Match Reports >> 2009 Match Reports >> Crossmolina 1-1 Claremorris

April 12th 2009 Crossmolina 1-1 Claremorris

Claremorris returned to the Premier Division after an unsuccessfully brief stint in the Super League and, on Sunday in Abbeytown, they displayed the form that expedited their exit from the top flight. Crossmolina were the superior team for the majority of the contest but the astonishing performance of Claremorris netminder Shane Macken, combined with some wasteful finishing by the Deelsiders, contributed to the scoreless status of this encounter after an hour. It seemed that this Easter Sunday clash would result in two Easter eggs on the scoreboard as the hosts struggled to find their range in front of goal while their opponents attacking prowess was comfortably dealt with by the defence. A forgettable first half was dominated by Crossmolina but, despite their industrious work-rate, they didn’t possess the guile or composure to convert it into goals. The outstanding chance of the half occurred five minutes before the interval when John Duggan delivered the ball from the right wing to the back post where a Claremorris defender headed it back over Macken from six yards out. The seemingly inevitable own goal was only avoided when Macken arched back and acrobatically tipped it onto the crossbar. With the goalie prostrate and the defence scrambling the ball then dropped to Mark Howley but he somehow stabbed an effort from close range onto the crossbar, and ultimately to safety. Earlier in the half Howley had been in the right place at the right time when he raced onto a pass that bounced in the penalty area. The winger opted not to shoot, instead teeing the ball up for Duggan who fired a low ten yard drive that Macken smothered at the base of his left post.

After the break the hosts continued to hold the upper hand and within five minutes Howley breached the defence’s offside trap but, confronted by the onrushing Macken, his sliding hooked effort cleared the custodian but trickled agonisingly wide of the left post. Moments later it was Duggan who eluded the visitors rearguard when Paul Flaherty slipped a canny pass through to him but Macken was alert to the danger and he caused the winger to slice his shot wide. The goalkeepers heroics were rewarded after an hour when his side took the lead with their first effort on goal. Macken booted a kickout upfield and James Mitchell nodded it down to substitute James Hughes who finished with aplomb from twelve yards out. The hosts were visibly shaken by this turn of events and a moment later they nearly conceded a second goal when Mitchell capped another raid with a fifteen yard attempt that struck the post. Crossmolina recovered commendably though and re-asserted themselves but the vital goal eluded them and it seemed they would take nothing from the game. However, with six minutes remaining Derek Sweeney seized on a loose ball in the penalty area and drove it past Macken to restore parity. The final moments witnessed the predictable charge of the light brigade but Claremorris stood firm until the last second when Stewart Griffin floated a free kick in from the right wing and Johnny Burke sidefooted wide from eight yards out. The groans of the home support were immediately drowned out by the referees whistle indicating that time was up. Both sides will be happy with the point but will also aspire to improve in the coming weeks.

Crossmolina – Johnny O’Hora, Jason Canavan, Anthony Timoney, Johnny Burke, Mark Loftus, Mark Howley (Derek Sweeney 60), Declan Keating, Michael Cafferty (Darragh Carroll 77), Paul Flaherty, John Duggan (Enda Jordan 72), Stewart Griffin

Claremorris – Shane Macken, Christy Heffernan, Niall Kitchen, Steve Mackay, Aiden Higgins (James Hughes), Paul Byrne, Paul Maloney, Shane Byrnes, David Grant, James Mitchell, Patrick O’Gara

Referee – Mick Walsh

Match Reports >> 2009 Match Reports >> Crossmolina 1-1 Claremorris