Rockcorry 1-11 Inniskeen 1-10

Streamline Coaches Intermediate Football League, Round 8 – Wednesday 19th May

Late Connolly Strike Seals the Win for Rock

Team: Jamie Smith, Colin Reilly, Niall McKeown, Garry Calvert, Keith Daly, Johnny Reilly, Stephen McGuirk 0-3, Barry Patterson, Liam Connolly 0-1, Keelan Clerkin 0-1, Martin Carroll 0-1, Noel Carroll 0-1, Mark McGuirk 1-1, Paul McKeown 0-2, Dwayne Rooney 0-1.

Subs: Damien Matthews for Keelan Clerkin

We maintained our good start to this year’s Streamline Coaches intermediate football league, on Wednesday 19^th May, when we overcame a determined Inniskeen side that pushed us all the way in what was, at times, an exciting and tough encounter. A late strike from Liam Connolly one minute into stoppage time was enough to secure the two league points and a sixth successive win.

While we missed a couple of early chances, Paul McKeown registered our first score in the 3^rd minute after he collected a pass from Keith Daly and slotted over a neat point. Keelan Clerkin extended our lead a couple of minutes later when he split the uprights with a fine strike. Martin Carroll brushed aside a heavy tackle, in front of the dugouts, and he off loaded to Noel Carroll who passed into Mark McGuirk who was hauled down on the twenty-one metre line and Dwayne Rooney converted the free-kick. Noel Carroll completed a great move, in the 8^th minute, when he fired over a terrific point after he collected a pass from Dwayne Rooney. At this stage of the game we were totally dominant and could off really put Inniskeen to the sword but a number of passes went astray and the opportunities lost. Paul McKeown then increased our advantage when he notched over a superb point, from the right wing, to open up a five point lead 0-5 to 0-0.

Inniskeen eventually opened their account in the 10^th minute when they were awarded a free kick, approximately twenty-five metres out, after Colin Reilly was adjudged to foul his opponent, and they tapped the ball over the bar. A minute later they were on the attack again but on this occasion a pass directed to the corner forward was too strong and went over the end-line. Shortly afterwards we were awarded a sideline ball but under the new playing rules we were penalised for crossing the line and the resulting throw-up was won by Inniskeen, however sterling defending by Niall McKeown prevented the Inniskeen attacker from having a free shot and his attempt drifted wide. We widened the gap even more in the 14^th minute when Mark McGuirk finished off arguably the best score of the game that began with Keith Daly in defence and he directed a measured pass to Stephen McGuirk who found Paul McKeown and he set-up Mark McGuirk who initially looked liked being bottled up but the impressive young forward created half a yard and blasted an unstoppable shot to bulge the back of the net.

A minute later, Mark McGuirk was in the thick of action again but his effort on this occasion fell  short and into the hands of the Inniskeen goalie and they counterattacked at pace and it took some wholehearted defending by Niall McKeown and Garry Calvert to keep them out. However, in the 18^th minute, Inniskeen did manage to close the gap when they kicked a neat from play. A couple of minutes later Stephen McGuirk sailed over a magnificent point after his brother Mark was brought down along the side line. Inniskeen pulled one point back when they notched over another fine point from play a couple of minutes later. A scoreless five minute period followed, during which both teams were guilty of some terrible  football and the last score of the first half came a minute into injury time when Inniskeen were awarded a free kick on the twenty-one metre line which they duly converted and the scoreboard at the break showed Rockcorry 1-6 Inniskeen 0-4.

Whatever was said at half time worked for Inniskeen as they emerged from the dressing-rooms a transformed side as they began brightly and closed the gap to four points when they scored after only twenty seconds of play. In the 5^th minute, Stephen McGuirk showed his accuracy once again with another inspirational point from a free kick to bring our lead back to five point advantage.

However, a minute later we conceded the goal when Inniskeen won the kick-out and utilised route one football with a long high ball into our goalmouth that wrong-footed Niall McKeown and the Inniskeen full forward found himself one-on-one with our goal-keeper and he made no mistake in rattling the back of the net. All of a sudden, Inniskeen were only two points in arrears with the scoreboard reading Rockcorry 1-7 Inniskeen 1-5. Shortly afterwards Inniskeen missed an opportunity to close the gap but they managed to reduce the deficit to a single point when they were awarded a  free-kick on the twenty-one metre line after Garry Calvert was deemed to foul his opponent. At this stage we were experiencing a mini crisis and we needed a quick response and the introduction of Damien Matthews for Keelan Clerkin was just the tonic. He slotted into his usual full-back position that allowed Niall McKeown the freedom to roam out-field and he instantly made an impact when he made a surging solo run towards the goals and he found Paul McKeown who provided the perfect pass into Mark McGuirk and he sent the ball over the bar for a classy point.

Inniskeen stayed in touch after Damien Matthews fouled his opponent along the sideline and the resulting kick was lobbed high into our goalmouth area and Colin Reilly fouled his opponent near the large square and the Inniskeen free taker had a simple free-kick to close the gap. In the 12^th minute, Noel Carroll was brought down approximately thirty metres from goals, but Dwayne Rooney’s effort drifted to the right of the upright and Keith Daly was able to keep the ball in play and he found the unmarked Stephen McGuirk whose attempt at the target went narrowly wide. A couple of minutes later, an effective clearance out of defence by Keith Daly initiated another attack and when Mark McGuirk was hauled down on the thirteen metre line, Stephen was on hand to convert the free-kick. In the 20^th minute, Niall McKeown, Paul McKeown and Stephen McGuirk all combined brilliantly to set up Martin Carroll who whipped over a marvellous score to increase our advantage to three points 1-10 to 1-7.

Inniskeen suddenly seized the game by the scuff of the neck and knocked over three points without reply in the space of six minutes. The game was now delicately poised with both sides having 1-10 apiece and the game could off gone any way! The momentum was now clearly with Inniskeen as we looked vulnerable, but they failed to take advantage and spurned a wonderful opportunity to take the lead, in the 29^th minute, as their effort drifted to the left and wide. As the game reached the closing stages, serious questions were now being asked about our mental strength and our capability, but just as the they did against Currin, the lads stormed back with a display of grit and determination and when Liam Connolly collected the ball, a minute into injury time, he kept his cool under severe pressure, and fired over a glorious point to put us back in front. However, the game wasn’t over yet and we were soon on the back foot as Inniskeen launched another long high ball into the danger zone but this time Johnny Reilly did very well to hold onto possession, after fielding spectacularly, and seconds later the final whistle blew to the delight and relief of everyone.

Looking back on our performance I have no doubt that our team management will be wondering how we went from cruise control to near panic stations towards the end of the match! The first twenty minutes we controlled the game, we were irresistible as we played some wonderful free flowing football that totally overwhelmed Inniskeen and at one stage we had built up a commanding seven point lead. However, during the second half there were occasions, when we were guilty of some awful football. Our play became scrappy with poor passing, over elaboration, some dreadful shooting, illegal hand passes and we conceded some needless frees, all of which gave Inniskeen a lifeline and allowed them back into the game.

While some of players will be disappointed with their individual performances you can’t always play well all of the time and you’re never going to control the game for the full sixty minutes, but once you win, who cares? “A win is a win” as they say, and we achieved that goal, we won the game and that’s all that really matters! Ask any manager or player and they would settle for a one point win any day. It just makes it very nerve racking and nail biting to watch from the sideline!

On a final note, can all players make themselves familiar with the new playing rules and make corrections to their style of hand-pass as a number of illegal hand passes certainly caused frustration during the game. Well done lads and keep up the good work.