FASTNET STAY ALIVE
Rovers remain in hunt for honours
FASTNET ROVERS kept their hopes of taking the Wexford and District Schoolboys Soccer League Division 2 title alive with a hard-earned victory over a plucky Caim United side in Rathangan on Saturday.
On a fantastic morning for a game, both sides put in a committed hour of play and the points could easily have gone to either team. Both looked to get the ball on the deck and pass it around, and there were some fantastic team moves at both ends of the field.
Arguably Jack Kelly, between the sticks for the hosts, was the difference. While United had to rely on an array of talented outfield players to take turns in goal, Rovers were able to stick Kelly in there and he was magnificent.
That quality was evident as early as the fourth minute, when James Lawless sprinted away and brought a fine save out of the Fastnet ‘keeper. At the other end livewire Justin McMahon went close twice in a minute, on the second occasion after great work in midfield by Bobby Reville.
Caim were beginning to look a little more dangerous, and had already seen a goal disallowed for offside, when they were even more unfortunate.
Lawless picked out Seán Murphy on the edge of the area and his shot arrowed towards the corner, flicked off Kelly’s glove and went through a hole in the net.
Well positioned but slightly unsighted, with bodies between him and goal, referee Lar Doyle wasn’t sure and gave a corner which eventually came to nothing. To add insult to injury, McMahon raced away in the 24th minute and fired through the net at the other end to open the scoring.
On the stroke of half-time the home side made it two, and Ben White was provider this time. His cross from the right fell to David McDonagh who was able to scoop over substitute goalkeeper Dylan Purcell to the net.
If 2-0 was harsh on the visitors at the break, three was downright painful five minutes after the re-start. Paudie Power played McMahon away from the Caim defence on the counter-attack, and he shot across the goal to the bottom corner.
After just being denied by a fine Jack Kelly save moments earlier, Pádraig Waters picked up a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area and riffled to the net to pull one back.
After a period of pressing, it was well and truly game-on when the same man turned inside the area and calmly fired home to make it 3-2.
As quick as a flash Fastnet broke straight from tip-off and White clinched the win with a classy finish. Caim did battle away, with Lawless and Waters both testing Kelly, but Rovers were not to be denied the points.
Fastnet Rovers: Jack Kelly; Jack Martin, Paudie Power, Adam Duggan; Ben White, Cian Walsh, Eoin Browne; Justin McMahon, Bobby Reville (capt.). Subs. (rolling) - David McDonagh, Chrostopher Ennis, Max Redmond.
Caim United: Pádraig Waters; Seán O’Leary, Dylan Purcell, Joey Earle; Seán Murphy, Seán Nicholson, Calum Murphy; Will O’Sullivan, James Lawless (capt.).
Referee: Lar Doyle.