Rockcorry 1-5 Killanny 0-10 (Reserve Team)

Monaghan Electric Reserve Football League Division 4 - Friday 30^th 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 30^th 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 4^th 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 6^th 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 9^th 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.

A great catch by Rory Carroll in the 15^th 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 16^th, 18^th and 19^th 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 23^rd minute and they converted the free-kick to leave the score at the break Rockcorry 0-4 Killanny 0-3.

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 2^nd minute after Shane Wynne fouled his opponent. In the 4^th 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 7^th minute.  A high tackle on Martin Carroll in the 8^th minute resulted in a free-kick but Mark McGuirk’s effort drifted narrowly wide. Killanny stretched their lead in the 9^th 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 12^th 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.

In the 17^th 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.

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 21^st 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 25^th 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.

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.

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!