Away defeat for Youths combo in Portroe

The Rearcross / Clodiagh Youths team were defeated 4 - 1 away by a strong Arra Rovers team. On a blustery afternoon, we fielded a very strong team despite being without 3 of the previous week’s starting line-up due to injury and availability. We started really well and in the 5th minute Larry Collins found James Butler with a great through ball and Butler made no mistake with a powerful finish. After that the fleetfooted Taylor Light and Liam Challen were combining really well and creating chances down the right. We dominated possession for 15mins with both Max Carroll and James Butler going close. Arra were defending really well and were growing into the game and showed their cutting edge in the 24th min with a great effort, brilliantly saved by the ever-brave Jack Brett. Arra were now getting on top and creating many chances and it took great defending from Micheal Quinlan and Leo Ryan to keep them at bay. In the 34th minute Arra got their breakthrough and it came from a direct route. A long ball over the top got caught in the swirling wind and fell nicely for the on-rushing striker who buried it in the corner of the net, giving keeper Brett no chance. The game was end to end for the rest of the half with Paddy Ryan's great effort blocked out for a corner. HT 1 – 1.
We started the 2nd half and Arra were out of the block really quickly and piled on the pressure. They got their reward in the 49th min after a perfect cross from the left was met with a textbook volley at the back post for a net busting goal. The Arra pressure continued and the Rearcross / Clodiagh backline had to defend ball after ball with Luke Carroll really standing out, the pressure finally told in the 58th min and after mix up Arra were 3 - 1 up. We then dug in and were not going down without a fight and in the 63rd minute we won an attacking freekick near the left of the box after one of Cathal Ryan’s many mazy dribbles down the left wing. Paddy Ryan took the free and the Rearcross man shaved the crossbar with a great effort. We now had 2 Paddy Ryans and they were battling really well against the strong well drilled Arra defence. On 74 mins the 2 Paddy's combined really well to bring a great double save for the Arra keeper with Cathal Ryan hitting the post with the follow up from a tight angle. On 78min Arra were awarded a penalty after a mistimed tackle in the box by Micheal Quinlan who also received a 2nd yellow card for the incident. Arra expertly dispatched the penalty to make it 4 - 1 on 79 mins. Rian Treacy dropped back and defended bravely for the last 10 mins to keep Arra at bay. The tigerish Paddy Kennedy returning from a lengthy layoff was a real highlight, with a great 2nd half performance.

Arra Rovers: J O’Dwyer, L Power, J Quinn, H Hunt, D O’Dwyer, D Maloney, M O’Mahony, D Gamble, D O’Donoghue, C O’Gorman, T Boland
Subs: C Ryan, A Kyne, P Ryan, O O’Driscoll, J Manning

Clodiagh Rangers / Rearcross Youths: Jack Brett, Luke Carroll, Leo Ryan, Michael Quinlan, Liam Challen, Taylor Light, Larry Collins, Max Carroll, Cathal Ryan, James Butler, Patrick Ryan (Rearcross)
Subs: Rian Treacy, Patrick Kennedy, Patrick Ryan (Upperchurch)

Referee: TP Sullivan

Report by Sean Purcell