ACHL Division 1
O’Donovan Rossa v Loughgiel Shamrocks May 5th, 2024
Rossa 5-15 Loughgiel 2-17
On a day when marathon fever descended on a bustling Belfast city, an on form Rossa side would make Loughgiel run their own marathon in Pairc Rossa as the Shamrocks tried to shake off a depleted squad hit by injury and other engagements.
Although Loughgiel would strike into the heart of Rossa’s goal mouth within seconds of referee Mark O’Neill rolling in the sliotar, Declan McClosky’s high dropping ball would be securely caught by Rossa’s keeper, Conor Rocks but it would be quickly turned around after the puck out, and McCloskey’s second attempt would find the ball net over the bar.
On an overcast day with hardly any breeze, no side would enjoy an advantage from the elements but as Loughgiel inched their way up the scoreboard with a free from Declan McCloskey and two points from Jack McCloskey and Tiago McGarry, Rossa would pull them back with a matching free from Pearce Short and two points in play from Thomas Morgan and Eoin Trainor.
Loughgiel went through a patch of sending the sliotar wide of the mark as they aimed towards the clubhouse end, and had they have been on target, they would have neutralised Rossa’s goal from Trainor as he found the space to deliver a piercing shot from close range.
As the scores stood, Rossa 1-04 Loughgiel 0-04, both sides would settle and trade points in a spell that would see Loughgiel’s Conor O’Mullan take a hard fall to the shoulder area twenty minutes into the game, resulting in a substitution.
Rossa continued to press forward and when Thomas Morgan scooped up the sliotar out wide of the 13 metre line, he managed to cut back towards the goalmouth and sensing the closing shape of Loughgiel’s Caolan Blair, drop kicked the sliotar into the net for a half time scoreline Rossa 2.08 Loughgiel 0-08.
As the second half got underway, Rossa’s Morgan collected a high ball in the Shamrock’s half back line and wasted no time in finding McMenamin who fired past keeper McFadden into the back of the net for first of his back-to-back goals of the game.
Rossa’s Eoghan McMenamin found himself breaking through the Shamrock’s defence after collecting a low pass up onto the stick and had enough space to take a full swing on the sliotar that would find Loughgiel’s net for goal number four. Loughgiel started to mobilise in Rossa’s half and would amass 6 points from a series of careless frees, much to the vocal annoyance of Rossa’s management.
Rossa though would keep their score ticking along with points from Diarmaid Rogan until Eoin Trainor found the underside of Loughgiel’s cross bar and the awkward ricochet left McFadden with no chance, securing Rossa’s fifth and final goal of the game.
In the latter stages of the game, Loughgiel had by now worked out how to penetrate Rossa’s defence and goals from Odhran McFadden and Finn Henry closed the gap but with a three-goal difference as the clock ticked down into injury time, Rossa had the buffer to enjoy a home win in front of a delighted group of supporters in Pairc Rossa. At the final whistle, O’Donovan Rossa would enjoy a 5-15 score to Loughgiel’s 2-17.
O’Donovan Rossa – Starting panel
Conor Rocks, Oisin McVicker, Ciarán Orchin, (0-01) Niall Crossan, Declan McCartney (0-01), Christopher McGuinness, Ben McAuley, Cónall Shannon, Diarmaid Rogan (0-03), Pearce Short (0-01, 1f), Thomas Morgan (1-03), Dara Rocks, Eoghan McMenamin (2-0), Eoin Trainor (2-01), Michael Armstrong (0-04)
Loughgiel Shamrocks – Starting panel
Cormac McFadden, Tiernan Coyle, Caolán Blair, Pearce Patterson, Seamus Dobbin, Declan McCloskey (0-01, 5f), Ruairi McCormick, Tiago McGarry (0-02), Donal McKinley (0-01), Odhran McFadden (1-01), Cahal Hargan (0-02), Conor O’Mullan, Eoin McGarry (3f), Maol Connelly, Jack McCloskey (0-01)
Finn Henry (1-01)
