Tombrack take place in top tier
PENALTIES were certainly Tombrack’s friend on Sunday as they came out on top in the Premier Division relegation/promotion play-off at Ferrycarrig Park.
First James ‘Bob’ Newe netted a 92nd minute spot-kick to force extra-time and then they expertly tucked away three penalties in the shoot-out, with Rosslare Rangers off target with all of theirs, failing to even force a save from substitute goalkeeper Eoghain Murphy.
The dream of playing top-flight football next season looked to be slipping away from Tombrack when they trailed to a 34th minute Gearoid Byrne goal as the clock ticked past the 90-minute mark.
However, they were offered a lifeline when Rosslare Rangers were penalised for a handball in the area, and up stepped Newe to rifle the ball beyond Stephen Cogley. It was no less than the north county side deserved as they had pressed forward incessantly in search of the equaliser after the interval.
Rangers were marginally the better side early on, with Conor O’Reilly arrowing a volley off target and Aaron Kehoe fizzing an effort wide after collecting a pass from Gearoid Byrne.
It was Tombrack’s turn to attack on the half hour mark, with Eoin Carton seeing his shot saved after the ball broke kindly for him, and Thomas Hayden’s follow-up effort was blocked on the line.
However, on 33 Rosslare Rangers made the breakthrough.
Aaron Kehoe whipped in a delicious delivery from the right wing and Gearoid Byrne took it in his stride and sweetly diverted the cross to the net.
Tombrack came close to delivering the perfect response, when James Coleman got his head on the end of a Richie O’Hara cross but goalkeeper Stephen Cogley was equal to it.
In the 38th minute Aaron Kehoe forced a fine save out of netminder Paul Darcy when he curled a free-kick around the wall, with the shot-stopper injuring himself in the process of tipping the ball around the post, with Eoghain Murphy coming in as a replacement.
Tombrack pressed hard for the equaliser after the interval, but clear-cut chances were few and far between, although Eoin Carton did try his luck on 51 minutes, but his shot was blocked.
With Tombrack starting to build up a head of steam substitute Mick Kelly threatened to make an instant impact when heading Brian Hayden’s delivery on target, but it was comfortably gathered by goalkeeper Cogley.
Rangers came agonisingly close to grabbing the insurance goal on 72 minutes though when Aaron Kehoe ran out to a beautiful left-wing cross from Paul Culleton, but substitute goalkeeper Murphy did brilliantly to divert the closerange effort out for a corner.
Richie O’Hara and Darragh Hendrick failed to test the goalkeeper with a couple of half-chances as Tombrack continued to exert pressure on the Rosslare defence, but they were gifted a gilt-edged opportunity to draw level when Rangers gave away a penalty.
James ‘Bob’ Newe blasted the spot-kick into the roof of the net, and with extra-time failing to produce a winner it was left to penalties, with Kevin Coleman, Rory Newe and James Coleman all successful from 12 yards.
Tombrack’s journey to the top tier of Wexford football has taken 22 years, winning Division 4A, 4 and 3A titles along the way as they climbed through the ranks.