Maximum points for Rearcross U-14 Boys in 11 goal thriller

Rearcross U-14’s welcomed Lough Derg B to Rearcross FC Grounds on Thursday for their first home game of the season played under lights. Rearcross started the brightest and a Jonathan Dawson effort on 2 minutes was just wide of the mark. Rearcross didn't have to wait much longer for the opener when a brilliant Patrick Carr pass found Cathal Hickey who dispatched to the back of the Lough Derg net. Jonathan Dawson kept the pressure on and forced the visiting custodian to save at the expense of a corner kick, Stephen Ryan got on the end of the resulting delivery to head to the back of the net. Rearcross made it 3-0 after Jonathan Dawson’s corner kick was whipped into the danger area only to be diverted into the goals by a luckless Lough Derg player. Rearcross were flying at this stage as Jonathon Dawson made it 4 nil with a brilliant effort from outside the box. Cathal Hickey bagged his second of the half with a smart finish to the net after the Lough Derg keeper made a fine save from a Jonathan Dawson strike. Rearcross kept the pressure on and Ryan Quigley was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet with an effort that was just wide on 20 minutes. Lough Derg upped the ante in the final 10 minutes of the half as Sean Gibbons reduced the deficit in the 25^th minute and then Oisin O’Brien got in on the action with a well worked goal to leave it 5-2 at the half time break.
The visitors were on the front foot at the start of the second half and were awarded a penalty after 5 minutes, which was converted by Alfie Mills. The game was in the melting pot after this as Edvin Pauliunas got on the scoresheet with a neat finish to make it 5-4. The Rea boys had to dig deep after this and a splendid cross from out on the right by Jonathan Dawson went whizzing across the box as Cathal Hickey was a split second away from completing his hat-trick. The home side gave themselves some breathing space on 56 minutes after Jack Hickey set Jonathan Dawson through on goal who made no mistake with the deftest of finishes to the back of net. Mikolaj Jugowiec was causing the Rearcross rearguard trouble during this period and a threatening attack forced a foul on the edge of the box. Darragh Reynolds in goals got a strong right hand on the free kick to deflect the ball on to the crossbar, however it was Danann Morgan who reacted quickest to knock the ball home to leave the minimum between the sides.  The Ballina/Killaloe outfit came strong in the final moments but Darragh Reynolds stood tall with some fine goalkeeping to leave Rearcross with back-to-back wins.

Rearcross U-14 Boys: Darragh Reynolds, Jack Hickey, James Costello, Stephen Ryan, Matthew Ryan, Micheal Collins, Ciaran McLoughlin, Patrick Carr, Jonathan Dawson, Cathal Hickey, Ryan Quigley
Subs: Conor McInerney, Sean Guidera, Liam O’Dwyer, Paudie Clifford, Leon Wallace (All Used)

Lough Derg: A Kerin, L Green, P Mooney, A Mills, F Coonan-Murphy, L McKeogh, M Jugowiec, O O’Brien, D Morgan, S Gibbons, J O’Connor
Subs: M Lynch, J Reil, J Nelson, E Pauliunas,

Referee: Rory Kennedy

Report by Shane Reynolds