ACFL DIvision One
Rossa 2-18-1-19 Con Magees
Kevin Herron reports from Pairc Rossa
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MICK BYRNE kicked a two-pointed score in the final action of the game to ensure his side survived surrendering a 15-point lead in their 2-18-1-19 win over Con Magees at Pairc Rossa on Sunday afternoon.
Conditions played crucial role in each half with Rossa running up a 2-15-0-3 lead at the interval, but Con Magee’s closed the gap and were course for victory with two minutes remaining until Bryne saved the day and ensured the hosts would snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Rossa played with a gale force wind in the opening half and made their advantage count. In the third minute a kick-out from Jude Scullion was charged down by Eoin Fleming, his high shot towards goal was pushed down by Scullion, but he was helpless as Dara Rocks turned the loose ball to the net.
The hosts landed four two-pointed scores within the first quarter of an hour, all coming from different scorers as Michael McEnhill, Gerard Walsh, Mick Byrne and Rory Grant all shot over from range.
Between times, goalscorer Rocks added a point and Rian Lennon got Con Magees off the mark.
Glenravel stemmed the tide for a short period and back-to-back scores from an Aidan O’Donnell free and a David Higgins point from play made it 1-9-0-3.
Rory Grant ended a scoreless period of almost 10-minutes for his side and Mick Byrne quickly added a further point.
A high Eoghan McMenamin shot dropped between the posts and in first half injury time Rossa grabbed their second goal of the half.
An angled Stephen Beattie shot was spilled by Scullion and despite having a bit of work to do, Eoin Fleming found the net to give his side a 2-12-0-3 lead at the interval.
A change of direction saw the pendulum swing in the game, Glenravel wasted little time in cutting the deficit with Colla Ward and Rian Lennon kicking early points.
In the 35th minute a low Shea O’Brion shot squeezed beneath the grasp of Mick Byrne and into the net as the visitors’ comeback trail was gathering pace.
A two-pointed Aidan O’Donnell free was the first of six-two pointers from Con Magees in the half, and despite quickfire points from Eoin Fleming and Ruairi McDonagh in response the momentum was very much with Glenravel.
Callum Higgins’ confident two-pointed attempt dropped over and Shea O’Brion converted a close range free within 60-seconds.
O’Brion kicked a two-pointed free with a quarter of an hour remaining, as a 15-point deficit was whittled to five (2-14-1-12).
A further two two-pointers in the space of two minutes had the bare minimum separating the sides.
Eoin Hynds landed a magnificent effort from play and Rian Lennon then conjured up his first two-pointed score of the afternoon.
Con Magee’s had completed the comeback by the 57th minute. Callum Higgins shot from inside the arc came back off the large post, Rossa failed to clear their lines and a tired Higgins was able to point at the second time of asking to draw the sides level at 2-14-1-17.
They almost forged ahead but for Mick Byrne to divert a low shot behind for a 45’ that was worked short by Higgins and culminated in Eoin Hynds kicking his second two-pointer to the roar of the raucous support from Glenravel.
Mick Byrne’s afternoon appeared to have ended when he went down in agony on half way, but battled through the pain barrier and would be the hero for his side.
Having already kicked a two-pointer in the opening half, Byrne was scoreless in the second until he hobbled forward and kicked a free from outside the arc to level in the 60th minute.
Both sides had their chances to claim victory in a frantic six-added minutes and it was Byrne who snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with the final action of the game.
His angled attempt from outside the arc dropped over the bar to save his sides blushes after their 15-point lead disappeared eight minutes previous.
ROSSA: M Byrne (0-7, 1×0-2pt, 2×0-2ptf), N Crossan, D McCartney, F McDonald, P Byrne, S Beatte, T Murphy, E McMenamin (0-1), G Walsh (1x-02pt), M McEnhill (1×0-2pt), E Fleming (1-1), R Grant (0-3, 1×0-2pt), C Walsh, R McDonagh (0-1), D Rocks (1-1). SUBS: M McKernan for R McDonagh (58).
CON MAGEES: J Scullion. C Corey, E McCusker, C Henry, L McQuillan, N Swann. R Lennon (0-4, 1×0-2pt), C Higgins (0-3, 1×0-2pt), D Higgins (0-1), C Ward (0-1), E Hynds (2×0-2pt), J Martin, A O’Donnell (0-3f, 1×0-2ptf), S O’Brion (1-3, 0-3f, 1×0-2ptf), D Traynor. SUBS: C McKeown for J Martin (37), S McAuley for L McQuillan (52).
REFEREE: Fiontann McCotter (SARSFIELDS)
