Homefit ACFL Division One
Rossa 1-11 – 2-08 Gort na Mona
Kevin Herron reports from Pairc Rossa
A late Dominic McEnhill free rescued a share of the spoils for Rossa this evening as they held Gort na Mona 1-11-2-08 at Pairc Rossa.
Darren Boyd had edged Gort na Mona in front late in the first half and despite Rossa making a solid opening to the second period, the hosts fell behind again when Neil Henry guided a low shot to the net inside the final quarter of an hour.
Rossa were determined to take something from the game and pinched a point thanks to a converted free from sharpshooter McEnhill.
Both sides were understrength going into the game just two days after their last respective league outings.
It was Rossa who got themselves ahead early on through a converted Conal McDonald free, but Niall Melaney levelled at the other end from the same scenario after Paul Close was adjudged to have illegally checked the run of Neil Henry.
The opening goal arrived a few minutes in, referee Colm McDonald spotted a foul high up the pitch away from the play and blew for a free that was quickly taken by Dominic McEnhill into the path of Sean-Pat Donnelly who picked his spot low in the net past Niall Mooney to draw first blood.
Gort na Mona responded with a point from Dermot McVeigh after a neat McHugh pass and McVeigh produced another outstanding score- before his evening came to a premature end through injury.
Michael McEnhill pulled a score back for Rossa from a converted free, though Brendan Burns burst down the pitch at pace and slotted the ball between the posts.
Rossa restored their two-point advantage with a point from Dominic McEnhill- flowing Sean-Pat Donnelly breaking the ball down to the full-forward.
The sides were score for score as Niall Melaney reduced the deficit to the bare minimum with his first point from play. Melaney took a pass off the shoulder from Sean Campbell and guided the ball high over the bar.
It looked as though the visitors would trail at the break, but a minute into injury-time a goal from Darren Boyd tilted the balance of proceedings.
Boyd shaped up for a splendid looking point which dropped towards the net and Paul McLaughlin was unable to keep it out as Gort led 1-05-1-03 at the break.
A foul on Jack McGurk afforded Dominic McEnhill the chance to close the gap early in the second period and he obliged.
McEnhill levelled proceedings with a score that had appeared to tail off wide at the end, but eventually it was decided a point was the end result and Rossa were on the up.
They got their noses back in front after Michael McEnhill picked out Liam Carr for a fine point and doubled it when Dominic McEnhill drew a foul and converted the resulting free.
McEnhill swung over his fourth point of the half following a good link-up with Sean-Pat Donnelly and after five scores on the bounce- Rossa were had a firm grip on the game.
Gort na Mona were scoreless until the 14th minute of the second period when Niall Melaney converted a free, they could have had a goal though – but Paul McLaughlin did well to parry a Poggy Cournane goal bound effort.
The visitors would regain the lead upon the game’s resumption after the water break. Darren Boyd fed the ball to Ciaran Donnelly on the overlap and Donnelly spotted Neil Henry in space with the midfielder steering his low effort to the net to make it 2-06-1-08.
Niall Melaney extended his sides after conjuring up his second point from play, though Liam Carr angled over a response to close the gap to a point once more.
Rossa restored parity a few minutes later when Dominic McEnhill had his run halted and younger sibling Michael was on-hand to convert the free.
Gort na Mona thought they had secured the points when Patrick Moyes was penalised for stopping Tommy McGreevy in his tracks and Niall Melaney curled over his third free of the evening.
But there was enough time to Rossa to salvage something after Sean-Pat Donnelly was felled and McEnhill converted to seal a point for his side.
Rossa: P McLaughlin, P Moyes, G McGrath, C McGowan, R Currie, P Close, C McDonald (0-01f), R Gowdy, R Murray, L Carr (0-02), SP Donnelly (1-00), M McEnhill (0-02f), M Close, D McEnhill (0-06, 0-03f), M McKiernan. Subs: J McGurk for R Currie (30), D Matthews for M Close (53), P McGreevy for M McKiernan (53), C O’Neill for P Close (53), C Savage for J McGurk (56).
Gort na Mona: N Mooney, D Cahill, M Savage, J Connolly, P Cournane, T Keenan, B Burns (0-01), C Donnelly, N Henry (1-00), P Mulvenna, D Boyd (1-00), T Morton, N Melaney (0-05, 0-03f), D McVeigh (0-02), S Campbell. Subs: T McGreevy for D McVeigh (12), S McStravick for T Morton (42).
Referee: Colm McDonald (St Galls)
