Honours shared in goal fest
Tuesday July 27 2010
"YOU WOULDN'T see as many goals in the World Cup," was the quip of one fan exiting Rathvilly where, given the hosts' wastefulness and the visitor's resilience, a draw was probably the best result to this MFC contest.
Rathvilly protests at the referring merely concealed the gravity of their shooting problems for they had a late opportunity to post their first win in four outings but Adam Lawlor was wide after being put in position by Donal Kelly in the final raid of the evening.
Despite the high totals, both sides missed a hatful of scores even if Rathvilly played the best brand of football but did not make full use of their midfield superiority where Gary Smith and Eric Molloy were rampant.
David Townsend opened the scoring for the visitors but Rathvilly retaliated with 2-3 to a one point reply by the 21st minute; two left-footed goals by Michael Byrne and Lawlor suggesting an easy local victory.
Tinryland, struggling to claim loose ball managed the final score when Townsend atones for an earlier miss but credit Dylan Connors with a good save.
The second half defies logic. Hughie Reilly claimed a third minute goal after Molloy floated a free to the left post - a defensive failure - before the hard-working Eoin Maddock (penalty when he himself was fouled) and Townsend plunged he ball in the home net in quick succession.
Just when Tinryland seemed to be gaining the upper road a low Molloy 45 was broken to his midfield partner Smith who found the net; the 45 another backs blunder, the ball obviously going wide.
When the wily Michael Byrne bisected the posts twice within a minute the green and gold looked home and safe only to be turned and twisted by a very courageous Tinryland who still had the bit between their teeth and retaliated with 2-2 to Rathvilly's lone point in the final 16 minutes; Jack Lowry netting the two goals (fair reward for a marvellous display) with Maddock and Barry Kennedy he points.
Neither side can crib for they both flunked the test on too many occasions; Rathvilly (who won 18 of the 29 frees) the better footballing combination, Tinryland (7 wides to the locals' 11) scrambling as if lives depended upon the result - their second win in four outings.
Regan Murphy, Keith Curran, Smith, Molloy, Kelly, Byrne and Lawlor were the Rathvilly selection while the hoops relied mainly on Jason Noctor the excellent Lowry, Craig Sutton, John Doyle, Maddock and Townsend.
- At Rathvilly PAUL DONAGHY
