O’Neill’s late point ends Rossa’s unbeaten run

All County Football League – Division 2

Rossa 0-16 Tir na nÓg 1-14

A point from a Ciaran O’Neill free four minutes into added time ended Rossa’s unbeaten run in Division 2 of the All County Football League this season and gave visitors Tir na nÓg a morale boosting victory. The Randalstown men were on top for a lagre part of the game against a somewhat understrength Rossa side, but when the Belfast men hit five points on the trop in the last ten minutes to draw level you felt it would be them who would come out on top. They did have a chance when Colm Fleming won possession in the right corner but excellent work by Tir na nÓg full back Niall Cassidy snuffed out the danger and when the ball was cleared down to the other end the home side conceded a free which O’Neill slotted over to clinch victory.

***My ball! Rossa’s Cormac McGettigan grabs a high ball as he and Ciran O’Neill battle for possession.***

Two early Tir an nÓg points from Darragh Fagan sounded an early warning to the visitors but thing appeared to be going to plan for the Belfast men when Colm Fleming (2), Dominic McEnhill and Tommy Morgan hit back with points to move two ahead. Ciaran Dobbin and Barry McCormick sent over points to bring the Randalstown men level and even though Padraig McGreevey and Fleming came back with two for Rossa the visitors hit a strong spell which saw Jack O’Mahoney and Ciaran O’Neill add points and Ciaran Dobbin grab a vital goal which helped his team to a 1-6 to 0-7 lead at half time.

Playing ‘up the slope’ and into a fresh breeze in the second half Rossa faced a tough task to get back into the game but an early Colm Fleming point must have them felling they could do it ok. However when Tir na nÓg came back with three points in two minutes through Christy Sheerin, Daragh Fagan and Barry McCormick the home side’s task looked a lot harder than they had initially thought.

***Eamon Og McAllister gets past Rossa’s Cricky McGuinness to score a point with his first touch of the ball after being introduced as a second half substitute.***

Points from a Colm Fleming free and one from play by Sean Pat Donnelly brought Rossa right back into contention, but when the visitors hit three of the next four points to open a five point lead by the 50^th minute they appeared to be home and dry. However Rossa never panicked and slowly but surely they dragged themselves back into contention as Gerard Walsh, Tommy Morgan, Colm Fleming and Sean Pat Donnelly picked off points to close the game to the minimum. When Fleming hit his eight point of the game to level matters on the stroke of full time it looked like they had done enough to maintain their unbeaten league record, but the Whitehill men finished strongly. Christy Sheerin and Eamon Og McAllister squandered chances of hitting the winner in added time but when they were awarded a free about thirty metres out on 64 minutes Ciaran O’Neill stepped up and curled over the winner.

ROSSA: Michael Byrne, Michael McGreevey, Gerard Walsh, Niall Crossan, Sean Finch, Cricky McGuinness, Padraig McGreevy, Eoghan McMenamin, Colm Fleming, Cormac McGettigan, Sean Pat Donnelly, Conal McDonald, Dominic McEnhill, Thomas Morgan, Donal Armstrong.

Rossa scorers: C. Fleming (0.8- 6 frees), D. McEnhill (0.1), T. Morgan (0.2), P. McGreevy (0.1), SP Donnelly (0.3- 1 free), G. Walsh (0.1)

TIR NA NÓG: 1. SP. McAtamney 2. C. Logan 3. N. Cassidy 4. P. Cullen 5. A. McNeilly 6. D. McCormick 7. C. McKeown 8. C. Duffin 9. C. Sheerin 10. C. O’Neill 11. D. Fagan 12. B. McCormick 13. C. Dobbin 14. K. Sheerin 15. J. O’Mahoney 17. E. Óg McAllister 18. D. O’Kane 19. D. Mallon 20. M. Duffin 21. K. Kerr

Subs used: E. Óg McAllister for D. Fagan (48mins)

Scorers: D. Fagan (0.3- 2 frees), C. Dobbin (1.2), B. McCormick (0.2), J. O’Mahoney (0.1), C. O’Neill (0.3- 1 free), C. Sheerin (0.1), D. McCormick (0.1), E. Óg McAllister (0.1)

Referee – Mark O’Neill (Glen Rovers, Armoy)