Match Results & Reports

Clodiagh Rangers 'A' 3 - Rearcross 'A' 4

Rearcross 'A' got their new league campaign off to a flying start with a well earned 4-3 victory over Clodiagh Rangers 'A' in Drombane last Sunday morning, this was an entertaining encounter with the home side taking the lead after ninety seconds when Owen Shortt was given too much space on the right and hadn't to be asked twice as he drove past Oliver Kennedy from just inside the eighteen yard box. Rearcross counter attacked and won a free kick, which was floated in by John Ryan Luke to Emmet Steed who's headed effort forced a superb save out of the Clodiagh custodian at the near post. It was all Clodagh after this and Rearcross were rocked in the 9th minute when Eamom Cullagh sent a thunderous shot to the back of the net from out on the left. Joey Nolan's twenty yard strike three minutes later swerved at the last second and struck the wrong side of the Clodiagh net support. Liam McCullagh fired over the bar in the 14th minute after Eoin Shortt had set up the move. Clodiagh's Michael Brown tested Oliver Kennedy in the 24th minute with the latter saving well. Rearcross were starting to claw their way back in to the tie at this stage and came close when a long range free kick found Emmet Steed who out jumped the rest only for his header to loop narrowly over the crossbar. Rearcross got the badly needed break in the 25th minute when Derek O'Toole did well to pull the ball from the end line to Emmet Steed with the resulting shot on goal impeded with the use of a hand, John Ryan Luke stepped up and slotted past his namesake. Rearcross were back on level terms in the 33rd minute when Emmet Steed got on the end of a John Ryan Luke free kick and headed to the corner of the net. Rearcross made a strong finish to the half as Joey Nolan's attempt was deflected over the bar two minutes before the break. The opening exchanges of the second half were evenly shared and Oliver Kennedy had to be alert to turn Declan Carr's shot over the bar three minutes in to the half, Shane Reynold's had to head clear from a corner kick two minutes later, Derek O'Toole won two successive corner kicks ten minutes in to the second half and it was from the second of these that Rearcross took the lead when Emmet Steed was well positioned to head to the roof of the net from the edge of the six yard box. A quickly taken free kick in the 64th minute nearly caught the Rearcross rearguard flat footed. Derek O'Toole got in a shot two minutes later however the shot pulled away from the target. Jack Ryan came to the rescue for the Drombane side in the 69th minute with a fine stop from the boot of Emmet Steed and was equal to Joey Nolan's follow up with a good body save. Val Kennedy stretched to get a vital touch two minutes shortly after, however the game was set up for a hectic finish seconds later when Eoin Shortt nipped in behind the Rearcross defence and headed over the goal line, Rearcross reacted immediately and Davy O'Toole did well to set up Derek O'Toole two minutes later who tapped home from close range. A Joey Nolan free was held by Jack Ryan with twelve minutes remaining. Clodagh applied all the pressure in the final minutes with the visiting team having to endure a few anxious moments before the final whistle was sounded and the victory for Rearcross 'A' was secured.

Clodiagh Rangers 'A': Jack Ryan, Gerry Quinn, Alan Tierney, Denis McCullagh, Paul Gould, Michael Brown, Declan Carr, James Ryan, Liam McCullagh, Eamon Cullagh, Owen Shortt. Subs: Sean McGuire, Brian Ryan

Rearcross 'A': Oliver Kennedy, Declan O'Toole, Shane Reynolds, John Ryan Luke, Martin McLoughlin, Liam Nolan(B), Emmet Steed, Liam O'Toole, PJ McLoughlin, Joeu Nolan, Derek O'Toole. Subs: Val Kennedy for Martin McLoughlin(15th minute), Davy O'Toole for Liam Nolan(66th minute), Ger Kennedy for Joey Nolan(86th minute). Subs not used: Anthony Ryan, Joey Ryan

Referee: Colm Burke

Congratulation from all in Rearcross F.C. to Clodiagh Rangers who were allocated €120,000 from the 2003 Sports Capital Programme