Rearcross 3 - Nenagh Celtic 'B' 1
‘Winning is like shaving - you do it every day or you wind up looking like a bum’ Jack Kemp
Rearcross stormed back to the top of the NT&DL Division 1 table with a resounding 3-1 victory against a youthful Nenagh Celtic side in a game played at Rearcross FC Grounds last Saturday evening. Rearcross were on the offensive from the start with Simon Kennedy’s 4th minute long range effort almost finding the target after good play down the left by Declan O’ Toole. This was followed in the 9th minute by Matthew Ryan (L) racing through on goal only for John Norton in between the posts to make the save. Derek O’ Toole then came close a minute later with a left footed effort before Simon Kennedy sent Declan O’Toole through on goal with the newly married winger keeping his composure before putting the ball past Norton. Despite early dominance from Rearcross, Nenagh came dreadfully close only minutes later to getting an equalizer when Kevin Nevin’s delivery found Darren Daly who was inches away with a headed effort. The visitors threatened again in the 27th minute with a volleyed effort from Senan Stanley which skewed just wide before coming desperately close to bundling the ball over the line following a goalmouth scramble minutes later. With fifteen minutes to go in the first half Derek O’Toole slipped the ball to Kieran Devitt who will be disappointed not to have done better, however the Coonmore Cyclone made amends five minutes later when he struck a fine left footed effort to the roof of the net after good work by Liam O’ Toole on the wing. Nenagh Celtic pressed hard after this and Jim Caplis was forced to parry under pressure in the 42nd minute; the follow up effort blocked on the line and claims for a penalty from the visitors unheard. With seconds remaining until the half time whistle Rearcross took a three nil lead when Declan O’Toole took full advantage after getting behind the Nenagh custodian to finish to an empty net. The second half began at a high tempo and Nenagh had their tails up with Johnny Doyle going close with a low effort which whizzed just past Jim Caplis’ goal. In the 59th minute Robert Harrington got forward to lay off to Derek O’Toole who wasn’t far away, an effort closely followed up the other end by Joe Guerin whose header from a corner kick went barely over the Rearcross crossbar. Mark Hogan then forced John Norton to make a good one handed save with a long range effort from all of 40 yards before Declan O’Toole and Derek O’Toole combined with just over twenty minutes remaining – the resulting chance going a begging on this occasion. Nenagh Celtic didn’t throw in the towel, however, with Kevin Nevin drilling over in the 70th minute. Tommy Ryan (L) was quick in to the action for Rearcross with his low rocket from distance going agonizingly wide in the 73rd minute. With fifteen minutes to go the Nenagh side were thrown a lifeline when Keith Langton’s menacing corner kick saw Simon Kennedy leap highest under pressure to turn the ball in to his own net - one of the finest own goals scored in a Rearcross FC game for a long time. In the 80th minute Nenagh Celtic’s claims for a handball saw play waved on before Declan O’Toole was denied his hat-trick up the other end with a well struck effort that flew over with only minutes remaining. Three minutes into injury time saw Derek O’Toole pace through before blasting over, however it mattered little as Rearcross had done enough to secure maximum points.
Rearcross FC: Jim Caplis, Robert Harrington, Eamon Wade, Eamonn Devitt, Greg Kennedy, Declan O’ Toole, Matthew Ryan (L), Simon Kennedy, Liam O’ Toole, Kieran Devitt, Derek O’ Toole.
Subs: Mark Hogan for Matthew Ryan (L)(62nd minute), Tommy Ryan (L) for Liam O’ Toole (68th minute), Darren Quigley for Kieran Devitt (70th minute)
Subs Not Used: Eamon O'Toole
Nenagh Celtic 'B': John Norton, Robbie Carr, Keith Langton, David Walsh, Bobby McLoughlin, Johnny Carmody, Darren Daly, Shane O'Connell, Wayne Courtney, Senan Stanley, Kevin Nevin
Subs: Stevie Ryan for Wayne Courtney, Brian Kevin for Johnny Carmody
Subs Not Used: Shane Gibbons, Shane Maher, Cliff Moloney
Referee: Alec McCormack
Report compiled by Simon Kennedy