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Lethal Laird ruins Rashenny’s day
13.10.09
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Rashenny...0 Cockhill Youths...1 (Laird 81) by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent, at Trawbreaga Park DAVID Laird was the definition of an impact substitute at Trawbreaga Park on Sunday afternoon. The youngster came on in the 80th minute and scored the winner a minute later with his first touch. The goal settled a drab encounter that Cockhill Youths shaded in terms of possession but barely deserved to win. The decider came from a set play 30 yards out. With the Rashenny defence expecting shot, William O’Conner instead touched a square pass to Shane McDaid. His blast deflected into Seamus Gill’s path and in turn Gill’s strike bobbled to the back post to the unmarked Laird who side footed high over the dive of Damien Friel. |
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This match between two of
the favourites for the First Division crown was
characterised by fouls and flick ons, stout defending
and shoddy shooting. Although it was not a day for lovers of the beautiful game, there was plenty to admire for those who like a good blood and thunder battle. Referee Eddie Ivors certainly earned his corn. Alan Friel looked lively for the hosts early on, the attacker dropped deep to lose the attentions of his marker and played some decent ball in behind the Hoops rearguard. Still, it was Cockhill who controlled the midfield in the opening stages with Keiran McLaughlin and Shane McDaid seeing a lot of the ball. In the 10th minute McDaid released Eamon Porter in behind but Porter was just offside. On 18 minutes Shaun Porter was alert to the danger sliding in to cut out Alan Friel’s ball into the box ahead of a pair of sky-blue shirted forwards. Three minutes later Emlyn Doherty played a one-two with fullback Patrick Doherty and put Shane Collins in on goal only for Collins to screw his shot wide of the far post. Cockhill’s own attempts at balls over the top were off the mark. Perhaps some of them had been watching Andrea Pirlo orchestrate the Italian attack the night before and thought they might try the more extravagant ball. The visitors had a succession of corners in the first half but Liam Diver and co repelled all. |
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Aidan Porter tried his luck
from long range on the half hour, his drive was kicked
away by Friel, unorthodoxly. On 35 minutes, a long ball skimmed of William O’Connor’s head putting Darren Grant in on goal only for Shaun Porter to force the Rashenny forward to take a shot earlier than he would have liked. The result; a toe-poke into the side-netting. Indeed, it wasn’t just big Porter who was lively into the tackle, there was very little time on the ball for anyone in either colours. Honest endeavour was the order of the day. Just before halftime Aidan Porter crashed a perfect header off the bar and behind the Rashenny statuesque man. Unfortunately for Cockhill, the bar in question ran along the top of the new Rashenny dugout and the player in question was a hoody-wearing sub. The second half saw more of the same fare served up. With Cockhill able to call on the heavy artillery at set plays, they were always a threat from frees. At the start of the half Alan Friel pounced when Shane Galvin punched out a corner only to miscue from the edge of the ‘D’ then watch as his shot spun harmlessly wide. Grant then tested Galvin with a shot from the edge of the area after Alan Friel’s drive pin-balled his way off a hooped shirt, but the strike lacked the quality to beat the Cockhill goalie. It was a day to test the plastic of the shinpad, with meaty tackles going in as a matter of course. There were a number of potential flashpoints and a bout of push-me/pull-you broke out by the Cockhill bench early in the second half. Ivors becalmed the boisterous boys. In the 60th minute, with Collins running off him, space opened up for Grant to move into but his shot from 25 yards was always going wide. A few minutes later Collins, Grant and Friel combined on the break only for Michael O’Connor to snuff out the danger. The Youths defence looked solid all day. Rashenny faded as an attacking force the final quarter, unsurprising as a handful of their men had lined out for Urris against Carndonagh not 24 hours previous. If there was to be a goal now, surely it would fall to a man in green and white. And so it transpired, although in this matches first to score betting, surely no-one would have filled in the box beside the name of David Laird. Rashenny: Damien Friel, Owen McGonigle, Patrick Doherty, Shane Doherty, Liam Diver, Anthony Doherty, John Doherty, Emlyn Doherty, Shane Collins, Darren Grant, Alan Friel. Subs: Danny McGonigle for O. McGonigle (65), John Grant for J. Doherty (77). Cockhill Youths: Shane Galvin, William O’Connor, Michael O’Conner, Martin Donaghey, Shaun Porter, Kieran McLaughlin, Martin Bradley, Shane McDaid, Seamus Gill, Eamon Porter, Aidan Porter. Subs: Michael Gallagher for S. Porter (44), David Laird for Bradley (80), Michael Doherty for A. Porter (90). For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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