Fixtures & Results 2012 - ACFL Div 1

McNeill’s injury time penalty kick bags both points for St.Mary’s

With five minutes remaining on the clock the two sides had pulled level for the second time and everyone at Shaws Road assumed the points would be shared. However, Rossa’s superb second half substitute Donal Armstrong split the posts from a brilliant free out on the wing to give the home side full advantage. As the clock ticked into injury time Rasharkin looked to be running out of time and luck, but match referee Danny O’Neill pointed to the penalty spot following a foot block inside the square. Eamon McNeill teed up his second penalty as players and supporters held their breath, the ice cool forward stepped up and fired the ball passed the helpless Kevin McParland on the Rossa line for the second time to ensure both league points would be coming back to Dreen.

The league points from this game were always going to be crucial as both these sides along with Ahoghill would be most pundits’ contenders for the trap door come October. Neither side had collected any return from their previous outings so far, as the pressure of Division One survival already hung over both managers. Former Antrim Chief and true gent Brian White was pulling the strings as Rossa boss with the West Belfast side retuning to top flight after a few years of absence. Former Omagh man Dominic Kelly was leading the south west outfit who are enjoying their second season at the premium level.

Match Referee and Eire Og club man Danny O’Neill carried out official duties before proceedings started, St.Mary’s skipper Paul Doherty won the first toss and elected to avail of wind advantage in the first period playing away from the pavilion end. However, the visitors lost the second toss and were obliged to reverse their playing strip due to the definite clash of colours.  

Rasharkin’s Benny Hasson collected possession right from the throw in and offloaded onto Decky McKay who cracked over the first score of the contest after just thirty seconds. Rossa’s response was swift when Sean Fleming shot for a score forty yards out tailed to the left only to be collected by full forward Terry McGrath on the touch line. McGrath skilfully rounded his man and found himself bearing down on goal, he gave St.Mary’s keeper Donal McLernon no chance when he nestled the ball into the back of the net much to the delight of the home support after two minutes. Stephen Beattie pointed a free a minute later for the home side before Colm Fleming sent Rossa on their way with a four point lead following a great effort from fifty yards.

Eamon McNeill sliced over two pointed frees to cut the deficit to two midway through the half. The home side made all the running in the second quarter and cruised into a six point lead following four unanswered points from Colm Fleming, Gerard Armstrong and two from the boot of Matt Devlin. The visitors regained some composure and finished the half with a blitz, Johnny McAleese clipped over with thirty minutes on the clock, Paul Doherty added another before corner forward Eamonn O’Boyle reduced arrears to three. The outstanding Paul Doherty scored the point of the match in the third minute of added time, the big midfielder caught possession, broke through several challenges and fired over a screamer from the outside of his right boot to send the teams in at half time Rossa 1-6 Rasharkin 0-7.

Adjustments were made by both camps during the half time interval; most notable was the introduction of Donal Armstrong to the centre of the Rossa attack. Johnny McAleese made it a one point game when he cleverly chipped over inside the first minute. Armstrong announced his arrival when he slotted back to back points after two and four minutes to open up a three point cushion. The pendulum then swung towards St.Mary’s when Eamon McNeill was hauled to the floor inside the square as he carved his way goal ward. The pacey full forward dusted himself off to fire home the penalty beyond Rossa keeper Kevin McParland and pull the side’s level.

Rasharkin now had their tails up and further points from Philip Quinn, an impressive converted forty five spot kick from Johnny McAleese and pointed free from McNeill found the visitors three points to the good midway through the half. The Shaws Road outfit rose to the challenge and began the fight back, Donal Armstrong fired over two more back to back, the second a peach from a very tight angle. Colm Fleming obliged from a thirty yard free to tie the fixture for the second time with five minutes remaining and a draw was on the cards. Armstrong took his return to five points following a remarkable set piece, but more importantly send his side into a one point lead.

Drama was to unfold in the closing stages of this tie as Rasharkin desperately seeked possession to level matters. Benny Hasson sent in a high ball to the Rossa square which pinged about like a pinball machine. Following a goal mouth scramble Danny O’Neill was left with no option but point to the penalty spot after Stephen Beattie used a foot block on a shot by Johnny McAleese on the stroke of full time. McNeill had no doubt as to who was taking the vital kick, he could have played it safe and chipped over to secure a point but he elected to claim both when he dispatched a rasper to the roof of the Rossa net. Final score Rasharkin 2-11 Rossa 1-12.

Kevin McDonald, Ciaran Quirk, Sean Finch, Paul Close, brothers Stephen and Paul Beattie, Colm Fleming and second half substitute Donal Armstrong were the pick of Rossa. Rasharkin can feel proud of the efforts from Sean Hasson, Peader McMullan, Mark Hasson, Thomas Doherty, Paul Doherty, Benny Hasson, Philip Quinn and Johnny McAleese with Eamon McNeill collecting Man of the Match with a personal tally of 2-3.

St.Mary’s Rasharkin: Donal McLernon, Mark Hasson, Sean Hasson, Dominic McFerran, Peader McMullan, Thomas Doherty, Conor Hasson, Paul Doherty (Capt) 0-2 and Benny Hasson, Declan McKay 0-1, Johnny McAleese 0-3, Philip Quinn 0-1, Eamonn O’Boyle 0-1, Eamon McNeill 2-3 and Connor Gribben.

Subs: Ryan Doherty and Charlie Cowan

O’Donovan Rossa: Kevin McParland, Kevin McDonald, Ciaran Enright, Paul Cushnahan, Ciaran Quirk, Sean Finch, Ciaran Grego, Gerard Armstrong 0-1 and Paul Close (Capt), Stephen Beattie 0-1, Colm Fleming 0-3, Terry McGrath 1-0, Matt Devlin 0-2, Paul Beattie and Bill Kelly

Subs: Donal Armstrong 0-5, Dermot McAvoy and Pearce Funicane

Referee: Danny O’Neill ( Eire Og)