the winning or losing of a close game and while we never looked in any danger of losing this game as we move forward to the so called ‘business end’ of the season there are different aspects of our play that need to come under the microscope. The focus now must be to fine tune our game so that we can confront the challenges that lay ahead of us.
The next one being our clash against Doohamlet in the McGuigan Builders intermediate football championship which takes place on Friday 13th August. Best of luck lads.
Rockcorry 1-5 Killanny 0-10 (Reserve Team)
Monaghan Electric Reserve Football League Division 4 - Friday 30th July
Rock rue missed chances
Team: Gerard O’Brien, Cathal Sheridan, Rory Carroll, Pauric Reilly, Conor McGeough, Colin Reilly, Shane Wynne, Keelan Clerkin, Martin Carroll (0-1), Declan McCullagh, Ryan Sharkey (0-1), Cormac McFadden (1-0 pen), John Greenan, Mark McGuirk (0-2) and Andrew Carroll.
Subs: Barry Patterson (0-1) for Andrew Carroll
We played Killanny in the reserve league competition on Friday 30th July and while there was no shortage of heart or commitment from the lads we were unable to make the most of our possession as a lot of our chances were either kicked wide or dropped short. In fairness, Killanny just about deserved their win as they were more economical with their chances and we will look back on this as one that was left behind as the game was there for the taking.
Ryan Sharkey opened the scoring in the 4th minute with a wonderful point following good work by Rory Carroll, Shane Wynne and Martin Carroll. Declan McCullagh kicked wide a minute later before Killanny opened their account in the 6th minute when a loose pass cross field, by Colin Reilly, proved costly as it was intercepted and they slotted over. Moments later Mark McGuirk was fouled and he took the free himself but he shot tamely into the goalie hands. Martin Carroll put us ahead when he completed a fine move in the 9th minute and two minutes later Martin Carroll showed great awareness to intercept a pass and when he delivered a measured pass through to Mark McGuirk he weaved his way through to blast the ball towards goals but the Killanny goal-keeper pulled off an acrobatic save to deny us a goal. However a minute later Mark made amends as he extended our advantage when he scored a terrific point.
Rory Carroll goes airbourne to win the high ball
A great catch by Rory Carroll in the 15th minute was spoiled when he gave away possession and gifted Killanny a score to close the gap. Killanny missed three scoreable free-kicks in the 16th, 18th and 19th minutes before Mark McGuirk restored our two point lead following good work by Conor McGeough down the left wing. Killanny reduced the deficit to the bare minimum when Cathal Sheridan was adjudged to foul his opponent in the 23rd minute and they converted the free-kick to leave the score at the break Rockcorry 0-4 Killanny 0-3.
Conor McGeough is first to the ball in this action shot as he sets up Mark McGuirk for our 4th point.
When play resumed we failed to score for seventeen minutes during which time Killanny had moved three points ahead to put them in a commanding position. The first came in the 2nd minute after Shane Wynne fouled his opponent. In the 4th minute Martin Carroll burst through the Killanny defence and was hauled down but he opted to take a quick free into Cormac McFadden but the attack was broken down and a possible scoring opportunity lost. Killanny got their heads in front for the first time with their next attack when they took full advantage of some sloppy play and careless passing to fire over a point in the 7th minute. A high tackle on Martin Carroll in the 8th minute resulted in a free-kick but Mark McGuirk’s effort drifted narrowly wide. Killanny stretched their lead in the 9th minute when Colin Reilly brought down his opponent and they tapped over a fairly easy free from twenty metres to open up a two point lead 0-4 to 0-6. Keelan Clerkin surged forward in the 12th minute and was brought down on the twenty metre line but Mark McGuirk’s effort was kicked wide. The ensuing kick-out was won by Declan McCullagh and when Mark McGuirk collected a pass his attempt at the uprights fell short and the Killanny goal-keeper instigated a counter attack and they scored a fine point to open up a three point advantage.
Martin Carroll makes a determined solo run goalward
In the 17th minute, Martin Carroll produced a great catch from the kick-out and off-loaded to Ryan Sharkey who made a terrific solo run goal bound and he delivered a pass into Cormac McFadden who off-loaded to the onrushing Conor McGeough and he was very unlucky to see his shot at goals come back off the upright but when it fell nicely for Mark McGuirk he was brought down in the large parallelogram and the spot kick was converted by Cormac McFadden to draw the sides level 1-4 to 0-7.
Pauric Reilly in a tussle to win possession
This should off given us the impetus to go on and win however, Killanny responded the stronger and kicked two wides before they regained the lead in the 21st minute when they were afforded too much space and scored a neat point and they extended their lead two minutes later when they converted another free-kick. In the 25th minute Killanny pumped a long delivery into our goal mouth but a square ball was given but Gerard O’Brien’s clearance to Barry Patterson was intercepted and Killanny notched on another score to open up a three point lead 1-4 to 0-10.
Keelan Clerkin comes under pressure from his midfield opponent.
Barry Patterson closed the gap a minute later when he collected a pass and curled over a sweet left-footed point from twenty metres. With only two minutes of normal time remaining we threw everything but the kitchen sink at Killanny in a bid to salvage something but we kicked another wide. The ensuing kick-out was broken down by Barry Patterson and when Martin Carroll won the breaking ball he drove forward and off-loaded to John Greenan who blasted the ball goal-wards but the Killanny goal-keeper produced another fabulous save to deny us a victory and secure a win on a score-line Rockcorry 1-5 Killanny 0-10.
Come back here! Gerard O'Brien in full flight as he tries to get away.
Despite being under strength on the day, the lads will be disappointed not to have made more of their chances as we had ample possession but failed to convert it onto the scoreboard. Unfortunately, the game will be remembered for the high percentage of mistakes and handling errors on display as we made life very difficult for ourselves with conceding too many silly frees, aided with some careless passing that ultimately allowed Killanny back into the contest. With only one league game remaining against Currin, there is a high possibility the sides may clash again in the closing stages of this competition and if so we need to learn from this game and eliminate all the simple mistakes!
Emyvale 1-6 Rockcorry 2-12
Streamline Coaches Intermediate Football League, Round 12 – Wednesday 28th July
Rock on song as we cruise to comfortable victory
Team: Jamie Smith, Colin Reilly, Damien Matthews, Garry Calvert, Keith Daly, Johnny Reilly, Stephen McGuirk 0-1, Mark Daly 0-4, Niall McKeown, Liam Connolly 1-1, Martin Carroll 0-1, Noel Carroll 0-1, Mark McGuirk, Paul McKeown 1-1, Dwayne Rooney 0-2.
Subs: Barry Patterson 0-1 for Martin Carroll, Keelan Clerkin for Mark McGuirk, Anthony Tate for Dwayne Rooney, Colin Quinn for Garry Calvert, Conor McGeough for Mark Daly.
Our senior team had few problems overcoming Emyvale in this Streamline Coaches intermediate football league clash played on Wednesday 28th July. After a competitive first half we enjoyed a 2-6 to 1-4 lead at the break but in the second half we assumed complete control and outscored Emyvale in impressive style 2-6 to 0-2 to run out comprehensive winners on a score-line Emyvale 1-6 Rockcorry 2-12.
Noel Carroll slots over our first point
The game was played in ideal conditions, albeit a very strong and very unpleasant smell lingered for the duration of the match, and we started the game brightly as Noel Carroll opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when he kicked over a lovely point. Good defensive play by Johnny Reilly, a minute later, prevented Emyvale opening their account and play was stopped temporarily to allow an Emyvale player receive treatment. When play resumed, in the 6th minute, we worked the ball up field and when Martin Carroll delivered a pin-point pass to Noel Carroll his attempt at the uprights was, well let’s just say it was off target! We continued to apply all the pressure and it finally paid off as a minute Liam Connolly made no mistake when he sent a thundering shot to the back of the net to give us a 1-1 to 0-0 lead. Mark Daly had an opportunity to extend our lead but his shot fell short and into the goal-keepers hands and was cleared.
Stephen McGuirk battles for possession
A well worked move, in the 8th minute, involving Keith Daly and Dwayne Rooney yielded a point from play when Martin Carroll finished in style. Moments later Jamie Smith showed his alertness when he was quick of his line to clear a ball for a forty-five and the resulting kick drifted wide. At this stage things were looking good with almost ten minutes of football played and we held a five point advantage, however Emyvale worked extremely hard and with some excellent attacking play they opened their account in the 12th minute when they converted a free-kick. Paul McKeown kicked wide in the 16th minute after collecting a pass from Martin Carroll and when Niall McKeown, Stephen McGuirk and Garry Calvert all combined in a swift downfield move to set up Paul McKeown his effort at the uprights drifted agonisingly wide. Emyvale scored their second point in the 18th minute and they drew level a couple of minutes later when they breached our defence and blasted the ball past Jamie Smith to leave both teams on 1-2 apiece. There was another lengthy stop in play after an accidental collision and when the game resumed Emyvale took the lead as they notched over a fine point.
Paul McKeown on the ball as he attempts to evade the challenge of his opponent
We recovered quickly from this setback as we never panicked and reaffirmed our authority over the following minutes but we were guilty of missing some easy scoring chances in the 25th and 27th minutes. Firstly Noel Carroll had a wonderful opportunity to regain the lead when he collected a pass from Mark Daly and with only the goalie facing him he fluffed his lines and somehow shot wide when a goal was at his mercy and moments later Liam Connolly kicked wide. However, a couple of minutes later, we did manage to raise the green flag when Paul McKeown did well to win the ball ahead of his opponent, he then side-stepped the challenge of his marker and bravely went for goal and found the top-corner of the net with a rasping drive. Emyvale closed the gap when they adopted to employ the direct route to goal and pumped in a long delivery into our danger zone and it fell nicely to their corner forward who lobbed it over the bar to leave the score 1-4 to 2-2.
Liam Connolly is at full stretch as he tries to prevent his opponent winning the kick-out
Emyvale were unable to sustain their charge as we enjoyed a dominant spell towards the end of the first half that yielded four points in six minutes. The first coming from the boot of Liam Connolly when he scored a sweet point in the 31st minute and less than a minute later Dwayne Rooney got his name on the score-sheet when he flicked the ball over the bar. Dwayne was in the action shortly afterwards but on this occasion his effort was off target. Mark Daly increased our lead when he finished off a wonderful move in the 35th minute and Paul McKeown fired over in the 37th minute to leave the scoreboard reading at the interval Emyvale 1-4 Rockcorry 2-6.
Niall McKeown on the attack as he breaks away from his opponent
The second half started similar to the first and when Johnny Reilly surged forward and played a one-two with Paul McKeown he was hauled down and Mark Daly curled over the free-kick to register our first score of the second half. Colin Reilly strode forward from his corner back position, in the 4th minute, and when he was hauled down the resulting free-kick drifted narrowly wide. When Paul McKeown was fouled in the 6th minute, Stephen McGuirk most untypically under-hit a twenty metre free and when Mark McGuirk collected the recycled ball he didn’t connect properly and his tame shot was easily collected by the Emyvale goal-keeper.
Damien Matthews gets the better of his opponent as he clears his lines
Emyvale tried desperately to find an opening but our defence remained strong with Damien Matthews, Keith Daly and Johnny Reilly all ‘rock solid’ as they thwarted attack after attack and when we counter-attacked in the 8th minute Dwayne Rooney was brought down approximately forty-five metres from goals but it was brought up for dissent and Mark Daly sweetly struck the free over the bar. Two minutes later Dwayne was fouled again and this time Stephen McGuirk hit over a lovely point. From the ensuing kick-out we gained possession and when Dwayne Rooney collected a pass he sailed over a wonderful long range point to open up a 2-10 to 1-4 lead.
Keith Daly has everything under control.
Liam Connolly kicked wide in the 12th minute and when Paul McKeown was penalised for over carrying a minute later it was an opportunity lost. Emyavle converted a free-kick in the 15th minute after Colin Reilly was adjudged to foul his opponent and they kicked wide a minute later. Great defensive work by Johnny Reilly and Keith Daly prevented Emyvale scoring in the 18th minute but a couple of minutes later they did manage to notch over their second point which proved to be their last score. Stephen McGuirk kicked into the goalie hands in the 21st minute and when Paul McKeown was fouled in the 23rd minute Mark Daly converted the free kick.
Mark Daly on the ball as his opponent closes in to mount a challenge
Thankfully, we could afford the luxury of squandering a few scoring chances as we kicked three wides in succession in the 24th, 26th and 29th minutes from the boots of Barry Patterson, Colin Quinn and Niall McKeown. However, when Barry Patterson showed a quick turn of pace in the 31st minute, his low trajectory shot shaved the crossbar for a point to finish the scoring and emerge deserving winners on a score-line Emyvale 1-6 Rockcorry 2-12.
While our performance was not the greatest but at the same time it was not unimpressive but it was still good enough to overcome a spirited effort by Emyvale. We were never in any great deal of difficulty apart from a brief flurry from Emyvale in the first half we totally dominated the game from start to finish but we certainly made hard work of seeing them off. The lads on occasions produced some fine passages of football and deserved the win but to use an infamous slogan of the Fianna Fail party “a lot done, but more to do” appears adequate as no doubt we will face sterner tests in the months ahead and it will require better performances in order to overcome these challenges. But nevertheless a win is a win and it keeps us in contention for a top four position so keep up the good works lads.
Rockcorry 0-21 Emyvale 1-9 (Reserve Team)
Monaghan Electric Reserve Football League Division 4 – Friday 23rd July
Reserve team maintain their winning ways
Team: Jamie Smith, Cathal Sheridan, Rory Carroll, Pauric Reilly, John Greenan, Colin Reilly 0-1, Ryan Sharkey, Liam Connolly 0-2, Barry Patterson 0-1, Keelan Clerkin 0-2, Martin Carroll 0-1, Colin Quinn 0-3, Declan McCullagh, Mark McGuirk 0-5 and Anthony Tate 0-4.
Subs: Andrew Carroll for Anthony Tate, Josh Butler for John Greenan, Shane Wynne for Ryan Sharkey, Gerry O’Brien 0-2 for Mark McGuirk.
We played Emyvale in the Monaghan Electrical reserve league competition on Friday 23rd July and we started much the brighter of the two teams and dominated possession and territory for much of the opening half. The energetic Barry Patterson opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when he drove forward and slotted over a lovely point and when Colin Reilly collected a pass from Mark McGuirk in the 5th minute he notched over a fine point to extend our lead. What appeared to be a foul in the large parallelogram on Mark McGuirk, in the 5th minute, was given as a thirteen-metre free which Mark converted. Emyvale kicked wides in the 8th and 9th minute before Anthony Tate collected a pass from Barry Patterson and he curled over a terrific point. Liam Connolly raised the white flag in the 14th minute following good work by Martin Carroll. Colin Quinn kicked wide in the 16th minute before Anthony Tate made it 0-6 to 0-0 when he scored in the 18th minute.
Anthony Tate curls over a neat point
Shortly afterwards, Emyvale were awarded a penalty after Cathal Sheridan was deemed to fouled his opponent and the resulting kick was blasted down the middle past Jamie Smith to leave the score 0-6 to 1-0. Anthony Tate proved to be a real handful during the first half and added another point to his tally following good defensive work by Rory Carroll. A couple of minutes later Emyvale were awarded a free-kick and they launched a high ball into our square but Jamie Smith was able to clear the danger and we broke down the field at pace and when Mark McGuirk was brought down he tapped over the free-kick himself.
Ryan Sharkey battles his way out of defence.
Anthony Tate fisted wide in the 25th minute before Mark McGuirk increased our lead to six points when he fired confidently between the posts. Emyvale replied almost immediately and a minute later Martin Carroll got his name on the score-sheet following a tremendous run that involved a one-two with Keelan Clerkin and he sailed over a wonderful point. Good defending by Cathal Sheridan in the 29th minute thwarted an Emyvale attack but we were guilty of losing possession and Emyvale capitalized as they scored a point just on the stroke of half time to leave the score at the interval Rockcorry 0-10 to Emyvale 1-2.
Team selector Pauric Carroll gives instructions during the half time pep talk.
When the second half resumed we stamped our authority on the game straight away and hit seven points without reply in a fruitful ten minute spell to open up a twelve point lead. Colin Quinn started the scoring spree with a well taken shot, thirty seconds from the throw-in, after collecting a pass from Barry Patterson. Mark McGuirk was next to find the target when he scored a minute later and Keelan Clerkin extended our lead further with a sweet effort in the 5th minute. Keelan was unlucky not to add another when his attempt hit the post but Declan McCullagh was quickest to react and when he slipped a pass through to Colin Quinn he fired it over. We edged further ahead when Ryan Sharkey made a super run through the heart of the Emyvale defence in the 7th minute before off-loading to Anthony Tate who lobbed over a lovely point. A minute later Mark McGuirk picked out Colin Quinn with a pin point delivery and Colin showed admirable composure to sail over a terrific point.
Barry Patterson delivers a pass into his forward line.
In the 11th minute, it appeared that Colin Quinn extended our lead with what looked to be a perfectly good point but was waved wide by the referee after the umpires had initially awarded the score! There was no denying our next score however, as Liam Connolly collected a pass from Declan McCullagh and his rasping drive from close range went over the bar rather than under the crossbar. Emyvale responded in the 12th minute with a fine score but we extended our lead when Mark McGuirk kicked over in the 15th minute and three minutes later Keelan Clerkin added another point to make it 0-19 to 1-3.
John Greenan makes a challenge on his opponent
These scores gave us plenty of breathing space and it looked like we would run away with the game but suddenly we hit a bump as to Emyvale’s credit they started to find some momentum and during the 20th and 28th minutes they reduced the arrears back to seven points as they kicked six points without reply. With only a couple of minutes remaining our response was swift as we upped the tempo again and when Liam Connolly was brought down in the 29th minute Gerard O’Brien stepped up and converted the free-kick and shortly afterwards Geard O’Brien wrapped up the scoring with a sweet point to leave the final score Rockcorry 0-21 Emyvale 1-9.
Apart from a bright spell in the last quarter when Emyvale battled back from 0-19 to 1-3 down to close the gap back to seven points we never really looked like being overturned! Our second half blitz when we scored seven points without reply was crucial as we had plenty to spare by the finish to maintain our winning ways.
Blackhill 3-11 Rockcorry 3-12
Monaghan Electrial Reserve Football League Division 4 -Wednesday 14th July 2010
Rock show team spirit to bounce back and claim victory
Team: Jamie Smith, Cathal Sheridan, Rory Carroll, Pauric Reilly, Shane Wynne, Colin Reilly, Ryan Sharkey 0-1, Liam Connolly 0-2, Barry Patterson 0-1, Keelan Clerkin 1-0, Martin Carroll 0-1, Colin Quinn 1-2, Declan McCullagh, Mark McGuirk 1-4 and Anthony Tate 0-1.
Subs: Conor McGeough for Declan McCullagh.
On Wednesday 14th July we made the journey to play Blackhill in our seventh game of the Monaghan Electrical reserve football league. Both teams entered the game with high hopes of gaining full points from this contest as each team had enjoyed a good run in the campaign and were both sitting with nine points in the league table.
A shower of rain left underfoot conditions slippery which hindered the play somewhat and Blackhill were the quickest out of the blocks as they registered their first score in the second minute when they converted a free-kick after we were penalized for a hand pass. Martin Carroll kicked wide a couple of minutes later but Blackhill extended their lead when they scored a long range point to go two up. Martin Carroll was brought down in the 6th minute but surprisingly the normally reliable Mark McGuirk was off target as his effort fell short and Blackhill raced down the field and launched a high ball into our danger zone that deceived our goalie Jamie Smith as it hit the corner of the post and dropped harmlessly into the net.
Keelan Clerkin bursts through the challenge
We had to wait for almost ten minutes before we opened our account that came after some fine grafting by Martin Carroll as he set up Keelan Clerkin who finished a strong piercing solo run by firing to the back of the net and a couple of minutes later Mark McGuirk collected a pass from Colin Quinn and slotted over a lovely point. However, this was immediately cancelled out as Blackhill won the kick-out and broke down the field to score a point. Keelan Clerkin made another terrific run in the 15th minute as he cut open the Blackhill defence and he off-loaded to Martin Carroll who found Colin Quinn and he confidently struck the ball to the back of the net to take the lead 1-3 to 2-1 and Colin Quinn was in thick of the action a minute later when he curled over a wonderful point to stretch our advantage.
Colin Quinn holds his concentration despite pressure from his marker.
However, our lead lasted just two minutes as a sequence of errors allowed Blackhill in to notch over a fine point and when our defence switched off in the 21st minute we were duly punished when the ball was struck past Jamie Smith to hit the back of the net to leave the score 2-4 to 2-2. Both teams kicked wides during the 23rd and 26th minutes before Ryan Sharkey made a burst up the field and fired over a glorious point to close the gap to a single point but Blackhill replied with two well worked points in the 28th and 29th minutes to restore a three point advantage. When Mark McGuirk found himself one on one with the keeper, in the 30th minute, he fired his shot over the bar and in the final seconds of an entertaining half Blackhill had the last say when they added a point from play to leave the scoreboard reading Blackhill 2-7 Rockcorry 2-4.
Barry Patterson is at full stretch as he tries to break the high ball
During the interval our team management made a number of switches, that raised a few eye brows, with Martin Carroll moving to centre half back role and Colin Reilly slotting into full back position. The second half started similar to the first with Blackhill having the better of the opening exchanges and they scored 1-1 within a couple of minutes to open up a seven point lead and at this stage it looked liked the match was running away from us as we had the proverbial mountain to climb!
Mark McGuirk out in front as he competes for possession
Blackhill looked comfortable at this stage but to use the words of Billy Ocean, “when the going gets tough the tough get going” and we slowly managed to turn things around and when Mark McGuirk converted a free-kick in the 5th minute the wheel of momentum started to move in our direction as we started to enjoy a period of dominance. Our next attack yielded a penalty after Mark McGuirk was hauled down inside the large rectangle and he stepped up to take the spot kick and he coolly placed his shot into the bottom corner to close the deficit back to three points. The ensuing kick-out was broken down by Liam Connolly and when Martin Carroll collected the breaking ball he surged forward and fired over a sweet point to rally the troops. Liam Connolly raised another white flag shortly afterwards following good work by Keelan Clerkin, Pauric Reilly and Martin Carroll, to reduce the deficit to a solitary point.
Liam Connolly looks up to assess his next move
We were guilty of poor shooting during the 15th and 16th minute when Ryan Sharkey and Liam Connolly kicked wides before Blackhill fired over a fine point in the 17th minute to extend their advantage. Thankfully, we responded in true fashion and when Anthony Tate collected a pass he floated over a wonderful point. As the game entered the final ten minutes we started to affirm more control and when Keelan Clerkin was brought down in the 20th minute Colin Quinn stepped up to take the free-kick which he sailed between the uprights to leave both teams on 3-9 apiece.
Anthony Tate on the attack as he breaks away from his opponent.
Mark McGurik kicked a free wide in the 23rd minute, after Ryan Sharkey was fouled but when Jamie Smith cleared with great efficiency in the 25th minute we swiftly moved the ball forward with some good inter-passing and when Barry Patterson collected the ball he finished in style. The lads were now playing with far greater purpose and confidence and when Anthony Tate gave an intelligent pass into Conor McGeough on the edge of the square he picked out Mark McGuirk who landed an impressive point to increase our lead to two. Our insurance point came a minute later when Liam Connolly skipped past his marker and fired over to open up a three point gap. At this stage Blackhill threw everything at us as they tried to find a late goal but their efforts were in vain as our defence worked tirelessly and held tight as they could only manage to notch over points in the 32nd and 33rd minute to leave the final score Blackhill 3-11 Rockcorry 3-12.
Declan McCullagh on the ball as his marker closes in to mount a challenge
Speaking to team selector, Pauric Carroll, after the game he told me he “was pleased with the lad’s performance as they all worked well. We knew we would get nothing easy off Blackhill especially on their home ground and when we went seven points down early in the second half the lads showed great spirit to get back into the game…”, he continued by saying that “there were some anxious moments in the final minutes as they (Blackhill) put us under severe pressure but fair play to the lads for defending well and winning the two points”
My ball...! Colin Reilly goes airbourne to win the ball
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