Both teams started off slowly with a few wides a piece and a nice battle around the middle 3rd of the pitch. Cushendall knocked over the 1st 2 points from play through Conrad McDonnell and Mark Donaghy. Rossa responded with a goal and 2 points to push them in front after 10 minutes. Conrad McDonnell then tied the game with a beauty of a goal and Eoin Laverty added a neat point and the ‘Dall were in front.
Rossa then knocked over the next 3 points, with 2 coming from play, but points from play from Eoin Laverty and Dominic Delargy tied the game again. Rossa went 2 in front after a brace of 65’s went over the ‘Dall bar in a row, Eoin Laverty knocked over a point to leave the minimum in the game and on the stroke of half time that man Laverty scored a goal from a full 70 yards from the dead ball to leave the half time score:
Ruairi Og 2-06 Rossa 1-07
Cushendall came out firing on all cylinders at the start of the 2nd half and points from Eoin Laverty from a free, David Kearney and Andy Delargy from play and a goal from Cormac McClafferty on his debut pushed the ‘Dall in front by 8. Rossa responded with 3 neat points, but that was only temporary respite as a succession of scores from Dominic Delargy 0-3, and points from Eoin Laverty, Andy Delargy, Conrad McDonnell and Mark Donaghy pushed the ‘Dall further in front. Rossa knocked over another point but Ruairi Og rattled over 3 more points by Paul Monaghan, Ciaran Kearney and Conrad McDonnell to leave the full time score: Ruairi Og 3-20 Rossa 1-11
How they played
The 1st half was very poor for Ruairi Og’s Reserves today. They didn’t really get going and were lucky to be in front at half time. The 2nd half was a complete reversal and looked more like we are accustomed to seeing from the Reserves. Eoin Gillan was assured in goals and in front of him Paddy Burke was the pick off the defenders. David Kearney and Cormac McAlister put in a pile of work in the middle and up top all the forwards put in a good shift but for me man of the match goes to Eoin Laverty. He scored 1-5 and had a hand in most other scores today.
Team
1. E Gillan 2. E McManus 3. S McNaughton 4. S McKillop 5. S Walsh 6. P Burke 7. Eamon Laverty 8. D Kearney (0-1) 9. C McAlister 10. M Donaghy (0-2) 11. J McManus 12. C McDonnell (1-3) 13. P Monaghan (0-1) D Delargy (0-4) 15. E Laverty (1-5)
Subs: C Kearney (0-1), C McClafferty (1-1), A Delargy (0-2)
Report by: Chris Dornan
Report by: Chris Dornan