ACL 1
LATE GOAL DELIGHT FOR REDS
Saval 0-10 Rostrevor 1-10
With five minutes left in Fridays Division One game in saval, Rostrevor fans would have settled for a draw. Their team had been playing with fourteen men since the 26th minute of the first hald, when midfielder Conor Magee had “seen red”, and their priority at this late stage seemed to be more about retention of possession than mounting any wild threat on the Saval goal.
BIG GUNS
The score was still 0-10 each, and that would have done Rostrevor for at this stage, Saval had their county forwards Daniel Hughes and Stephen Kearney both in the action. But Colm Clerkin had been hitting the ball sweetly all evening, and when the ball eventually came to him out on the right hand touchline, he decided to launch it goalwards. The Saval defence, perhaps lulled by the slow-slow-quick tempo of the Rostrevor approach were caught nodding and the ever-eager Joe Fegan swooped at the far post to knock the ball to the Saval net!
WORTHY
Of course, now that they were in front, Reds decided that they probably were worth a win after all, and held out with discipline for a three point victory, despite a flurry of excitement when Danny Hughes attempted to take a quick free on the 14 yard line and was the matched slid into tempoarary chaos when he was baulked in his ambition.
Reds were probably right. They did deserve to win this game. They certainly were much the better team when the sides were matched at fifteen apiece.Their high-energy short=passing game had pushed them 0-4 to 0-1 up after fifteen minutes, three of the poits from Colm Clerkin frees and one from play by ryan watt. And they stayed 0-5 to 0-3 clear following an exchange of frees between Colm Clerkin and Stephen Sands. The chief Saval danger, however, was being posed by Paul Faloon, whose opening point for Saval might well have ended in the net, and who went on to play a major role in Savals late fight back. He scored a great point from play and, when Colm Murney burst through to restore Reds three point advantage, it was he who became embroiled with Conor Magee in the incident which led to the Rostrevor mans dismissal, adding to the ire of the visiting support when he rose from his ordeal to shoot immediately another fine point which left Saval only 0-5 to 0-6 behind at the interval.
BLEAK
It looked bleak for Rostrevor. Niall Devlin had been causing problems when he came in as sub in the first half and he placed another sub, Ruairi Digney for the equalising point in the first minute of the second period. But Rostrevor did not roll over. They sorted out the problems being caused by Jonathan Hughes as extra man, and Jarlath Farrell moved across to snuff out the danger from the speedy Faloon. Two points from Colm Clerkin matched two from Paddy Donnelly and Niall Devlin and the scores were still level at 0-8 each after 40 minutes. Then Rostrevor moved up a gear to go 0-10 to 0-8 in front with two more Clerkin freesand that set up a fascinating final quarter. The game seemed to be tipping in Savals direction again when, first, Niall Devlin sent a shot searing over the bar from a narrow angle and then Danny Hughes kicked the leveller in the 54th minute. With the excellent Shaun Parr now limping out of the action, Reds seemed to have lost their main play-maker, but fortune favoured the brave when that late pounce by Joe Fegan gave them a lead to defend over the final five hectic minutes.
PLEASED
Gerry Quinn may have had mixed feelings on his return to his native Saval, but he certainly can be pleased with the way his side stiffened in the face of adversity. Jarlath Farrell and Shaun Parr were immense in the Rostrevor defence, and Brian Cole continued his recent outstanding form when he moved to midfield after Conor Magees departure. Conor Mackin and Joe Fegan were ceaselessly active in a lively attack but Reds main threat was provided by Colm Clerkin, who not only shot eight points but also provided the cross for that winning goal. Saval will feel that this was a game they should have won. OK, they couldn’t include Danny Hughes and Stephen Kearney in their starting fifteen but two of their better players on the day also came off the bench, Niall Devlin and Ruairi Digney. Otherwise they were slightly disappointing with best performances coming from Paul Faloon [in the first half] and Jonathan Hughes all through.
Saval scorers; Niall Devlin [0-3]; Paul Faloon [0-3]; Stephen Sands [0-1] 1 free; Ruairi Digney [0-1]; Paddy Donnelly [0-1]; Daniel Hughes [0-1]
Rostrevor scorers; Colm Clerkin [0-8] 8 frees; Joe Fegan [1-0]; Ryan Watt [0-1]; Colm Murney [0-1]
Saval team; Peter Murphy; Declan McCarthy, Darren Cunningham. Donal Murphy; Gavin Quinn, Cathal Donnelly, Jonathan Hughes; Peter Turley, Colm Turley; Jarlath McCarthy, Paddy Donnelly, Ronan Digney; Fergal McConville, Stephen Sands, Paul Faloon.
Subs used; Ruairi Digney; Niall Devlin; Daniel Hughes; Stephen Kearney.
Rostrevor team; Christopher McCartan; Aidan Cousins, Niall Farrell, Jarlath Farrell; Turlough Murphy, Shaun Parr, Kevin McGrath; Colm Murney, Conor Magee; Brian Cole, Conor Mackin, John Fegan; Ryan Watt, Colm Clerkin, Joe Fegan.
Subs used; Dermot Mackin; Paul Magee
Man of the Match: Jarlath Farrell [Rostrevor]