Swilly and Cockhill share spoils
02.07.09
Cockhill Celtic...1
(Mclaughlin 26)
Swilly Rovers...1
(Gibson 90)
Report: Inishowen
Independent
A GOAL in the last minute from full-back Ronan Gibson
secured a share of the spoils for Swilly Rovers against
Cockhill on Sunday, but had it not been for a string of
fine saves from goalkeeper John Roulstone, the Ramelton
men would surely have gone home empty handed.
Indeed even after the late equaliser Roulstone was
forced into another fine save, but he was down smartly
to his right to save Garbhan Friel’s well-struck shot
and leave Cockhill frustrated that they had failed to
take their chances.
The home side playing into a strong breeze in the first
half looked comfortable on the ball while Swilly’s main
threat seemed to come whenever they managed to get
left-back Barry McNamee free down the flank to deliver
crosses. |
However the visitors did
not pose the same kind of threat in front of Stephen
Conroy’s goal as Friel and Gerry Gill were proving to be
at the other end.
Friel forced Roulstone into a comfortable save in the
5th minute and four minutes later the two strikers
combined before Gill fired a shot across the face of the
Swilly goal.
Swilly responded with a free just past the post from
Keith Cowan but the visitors were finally broken down in
the 26th minute when Friel and Gill combined again
before Gill delivered a low cross that William
McLaughlin tucked away at the back post.
On balance of play it was a deserved lead, but Swilly
might have got back on level terms in the 31st minute
when Dermot Diver fired in a fierce drive that Conory
saved well with his legs.
The big Culdaff man was just one of several physically
big players in the visiting ranks and they always looked
as if they could cause problems for the home defence
from set plays.
However they could well have gone further behind had
Roulstone not saved well again from Gill and |
 |
Friel before Swilly finally
began to press again before the break.
They might even have gone in level at half time
following a magnificent ball in from McNamee but Keith
Cowan, stealing at the back post directed his header
into the side netting.
The second half though started pretty much as the first
had gone with Cockhill on the attack and it took a
strong right handed save from Roulstone to deny Gerry
Gill Cockhill’s second less than a minute after the
re-start.
The Swilly keeper did well to close William McLaughlin
down in the 54th minute too as he fired wide following
good work by Gill while Swilly’s best effort at a
response was a long range strike from Kieran Harte that
Conroy gathered with some ease.
At the other end Derek Doherty was next to try from
distance for Cockhill, but once again Roulstone reacted
well to push his shot around the post for a corner.
He was on hand again in the 79th minute to save from
Gill while at the other end Columba O’Donnell might have
nicked an equaliser for Swilly in the 80th minute but
steered his header wide of the post.
At that stage it looked as if the home side, despite
squandering so many good chances, would hold on for all
three points, but Swilly who battled well throughout
knew they were always in with a chance as long as they
were only one goal behind.
A long free from Roulstone in the last minute wasn’t
cleared by the Cockhill defence and when the ball fell
to Gibson he lifted it over Conroy and into the top of
the net to level the game.
Friel might have silenced the Swilly celebrations thirty
seconds later, but Roulstone denied him with another
great stop to earn a point for his side and leave
Cockhill pondering on two that they’d let slip away.
Cockhill: Stephen Conroy, Jarlath Herrity, George
Porter, Oisin McColgan, John McElroy, James Bradley,
Derek Doherty, Barry McColgan, Gerry Gill, Garbhan Friel,
William McLaughlin.
Swilly Rovers: John Roulstone, Ronan Gibson,
Barry McNamee, Martin Boyce, Columba O’Donnell, Paul
Fisher, Kieran Harte, Keith Cowan, Dermott Diver,
Laurence Toland, Leonard Boyce: Subs: Damien Friel for
Toland (40 mins) Aidan Toland for Fisher (74 mins).
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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