Crossmolina 3-1 Conn Rangers

Crossmolina blitzed Conn Rangers with three goals in three minutes to earn their first victory of the season at Abbeytown on Sunday. The crucial victory, however, will be remembered for a ghastly injury suffered by Crossmolina goalkeeper Johnny O'Hora in the 41st minute when he lacerated his knee on a stone while sliding to collect the ball. The game itself was a drab affair with long periods of aimless play graced by few shots on goal. The first half's most memorable moment was when a pleasant sunny afternoon suddenly began spitting hailstones viciously in an attempt at pathetic fallacy. Like the weather Crossmolina started the game brightly when Derek Greham found Adrian Conway with a pass in the 6th minute but Rangers keeper Paul Kelly saved comfortably. After fifteen minutes Mark Loftus swung in a cross from the left which was deflected over by Conway. The visitors were on the back foot throughout the game, offering only glimpses of threat. Goalie Kelly nearly conceded a goal in the 27th minute when he fumbled the ball while prostrate on the ground. Simon Rowland failed to take advantage though as the keeper recovered brilliantly to regain possession. In the 33rd minute Shane Hughes' left wing cross to Jason Helly forced O'Hora to save. Minutes later Joe Keane headed Paul Flaherty's left wing free kick straight at Kelly. Conn Rangers hearts skipped a beat in the 40th minute when a deft flick on by Simon Rowland set Conway through on goal. He skipped around the goalie but forced himself into an acute angle from which he could only hit the bar. A long delay then ensued while O'Hora was tended to after sustaining his injury. The half-time break offered the players some respite from the hailstones. The second half was a mere eight minutes old when the deadlock was broken by a Conn Rangers goal. Shane Hughes struck a left wing free kick directly into the Crossmolina net past a bemused substitute keeper, Flaherty. It was against the run of play but it seemed to spark the home side to life. Paul McGuinness spread the play to the right wing to Padraig Whittaker who crossed back to McGuinness who shot narrowly wide. Crossmolina equalised in the 69th minute when Joe Keane crossed from the right to Conway who slid in to score from 8 yards out. Then it became like the buses, when you wait ages for one to arrive and then three arrive at the once! Straight from the restart Keane pumped a long ball into the Rangers half and Greham gave chase. His shot from inside the left side of the area was palmed across the face of the goal by Kelly where Paul McGuinness came steaming in to slot home the goal for a 2-1 lead. Just when things looked as if they couldn't get any worse for Rangers their goalie Kelly procrastinated on the ball on the edge of his area. Adrian Conway nipped in to dispossess him and rolled in Crossmolina's third goal in a hectic three minutes to seal the victory. That ended a tetchy match in which John Hegarty and Shane Hughes were booked in separate altercations. Crossmolina will hope to build on their first points of the season while Conn Rangers will try to add to their solitary point with some improved performances soon.