Nenagh Celtic 'B' 1 - Rearcross 2
“It is impossible to win the race unless you venture to run, impossible to win the victory unless you dare to battle”
Rearcross battled their way to a hard fought victory on Sunday last against a lively Nenagh Celtic side to put themselves back on top spot in the NT&DL First Division. Played on a brisk autumnal morning it was the visitors who applied all the early pressure, hitting the front as early as the fourth minute with right back Tommy Ryan (L) smashing a low right footed drive to the bottom corner of the net from just inside the box. In a half that went mostly in favour of the visiting green and white hoops, the lead was doubled on the twenty minute mark when a fine run and cross from Declan O’ Toole resulted in a penalty being awarded for Rearcross with a Nenagh Celtic defender adjudged to have handled the ball on this occasion. Up stepped top marksman Derek O’ Toole to slot into the net to extend the lead and put the away side in a seemingly comfortable two goal lead. Rearcross continued this good start for most of the first half and Declan O’ Toole was unlucky not to have stretched the lead further with minutes remaining in the half when his shot from the edge of the area clipped the crossbar and trickled to safety, much to the relief of Nenagh Celtic goalkeeper Dwayne Fletcher. Celtic then pulled a goal back ten minutes before the half when John Paul O’ Brien's well struck shot flew past Jim Caplis in the Rearcross goals, narrowing the deficit to a single goal. With Nenagh coming out a more forceful, attacking outfit in the second half it was backs to the wall for most of the 45 minutes for Rearcross, beginning in the 50th minute when Brian Duffy’s long range free was heading for the corner of the net only for Jim Caplis to react superbly to palm the ball away. In what was one of their few chances in the second half Rearcross almost extended the lead once more with half an hour remaining when Derek O’Toole beat the offside trap and crossed to Declan O’Toole - Nenagh keeper Fletcher getting down on the ball for a fine save on this occasion. Nenagh went on to dominate affairs for the last 25 mins and came close on a number of occasions - Johnny Donnellan prodding just wide from in front of goal in the 66th minute followed a minute later by Johnny Carmody drilling wide of the target from close range. Liam O’Toole then got a vital touch in front of goals to deny the home side four minutes later with Rearcross living dangerously, Johnny Donnellan’s well struck shot flying just over the crossbar a moment later testimony to this. Rearcross, however, have showed a fine attitude and steely determination in all their games so far this season and kept pushing to the bitter end, breaking quickly seven minutes from time with Liam Ryan (R) and Derek O’ Toole combining, earning Rearcross a corner kick from which Kieran Devitt was unlucky not to hit the net when his neat shot came back off the base of the upright. A good win for Rearcross FC in a game way which could really have gone either way.
Nenagh Celtic ‘B’: Dwayne Fletcher, Bobby McLoughlin, Keith Langton, Stevie Ryan, Brian Duffy, Johnny Carmody, Wayne Cawley, Sean Healy, John Paul O’Brien, David Walsh, Shane Gibbons
Subs Used: Robbie Carr, Liam O’Meara, Johnny Donnellan
Rearcross FC: Jim Caplis, Tommy Ryan (L), Eamon Devitt, Eamon Wade, Greg Kennedy, Liam O’ Toole, Simon Kennedy, Diarmuid Sheehy, Declan O’ Toole, Derek O’ Toole, Kieran Devitt.
Subs: Davy O’Toole for Declan O’Toole (65th minute), Mark Hogan for Tommy Ryan Luke (82nd minute), Liam Ryan for Matthew Ryan Luke (82nd minute)
Not Used: Darren Quigley, Robert Harrington, James Deegan
Referee: Martin Goldsboro
Report compiled by Simon Kennedy