Understrength Rearcross Youths lose out in Portroe

An understrength Rearcross Youths team travelled to Portroe on Saturday afternoon for this league fixture against Arra Rovers and were luckless not to take something from the encounter. The opening exchanges were evenly contested, but it was the hosts that went ahead on 16 minutes with a well taken goal. Rearcross counter attacked and Mel Sheridan had the ball in the Arra net two minutes later, however the effort was disallowed for offside. The visitors remained on the offensive and were rewarded in the 26th minute when Max Carroll latched on to a Brian Hammersley kick out before getting behind the Arra defence to finish neatly between the posts. The Rea boys were denied five minutes before the break when Taylor Light crossed to Mel Sheridan, however Arra Rovers custodian Keith O’Donoghue made the block. The home side had a chance to increase the tally on 42 minutes, however the chance flew wide.
Rearcross keeper Brian Hammersley came to the rescue 13 minutes in to the second half with a superb save. The game was in the melting pot at that stage and the opposing custodian not to be outdone made successive saves from Padraig Griffin and Patrick Ryan. The Slieve Felim side were misfortunate to fall behind for a second time when the ball finished in the net following a vicious deflection with 66 minutes on the clock. Full credit to a Rearcross side that didn’t give up and Calum Wallace was denied when a smashing strike from all of 30 yards thumped off the crossbar. Rearcross finished on a flurry in the final ten minutes with good efforts from Taylor Light, Patrick Ryan and Calum Wallace, however Keith O’Donoghue in the Arra goals was on form with a trio of saves to secure the win for the home side. Rearcross deserved at least a share of the spoils, but will re-group for their next game.

Arra Rovers: K O’Donoghue, C Gorman, J Quinn, M Madden, J O’Dwyer, P Ryan, M O’Mahony, C Grace, L Power, D Maloney, D O’Donoghue
Subs: T Howard, D O’Dwyer, D O’Driscoll

Rearcross Youths: Brian Hammersley, Patrick Kennedy, Liam Crump, Calum Wallace, Jack Brett, Luke Carroll, Max Carroll, Patrick Ryan, Padraig Griffin, Mel Sheridan, Taylor Light.
Sub: Nicholas Dawson for Jack Brett

Referee: John Hayes