A last minute point
from Sean Paul Smyth could well prove
to be the score which keeps An Riocht
in the first division.
The score came when the game had gone
into injury time and when Loughinisland
had come from five points down to level
and seemed certain to get the draw which
their efforts had deserved.
An Riocht had looked the more purposeful
side in the opening minutes but twice
attacks broke down when good interceptions
by Dan Gordon set up counter attacks
which yielded a point from Mark Valentine.
Gary Mason lining out at corner forward
for Loughinisland was off target from
free kicks as the Blues missed chances
to go further ahead.
Points from Gary Cunningham and Smyth
put the Mourne side in front at the
end of the opening quarter before Mason
found the range to point two frees and
only a good save from Brendan McVeigh
denied Gary Gordon a goal. The save
inspired An Riocht to lift their game
and in the second quarter midfielders
Paul Murney and Paul Colgan took control
against Gordon and Molloy.
An Riocht were the better side in the
second quarter and went in front with
points from John Clarke and Smyth. Two
minutes before the break full forward
Brian Sloan got on the end of a good
move to finish a pass from Damian Cunningham
to the net to leave the half time score
- An Riocht 1-05 Loughinisland 0-04.
Gary Mason, who had closed the first
half scoring a point, was on target
again within a minute of the restart
when he pointed a 45 to leave only three
points between the sides. Scoring chances
were few and far between as the second
half progressed and with ten minutes
remaining. An Riocht had gone five in
front leading 1-08 to 0-06.
Gary Gordon was now partnering Molloy
at midfield and this partnership had
turned the game back in favour of Stephen
Molloy’s side. Five unanswered points
(three from Gary Mason) had the scores
level and the game had gone into injury
time when Smyth won possession from
a kick-out to stab over the all important
winner.
A performance like this at the start
of the season would have had Loughinisland
manager Stephen Molloy feeling very
satisfied but at this stage of the season
he knows that results are more important
than performances. Now having lost the
opening game of the three series round
robin he knows that his team must now
win against Downpatrick and Warrenpoint
if they are to survive.
TEAMS An Riocht: Brendan McVeigh, Joe
McVeigh, Liam McVeigh Declan O’Reilly,
Jim Clarke, John Lavery, Conor Annett,
Paul Murney, Paul Colgan, Gary Cunningham
0-01, John Clarke 0-02, SP Smyth 0-03,
Damian Cunningham 0-03, Brian Sloan
1-00, Ciaran McVeigh.
Loughinisland: Sean Carville, John Russell,
Brendan Ward, Paddy Magorrian, Darren
O’Neill, Joe Doran Conor O’Toole, Dan
Gordon, Alan Molloy, Aaron McKeown 0-01,
Gary Gordon, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ciaran
Fitzpatrick, Mark Valentine 0-01, Gary
Mason 0-08.
Referee L Morgan.
(Report taken from
Down Democrat Web SIte)
