Achill Rovers 0-2 Crossmolina

Crossmolina had "Stars in Their Eyes" on Thursday night as they ground out a magnificent 2-0 victory in Achill to revive their wavering promotion challenge. On Thursday night Matthew, Crossmolina were Italy and they performed that well-known favourite "Catanneccio" much to the approval of their support and management. Boosted by an early second half goal Crossmolina shut up shop for the remainder of the game and while their defence wasn’t as impregnable as the Italians it was effective enough to keep a clean sheet and pull off a heist of the points for the second year running in Achill. The game was played in difficult weather with a glaring sun blinding the goalkeepers and a fierce Atlantic wind blowing across the field making passing a lottery. Crossmolina began the better with numerous through-balls beating the Achill defence only to be called back for offside by the keen eye of referee Mick Walsh. The power and pace of Michael Moyles and Derek Greham up front was a constant irritant to the Achill back four who didn’t help themselves by trying to play their way out of defence most of the time, a tactic they would live to regret. Moyles took advantage of this after 20 mins when he charged down a defender’s pass and raced through on goal only to shoot wide. Soon after he was involved again when Greham outpaced the Rovers defence down the right wing and crossed into the box where John Duggan missed the ball altogether and Moyles, probably surprised, lifted the ball over the bar from 10 yards out. Achill regained their composure and created some gilt-edged opportunities as their incisive passing sliced open a makeshift Crossmolina rearguard. They had a half chance from a corner on the right which reached the back post where the Rovers player could only shoot into the side netting from a tight angle. Later, an Achill player cut in from the left wing and with the goal at his mercy he pulled his shot across the goalmouth and wide. Another move emanating from midfield proceeded unchallenged into the box with some nice passing and again with a goal looking certain the Rovers player seemed to hesitate long enough for John McGuinness to recover and make a tackle. This was the last action of an open and entertaining first half which both sides could be happy with and reasonably expect more results from their endeavour in the latter half. Unfortunately for Achill the pattern of the second half was to be decided after 4 minutes when a terrible, yet predictable, defensive error led to the first Crossmolina goal. A harmless Michael Canavan clearance was controlled by the Achill centre back with no apparent danger until he was put under pressure by the irrepressible Greham on the edge of his box. He panicked and his clearance ricocheted off Greham and over the stranded keeper into an empty goal, giving Greham 3 goals in 3 games. Amazingly, straight from the restart Crossmolina had a chance to finish the game off. Greham darted past the Achill defence and in a one-on-one with the keeper he shot high and over the bar. But for the bizarre goal Crossmolina would have had to try to play football into an awkward wind but now all that was demanded of them was a stout defensive performance and they immediately retreated en masse to defend their precious lead. They adopted a 4-5-1 formation and resorted to clearing the ball upfield as far as possible at every opportunity. This reduced the game to a catalogue of throw-ins, mainly on the Achill left wing due to the direction of the wind, and it made for grim viewing for any neutrals or Achill people. But, like Italy, Crossmolina weren’t there to gain friends, just points. Unlike their Italian counterparts, however, the Crossmolina "bolt" wasn’t fully shut and as can be expected at this level with 40 minutes of incessant pressure Achill created some great goal scoring chances. The first came from a 60th minute right wing cross to the back post where the foot of McGuinness emerged from a melee to clear the ball to safety only 2 yards out from an open goal. Goalkeeper O’Hora pounced on another loose ball in the 6 yard box and received a kick in the head for his trouble as his defence collapsed in on top of him due to the Achill pressure. Another 6 yard box scramble ended with a most unaesthetic "bulltop" clearance to the left sideline which just about summed up the visitors’ mentality; substance not style. A left wing corner was headed over from 10 yards out by another Rovers player with 20 minutes remaining as the Achill plight got more desperate by the minute. The second of Achill’s glaring misses came from another right wing cross which the Atlantic breeze carried over all the defenders to the back post where from 6 yards out a Rovers player blazed the ball over the bar with an open goal at his mercy. It was the second unforgivable miss by the home side and they would rue their profligacy in front of goal when, with a minute remaining in the match, Moyles wrapped up the 3 points for the visitors. Another desperate upfield punt by a Crossmolina defender landed in the Achill half but it was misplayed by the defender when he was pressured by Eoin Syron. The ball squeezed free to Moyles, who was starved of service for so much of the half, and he carried the ball towards goal. He easily outpaced the defenders and with only the goalkeeper to beat he struck the ball into the top right corner of the goal with the outside of his left foot from 18 yards out. It was a classy piece of play which was atypical of Crossmolina’s performance in the half but there was no extra points being awarded for style. The final whistle signalled a great victory for Crossmolina and they can travel to Conn Rangers on Sunday morning with their heads held high. A win there will confirm their status as promotion contenders and nothing else will suffice. I am sure that everyone associated with the club would settle for an encore of this performance.

Crossmolina - J O’Hora, J McGuinness, P Whittaker, M Canavan, J Heffernan ( J Hegarty 45), J Canavan, E Syron, S Canavan, J Duggan, D Greham, M Moyles

Premier League results July 2

Lacken 2-6 Glenisland

Ballina Town 3-1 Bangor

Conn Rangers 4-2 Claremorris

Ballyvary 2-4 Erris Utd