Match Results & Reports

Rearcross 'A' 5 - Clodiagh Rangers 'A' 1  

"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion" - Mia Hamm

Rearcross 'A' secured their premier division status for next season as they brushed aside a heavily depleted Clodiagh Rangers outfit on Saturday night last in what was the penultimate game of the season for the boys in green and white. It was the visitors who marked their territory early in the game with Rearcross goalkeeper Sean Sheehy having to be alert with a near post save on fourteen minutes to deny the Drombane side. Rearcross took hold of the game after this and found themselves a goal up in the 17th minute after a mazy run by Simon Kennedy resulted in Eamon Gleeson getting the opportunity to drill a low effort between the posts from 8 yards out. The home side almost doubled their advantage a minute later with a Davy O’ Toole strike from in front of goal which wasn’t far over the cross bar. Like true warriors the relegated Drombane outfit threw away their coat of reticence after this and began to tussle their way back into the game as expected - a Paul Ryan strike which almost levelled the game on the 28th minute mark a sure sign that things were not going to be made easy for the hometown combatants. The remainder of the half remained nip and tuck with Liam Ryan coming close for the home side in the 40th minute while moments later at the other end Sean Sheehy had to drop to his knees to gather following a goal mouth scramble. Clodiagh increased their battle charge after the half time break and were duly rewarded when Paul ‘Archie’ Doyle scored from the penalty spot to level affairs two minutes after the restart. A few nervy moments followed for the home side before team regulars Diarmuid Sheehy, who forced a good save from Adrian Cooke in the 54th minute, and Martin Mc Loughlin stood up to the plate and brought the game to the visiting opponents. A Liam Ryan effort on the hour mark came close to finding the Clodiagh net and the momentum was now all with the home side once more. Brian Sheehy and Simon Kennedy then came close on two occasions in the space of two minutes with both efforts superbly blocked by visiting goalkeeper Adrian Cooke and it began to look like the man fondly referred to by his teammates as ‘Cookie’ was going to deny Rearcross the victory for the second week running. Rearcross then got a wonder goal breakthrough on 64 minutes when good work by Brian Sheehy saw the ball break to Liam Ryan who sent a first time rasping volley inside the post that left the Clodiagh shot stopper with no chance and sent Rearcross team manager Derek O’ Toole into a state of Nirvana on the sideline. Eamon Gleeson then broke on the left two minutes later and finished to the net after winning a one on one tussle with the ‘keeper to give the home side a two goal advantage. The taste of victory is sweet, or so the saying goes, and Rearcross players and supporters alike must have had their tongues wagging with thirteen minutes remaining when Davy O’Toole made it 4-1 for the green & whites with a smashing chipped effort from just inside the box. PJ McLoughlin then had the ball in the net a minute later; however play had been called back for an offside infringement. Not to be outdone, McLoughlin followed this by getting his name on the scoresheet in the 83rd minute after good play from Simon Kennedy on the right wing to all but seal the win. And thus with that comes the end of a long yet enjoyable season for Rearcross ‘A’ whom, considering the relatively small pool of players to choose from as a result of demographics and more recently emigration, cannot be faulted for heart, commitment and effort throughout the year. Special praise must be attributed to Derek O’ Toole and Sean Sheehy who did a fine job of managing the team whilst playing at the same time, to youngsters such as left back Greg Kennedy who stepped up to the mark in their first year of Premier Division football, to the not so young members of the squad i.e. Diarmuid Sheehy, Martin Mc Loughlin, Brian Sheehy (the list is endless!) who foraged and battled in every game, to brothers Davy, Liam and Eamon O’Toole who travelled from Dublin and Cork every Sunday morning and finally to everyone involved in the club at all levels.

Rearcross 'A': Sean Sheehy, Liam O’ Toole, Diarmuid Sheehy, Martin Mc Loughlin, Greg Kennedy, Declan O’ Toole, Davy O’ Toole, Simon Kennedy, Brian Sheehy, Eamon Gleeson, Liam Ryan (R)
Subs: Eamon O’ Toole, PJ McLoughlin (Both Used)

Clodiagh Rangers 'A': Adrian Cooke, Keith Ryan, Shane O'Dwyer, Declan Carr, John Dwyer, Matt Ryan, Pat Purcell, Padraig Ryan, Paul Ryan, Colm Stapleton, Paul Doyle
Subs: Kieran Shortt, Stephen Gleeson (Both Used)

Referee: Martin Goldsboro

Report Compiled by Simon Kennedy