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Glenisland United 0-1 Crossmolina Glenisland United must be thinking that God was exacting revenge
on them for playing this match instead of climbing Croagh Patrick on Sunday
as they wasted numerous first half chances before eventually succumbing to a
Derek Greham goal with seven minutes remaining. Glenisland displayed no sign
of a cup hangover from last week`s Tuohy Cup final and proceeded to totally
dominate the first half of a game played in sweltering heat against a new
look Crossmolina side which had yet to gel. Kevin Sherrin was the catalyst for
most of the home side`s good play in the half and he capped a lively opening
spell for Glenisland with a fierce 15 yard half volley on the turn which
rattled the Crossmolina cross bar in the tenth minute. Three minutes later
Glenisland threatened again when John McCarthy`s shot from the right was well
saved by Michael Canavan and Paddy Ryder`s cross from the parry was wasted by
Allen Barrett. Crossmolina finally showed some attacking ideas in the 14th minute when a
Steven Canavan pass to Greham split the home defence but the striker’s
clipped shot went across the face of goal and wide. Glenisland squandered
their best chance of the game three minutes later when Ryder controlled
Sherrin?s left wing cross and dragged it around the advancing Crossmolina
netminder before hitting the side of the net from 6 yards out with the
goalmouth vacant. A minute later Crossmolina enjoyed another piece of good
fortune when goalie Canavan was stranded on the edge of his box and Sherrin`s
goalbound lobbed shot was headed off the line by Damien Syron. Five minutes
before the interval Paul Flaherty floated a pass down the right flank to
Greham who crossed to Steven Canavan in the 18 yard box. Glenisland goalie
Leo Coyne got a crucial fingertip to the delivery and Canavan could only poke
the ball wide from six yards out. Glenisland would rue their failure to convert their first half dominance into goals
as their opponents managed to weather the storm and compose themselves after
a disjointed forty five minutes. The second half developed into an intensely
even contest with quality chances at a premium. John Hegarty displayed
boundless energy in midfield for the visitors as he willed his team on to
victory. He tested Coyne with a speculative 35 yard shot midway through the half
which the keeper coped with well. Greham tried his luck from edge of the box
but his effort flew narrowly wide. Glenisland exerted enough pressure to win
nearly ten corner kicks in the half, compared to their opponents one, but
Michael Canavan patrolled his area with authority and cleared any danger. With
the game seeming destined for an unsatisfactory draw Derek Greham came to his
side`s rescue with an excellent strike on the turn from the edge of the box
which clanged off the far post before crossing the goal-line. The goal`s
repercussions are enormous; Glenisland remain in the relegation zone while a
quickfire six points in four days has applied a healthy gloss to what was
previously an erratic season for Crossmolina. You could say that while the
remainder of Crossmolina`s season smells like roses, the run-in for
Glenisland reeks of an uphill struggle. |
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