Rearcross 'A' on wrong end of 4-3 scoreline in Shinrone

Rearcross made the long journey to Shinrone for what was a must win for both sides to keep any hopes of staying in the title race. It was the away side who settled early on and despite the heavy pitch and were moving the ball well through the lines. It was 1st blood to the visitors when a freekick was swung into the box from  Paddy Dawson and Rob Harrington got between the ball and defender to allow it to run onto James Deegan who made no mistake finishing to the bottom corner of the net. The away side had chances to make it 2 nil the best falling to Greg Kennedy when a corner from Paddy Dawson went to the back post but Greg's header went wide. The last 15 minutes of the half saw the home side dominate proceedings and Cathal Kennedy was called into action on 2 separate occasions pulling off brilliant saves from both Riann Mcloughlin and Paul Lake. With 5 minutes remaining the home side got a deserved equaliser when Paul Lake found himself one on one with the Cathal and he held his composure by rounding the keeper and finishing to an empty net. Rea thought they had taken the lead just on the stroke of halftime when Paddy Dawson swung a cross into the box where Rob Harrington initial shot was saved, Greg Kennedy finished the rebound to the net but it was ruled out for offside.
The start of the 2nd half it was an even affair with both sides creating half chances. The home side would take the lead on the 60th minute. Riann Mcloughlin spun his marker inside the box and crossed in for Derek Mcloughlin to finish to the net with his 1st touch of the game. Rea hit back straight away when good work down the right wing saw Darragh Carr cross the ball into the box where the keeper parried the ball out to Eoghan Kavanagh who finished low to the net. At this stage the match was end to end and the next goal was going to be crucial. It went the way of the home side and it was roles reversed from the 2nd goal. Derek Mcloughlin split the Rea defence with a through ball and Riann Mcloughlin took the ball past the onrushing Cathal Kennedy and finished from a tight angle. To their credit Rea didn't die down and nearly plundered an equaliser from the kick off. Darragh Carr crossed in from the right but Eoghan Kavanagh didn’t quite get the connection he would have liked and ball went straight into the keepers’ hands. With Rea pushing hard for the equaliser Shinrone hit them on the break to kill the game off with DJ Mcloughlin finishing past Cathal Kennedy. Rea pulled a goal back with the last kick of the game. Good work on the right from Conor Nolan saw him lay the ball off to Darragh Carr who crossed for Brian Nolan and with his 1st touch controlled the ball and he volleyed to the corner of the net.

Shinrone United: J Ryan, C O’Sullivan, K McEvoy, M Cordial (Capt), R Dempsey, S Kelly, K Fallon, P Cleary, R Ely McLoughlin, P Lake, C Cleary
Subs: D McLoughlin, D McLoughlin, D Maher-Bevans

Rearcross ‘A’: Cathal Kennedy (Capt), Stephen Rochford, Brian Nolan, Robert Harrington, Greg Kennedy, Conor Nolan, Patrick Dawson, Paul Nolan, James Deegan, Michael O’Gorman, Cillian Kennedy
Subs: Darragh Carr, Eoghan Kavanagh, Oisín Reynolds

Referee: Robbie Nevin

Report by Robert Harrington
Photos courtesy of Gary Culbert
Videos courtesy of Paul Carey

James Deegan edges Rearcross with a prodded finish to the corner of net

The Slieve Felim side are denied a two goal lead when Greg Kennedy's finish was disallowed for off-side

Rearcross peg it back level when Eoghan Kavanagh netted from a Darragh Carr cross

Brian Nolan brought it back to the minimum following good play by Conor Nolan and Darragh Carr