Village come through fiery encounter in Leinster club
‘Yeboah’ strike earns Village a crack at St Vincents
RATHNEW 2-06 NEWTOWN BLUES 0-09
MARK DOYLE was the hero of the hour when he got his fist to the ball and hit the back of the net in the 62nd minute to send the Rathnew faithful into delirium. He kicked a free a moment later to add a little icing on the cake.
It didn’t look like that would be the case when Newtown Blues led by four points to one at half-time after a dominant half of football.
The game was short on quality, the first point from play came on the stroke of half-time, but high on tension. A number of rows erupted during the first half including one before the ball was even thrown in. Ross O’Brien and Colm Judge engaged in a bit of shouldering and then it got a bit more serious with players from both sides coming together and temperatures rose sharply.
A few minutes into the match an even bigger row started near the side line involving most of the players on the field and caused substitutes and team mentors to jump over the guard rail to offer their assistance. Opposing supporters in the stand came together too, though that thankfully didn’t escalate into any more but ensured the clubs won’t be sending each other Christmas cards.
As Harry Murphy said afterwards, while he never asks his players to back down, the rows didn’t help his team one bit.
Rathnew didn’t play well at all in the first half and were particularly bad in the first 20 minutes. They looked like they were first time champions overawed by the occasion of getting to the Leinster championship. Passes went everywhere except to the player intended, including hand passes travelling only a few yards. James Stafford and Theo Smith were being overrun in midfield which gave Newtown Blues the chance to launch attacks.
They were fortunate that the Louth champions left their shooting boots at home, they kicked two points and five wides by the time Mark Doyle converted his first free in the 23rd minute. Ross Nally kicked all of their first half points and they led by four points to one at half-time, though they should have been further ahead.
The second half was a lot different. Before half-time Leighton Glynn moved out around the middle of the field and Rathnew got a foothold in that sector and in the second half they evened out the Newtown Blues midfield pairing. James Stafford grew into the game and won some excellent kick-outs though he didn’t dominate by any stretch, Andy McDonnell and John Kermode still had fine games.
They had a wonderful start to the second half that brought them straight back into the match. They almost scored a goal when Jody Merrigan’s free caused commotion around the square before Stafford won a kick out and went long. Merrigan won the ball and fed it to Mark Doyle for a goal. Having played terribly for 30 minutes Rathnew were level.
Newtown Blues responded well though and kicked two points to retake the lead, both a result of winning kick outs. The second was a beautifully simplistic. Andy McDonnell won a mark and kicked long to midfield partner John Ker- mode in space who split the posts.
If that was a good response by Newtown Blues Rathnew went one better. Jamie Snell had a goal chance blocked off the line and Merrigan converted the 45. Three minutes later Eddie Doyle equalised from a free when Mark Doyle was fouled and then Ross O’Brien kicked Rathnew into the lead from 40 metres. There were 44 minutes on the clock and Rathnew led 1-04 to six points.
Merrigan tagged on another from play but Rathnew wouldn’t score again for 12 minutes, during which time Ross Nally scored three points to retake the lead. Rathnew had a couple of goal chances in that time, Merrigan was blocked on the line while substitute High McGinn intercepted a pass intended for Nicky Mernagh who had a clear path towards goal. The interception resulted in Nally’s second point.
Nally’s third point came as the clock ticked past 60 minutes and without the added time being announced the kick out was crucial. Who do you think won it? Go on, guess.
Of course it was Stafford. The Newtown Blues team funnelled back, all but Ross Nally back within their own 45.
Rathnew pushed up but were patient with the likes of Nicky Mernagh and Graham Merrigan, both of whom had excellent second halves, waiting to find the right pass.
The ball eventually got to Theo Smith in a shooting position whose shot landed in the square. On hand was Mark Doyle to flick the ball into the net.
He kicked a free a moment later when Stafford was fouled and Rathnew repelled a last ditch Newtown Blues attack to cap off a remarkable comeback.
Scorers – Rathnew: Mark Doyle (2f) 2-02; Jody Merrigan (1 45) 0-02; Eddie Doyle (f), Ross O’Brien 0-01 each.
Newtown Blues: Ross Nally (4f) 0-07; John Kermode, Robert Carr 0-01 each.