Rearcross 'A' 0 - Nenagh AFC 'A' 6
(Photos included at end of report
)
“If you can't go back to your mother's womb, you'd better learn to be a good fighter.” Anchee Min
A thinly resourced Rearcross 'A' squad succumbed to a heavy home defeat against table toppers Nenagh AFC in a game played last Saturday evening under lights. Although missing a number of regulars the home side got off to a fine start and were holding their opponents at bay until a seemingly innocuous 25 yard free kick by Ryan Gilmartin somehow found its way into the net in the ninth minute. Rearcross fought their way back into the game after this with a Mark Hogan free kick effort in the 16th minute and an 18th minute cross by Simon Kennedy which was almost received by the onrushing James Deegan. Luck was not to be for the home side however as Nenagh went two up shortly after when a foul was adjudged to have taken place inside the box with Mark McKenna duly stepping up to slot home. Rearcross shoved on again after this goal but were hit with a killer blow right on the stroke of half time when Bryan McGee finished off a good move for the visitors to leave it three nil to all but kill the game. The second half was only ten minutes old when lady luck once again failed to shine on Rearcross when Davy O’ Toole, after doing remarkably well to track back a distance of forty yards, slammed home to the corner of his own net though it must be noted that the athletic auditor was far from being at fault on this occasion. Darragh Kennedy, a late addition to the squad and one of the stars of the future for sure, then made his competitive Rearcross A debut in style when he came on with thirty minutes remaining and stole the show with some dashing runs and terrific trickery down the right wing. Indeed it was Kennedy’s cross to Kieran Devitt which almost secured the home side’s only goal of the game, alas it was not to be. Although Rearcross did not deserve to win this game it could be argued that the scoreline itself was not a fair reflection of the game owing to the unlucky nature of the manner in which most of the goals were conceded, a fact compounded by an event with fifteen minutes remaining on the clock when yet another own goal was scored, Eamon Wade the unfortunate party on this occasion. With six minutes left on the clock Nenagh put the icing on the cake with a goal by Roy Creagh to send the table toppers home in a jovial mood as they enter the Christmas period. Rearcross, on the other hand, will now have to regroup, train hard, stay away from the mince pies and fight for their lives as the season progresses into what is becoming a relegation dogfight for the boys in green and white. Well done to James Deegan and Darragh Kennedy who stood in on the day and more than held their own in the heat of the battle.
The Club would like to acknowledge and thank Rody & Ann Kennedy and family for their sponsorship of a new Kit for Rearcross 'A'.
Rearcross 'A': Jim Caplis (Capt.), Matthew Ryan (L), Eamon Wade, Eamon Devitt, Robert Harrington, James Deegan, Diarmuid Sheehy, Simon Kennedy, Mark Hogan, Davy O’ Toole, Kieran Devitt
Subs: Darragh Kennedy for James Deegan (62 minutes)
Nenagh AFC 'A': Robbie Ryan, William Collins, Derek McKenna, Cathal Coonan, Mark Cahill, Mark McKenna, Bryan McGee, Jerome Ashman, Arthur Mitchell, Michael Hogan, Ryan Gilmartin
Subs Used: Thomas Sheppard, Alan Sheehan, Roy Creagh,
Subs Not Used:
Paul Kelly, Ben Banaghan, Danny Butler.
Referee: Eoghan O'Shea
Report compiled by Simon Kennedy
Kit Presentation to Rearcross ‘A’
Back Row (L to R): Diarmuid Sheehy, Rody Kennedy(Sponsor), Jim Caplis
Front Row (L to R): Simon Kennedy, Eamonn Devitt
Back Row (L to R): Eamonn Devitt, Diarmuid Sheehy, Davy O'Toole, Eamonn Wade, Matthew Ryan Luke, Robert Harrington, Rody Kennedy
Front Row (L to R): Mark Hogan, Darragh Kennedy, James Deegan, Jim Caplis, Kieran Devitt, Simon Kennedy