Share of spoils for Rearcross ‘A’ against  Holycross FC

Rearcross welcomed Holycross in their 3rd league game of the campaign. It would prove to be a very entertaining game. Rea were quickest out of the blocks and started the game very well. Paddy Deegan’s stinging volley testing the Holycross keeper following a quick one two with James Deegan. It was Holycross who took the lead against the run of play when Stephen Flanagan slipped the ball through to Phillip Fogarty and despite Cathal Kennedy being quick off his line, the player kept his composure to finish to the corner of the net. With their tails up now Holycross went close to making it 2 nil five minutes later when Stephen Quinlan beat his marker and cut the ball back to the edge of the area to Stephen Flanagan whose strike clipped the top of the bar and went over. Rea drew level 10 minutes before the break when the ball fell to James Deegan outside the box and despite being surrounded by defenders, he managed to get a yard of space and unleashed a rasper of a shot which flew into the corner of the net giving the keeper no chance.
Rea dominated the opening 20 minutes of the 2nd half and had numerous chances to take the lead. The best of these efforts was when James Deegan picked up the ball outside the box and beat his marker but his low strike hit the bottom of the post and bounced out. Rearcross were made to pay for their missed chances though in the 70th minute when a kick out went all the way through to Tomas Ryan who finished to the net. Rea responded immediately when an in-swinging corner from Daragh O Siochrú fell at the feet of James Deegan and he made no mistake finishing to the net. With 5 minutes remaining Rea were awarded a penalty and Greg Kennedy made no mistake with the resulting spot kick which looked to have sealed all 3 points for the home side. However, with a couple of minutes remaining Holycross would get the equaliser. A free kick from the right was swung into the back post and despite Cathal Kennedy producing a brilliant save from the initial header, Michael King was quickest to react to stab home the rebound. A frustrating end to the night for Rea but credit to Holycross who kept battling until the final whistle.

Rearcross ‘A’: Cathal Kennedy, Callum Wallace, Stephen Rochford, Philip Deegan (Capt), Greg Kennedy, Paul Nolan, Patrick Deegan, Conor Nolan, Patrick Dawson, Daragh O’Siochrú, James Deegan
Subs: Michael Feehan, Cillian Kennedy, Brian Nolan, Kieran Devitt, Robert Harrington

Holycross FC: J O’Dwyer, J King, M King, M Nally, C O’Connor, K Denny, J Dwan, P Fogarty, S Flanagan, T Ryan, S Quinlan
Subs: C Hevey J Ryan, S Comerford, J King, D Manning, B Hennessy, C Murphy

Referee: TP Sullivan

Report by Robert Harrington