Lennon inspires lethargic Rock
SUBSTITUTE Garry Lennon was the catalyst for this laboured win by Rock to advance to the fourth round of the Leinster Junior Cup at a wet and very windy Sandy Lane on Friday night.
The Seasiders failed to capitalise on a litany of scoring opportunities, including a rare miss from the penalty spot by Kevin McArdle to find themselves trailing by a goal at the break.
By then Skerries were reduced to ten players following a straight red card offence late in the half, but while they continued to monopolise possession with the aid of the elements Rock struggled to translate it into something tangible on the scoresheet.
However, Dessie McKeown put them level mid way through the half when he eluded the Skerries defence to nod home a corner kick from close range.
McArdle had to come off injured and this paved the way for Lennon to shape victory for the home side, with fellow substitute Paudie Hearty, who replaced Mark McGeown also playing a valuable part.
Lennon demonstrated to his side how to make proper use of possession, barely wasting a pass, and crucially played Hearty in who availed of faulty handling on the slippy surface by the Skerries substitute goalkeeper as he chased into the box and gathered the loose ball to tap it into the empty to put Rock ahead within ten minutes of equalising.
Lennon then played the decisive ball in a multiple pass move started at the back, worked down the wing and along the outside of the opposition 18 yard box to release McKeown and he calmly slotted the insurance goal past the Skerries goalkeeper.
John Rogers who was largely idle pulled off a crucial save as Skerries player got free inside the home box to the left of goal and shot for the goalkeeper to push it away to the far side and the danger was cleared.
Lennon went close to scoring himself, and put McKeown in the clear with a great opportunity to complete his hat-trick but fluffed it with only the goalkeeper to beat inside the box. ROCK: John Rogers, Gareth Papworth, Paddy Reilly, Stefan McKevitt, Aidan Sheekey, Paddy O’Connor, Mark McGeown (Paudie Hearty), Kevin McArdle (Garry Lennon) Fearghal McDonald, David Ward (Jack Miller), Dessie McKeown.