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 28^th 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 2^nd 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.

Emyvale responded on the 6^th minute when they scored a fine point from play and when Martin Carroll was dragged down on the 8^th 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 10^th 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.

Niall McKeown made a tremendous and courageous block in the 14^th 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.

A promising attack on the 17^th 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.

When Damien Matthews was fouled on the 22^nd 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 24^th 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 28^th minute he fisted over the bar to make 0-9 to 0-3. Noel Carroll was fouled off the ball on the 29^th 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 30^th minute halted an Emyvale attack and with half time looming we raced down the field and when Mark Daly was fouled on the 32^nd 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.

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 3^rd minute and a minute later an effort from Keith Daly was off target before Emyvale kicked wide on the 5^th minute but shortly afterwards they capitalised on some bad passing and scored a neat point to close the gap 0-10 to 0-5.

When Damien Matthews was fouled on the 8^th 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.

Emyvale responded at the other end and could’ve grabbed a goal on the 11^th 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 12^th, 15^th and 16^th 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 18^th 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 20^th minute, to close the gap to two points and at this stage there were definitely some tense and nervous moments.

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 24^th 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 27^th 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 31^st 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 (5^th September) in Clones at 7.00pm.

BEST OF LUCK LADS.