Newfoundwell need Devine intervention
ROCK CELTIC NEWFOUNDWELL 1 2
A brace of goals by Ian Devine early in the second half preserved the order and secured the result that was expected from this tie at a frosty Sandy Lane on Friday night that ended with Rock having two players sent-off in the closing 15 minutes.
The Drogheda side were strongly tipped to land the premier title after going so close the last two seasons, but are lagging behind in games played with their involvement in outside competitions, which, if they win them would put them right up there as contenders.
Rock on the other hand are striving to make an instant return to the top flight and are right on the tails of the leaders with two games in hand that could bring them level on points.
The Seasiders started brightly and Danny Kerr on his return to their colours made an instant impact, putting Celtic ahead with a brilliant individual goal. He took off on a run from half way and finished it with a glorious left foot shot to the net.
An upset was now a prospect although Newfoundwell controlled most of the play, and Paddy O’Boyle struck the Rock crossbar and Stephen Murphy hit a post.
But Rock was fairly comfortable only to pay the price for two loose pieces of play. The first shortly in the second half when David Ward put his defence in trouble with a sloppy pass and Ian Device equalised.
Then home goalkeeper Shane McCoy who was not unduly troubled was slow to get down to a shot at the foot of his post, He pushed it out along the end line and followed the ball out and rashly dived at the feet of a Newfoundwell player to bring him down.
Devine took on the responsibility of taking the penalty, and he confidently struck it to one side and the Rock goalkeeper dived the other way.
Newfoundwell without extending themselves or making any clear-cut openings held control of the play, with Rock only spasmodically getting out of their own half.
Their hopes then were dashed of salvaging the tie when first centre-half Conor Rafferty had a red card flashed at him after picking up a second yellow card.
Teammate Paul Gore also followed him, also as a result of a second bookable offence. ROCK: Shane McCoy, Liam McDonnell, Oran Duffy, Shane O’Callaghan, Connor Rafferty, Paddy Reilly, Paul Gore, Danny Kerr (Kizito Kurume), Aidan Curtin, David Ward, Des McKeown.
NEWFOUNDWELL: Ronan Brown, Daryl McDonagh, Paddy O’Boyle, Ryan Connor, Stephen Murphy, Dean Carolan, Brian Kermode, Cormac Reid, Craig O’Connor, Ian Devine, Adam O’Connor. Subs Alan Murphy, Jordan Duffy, Kenny Hurley, Danny Gartland, Adam Brady, Ross Reid, Kevin Bull.