ACFL: Loughinisland 0-12 Rostrevor 0-11
By Colm Fitzpatrick
ACL 1: GIBNEY
SAVES BLUES
Loughinisland 0-12 Rostrevor 0-11
An acrobatic penalty
save by Loughinisland goalkeeper, John
Gibney, turned out to be the difference
between victory and defeat for Bundy
Masons men in McCartan Park on Monday
evening. Gibney’s golden moment
came early in the second half, when
Brian Cole knocked a Conor Daly free
back across the goalmouth, and Alan
Molloy had to foul the ball on the ground
to forestall a major score for Reds.
Shaun Parrs penalty was beautifully
placed just inside Gibney’s left
hand upright, but the Island keeper
guessed correctly and flung himself
full length across the goal to parry
the shot! A goal at that stage, with
Rostrevor trailing 0-5 to 0-9, would
have provided the visitors with the
ideal early platform from which to go
on and dominate the second half, but
, instead, it was not until the final
ten minutes that Rostrevor got to build
that platform, and eventually they just
ran out of time, with Loughinisland
clinging on desperately at the finish.
ON TOP
Rostrevor will feel they ought to have
taken something from this game, and
they certainly were the better team
in the second half; but over the hour,
Blues looked superior for more of the
time than their visitors and just about
deserved their win.
They were particularly good in the first
half, when early ball to a lively full
forward line of Ben O’Reilly,
Mark Valentine was reaping dividends.
Blues were 0-5 to 0-1 up by the end
of the opening fifteen minutes. Two
of those had come from the impish Ben
O’Reilly. Another was scored by
the impressive Mark Valentine. Midfielders
Dan Gordon and Ryan Stranney had contributed
the other two.
Reds, despite the promise of a fine
early point from Patrick McGreevey were
finding the road to goal barred comprehensively
by the totally dominant Alan Molloy.
They did raise their work-rate in the
second quarter, however, and were rewarded
by two points from Eamon McConville
and Colm Clerkin, soon followed by one
by enterprising young midfielder, Shaun
Parr. But the amount of work which Rostrevor
had to put into those scores was in
contrast to the ease with which Loughinisland
were picking off points at the far end,
and Ryan Stranney[2] and Seamus O’Hare[1]
punished them from frees to leave the
home team a comfortable 0-8 tp 0-4 up
at the break.
SPICED
Reds spiced up their attack with the
inclusion of martin Doran and Brian
Cole at the start of the second half,
but this was balanced by Brendan Masons
introduction of Joe Doran into the heart
of his defence. So that, even though
Reds were winning more possession now,
there seemed no easy way back into this
game for them, especially after John
Gibney foiled Shaun Parrs penalty effort
in the 34th minute. Frees from Ryan
Stranney and Seamus O’H are matched
third quarter pointsfrom Lloyd Parr
and Jarlath Austin and when Jamie O’reilly
outpaced the Reds defence to increase
their lead to five points in the 48th
minute, it looked really bleak for the
visitors, who must have been further
discouraged Seamus O’hares immediate
reply to Lloyd Parrs free a minute later.
RALLY
But Reds did dig out a compelling rally
over the final ten minutes. Jarlath
Austin and Shaun parr were playing tremendous
football at midfield, and the game was
set alight by two marvellous points
direct from line balls by Conor daly.
Two Lloyd Parr frees then left only
a point between the sides after 58 minutes
and the visitors almost got the score
they were looking for in the final minute
when Shaun Parr worked his way through
a packed Loughinisland defence only
to shoot wide under pressure.
TOO LATE
Reds had found their urgency too late
in the game, however, and overall, Brendan
Mason can be pleased with his sides
shape and application, though any satisfaction
with the result must be set against
the disappointment of losing Ben O’Reilly
to a red card in the closing minutes.
Alan Molloy had a great first half,
though he was more seriously tested
by Brian Cole’s ability in the
air after the interval. Conor O’Toole
also shone in defence while Ryan Stranney
had a useful game around midfield. Up
front, there was much to admire in the
pace of Jamie O’Reilly, and the
liveliness of all three full forwards.
GENUINE
Colm Murney continues to develop into
a genuine prospect in the middle of
the Rostrevor defence, and Eamon McConville
also showed well. The narrow pitch suited
a player of Jarlath Austin’s vast
experience down to the ground, and he
came out on top in his duel with Dan
Gordon. The best of the four midfielders,
however, was Shaun Parr, so comfortable
and constructive in possession. Up front,
both Patrick McGreevey and Conor Mackin
got through a lot of work in the first
half, while Brian Cole definitely made
a difference in the second. The key
attacking contribution, however, was
made by Conor Daly’s two majestic
sideline kicks in the 53rd and 54th
minutes. They left the visitors with
a very achievable target over the final
six minutes, but it was one they were
unable to attain.
Loughinisland scorers; Ryan Stranney
[0-4] 4 frees; Seamus O’Hare [0-3]
3 frees; Ben O’Reilly [0-2] 1
free; Dan Gordon [0-1]; Mark Valentine
[0-1]; Jamie O’Reilly [0-1].
Rostrevor scorers;
Lloyd Parr [0-4] 4 frees; Conor Daly
[0-2] 2 sideline frees; Patrick McGreevey
[0-1]; Eamon McConville, Colm Clerkin;
Shaun Parr [0-1]; Jarlath Austin [0-1]
Loughinisland team; John Gibney ; Ryan
Carville, Conor O’Toole, Alan
Molloy; Gareth Doran, John McCarthy,
Aaron Mulholland; Dan Gordon, Jamie
O’Reilly, Seamus O’Hare;
Ben O’Reilly, Mark Valentine,
John Turley;
Subs used; Joe Doran;
Cormac O’Toole; Jimmy McClements
Rostrevor team; Padraig Mulholland;
Eddie Magee, Gary Farrell, Jarlath Farrell;
Eamon McConville, Colm Murney, Tulough
Murphy; Jarlath Austin, Shaun Parr;
Conor Mackin, Conor Daly, Sean Farrell;
Lloyd Parr, Patrick McGreevey, Colm
Clerkin.
Subs used; Martin Doran; Brian Cole;
Kevin McGrath; Dermot Mackin.
Referee; Gavin Corrigan
