Galtee Rovers 2-7 Rockwell Rovers 0-9
Galtee Rovers are through to the final of the Shane Hennessy Ltd Agri and Business Consultancy West Senior Football Championship following their four-point victory over Rockwell Rovers at Golden on Tuesday evening.
The game was a very low-scoring, dull and over-defensive encounter during the opening thirty minutes, with both sides getting thirteen players behind the ball, and slow build-ups and some bad shot choices up front.
The half-time score, 0-3 each, was a reflection on the defensive nature of the opening period, with neither team willing to have a cut, and recycling the ball the order of the day.
The second half was a much more entertaining game from the outset, with both sides committed to attack. The game was won and lost in a seven-minute spell after the restart, a period when the Bansha men outscored the New Inn side by 2-3 to 0-1, the goals coming in the third and seventh minutes.
For the remainder of the game Galtee could only muster one more point, as Rockwell upped their game considerably. But wayward shooting was their ultimate downfall, while also failing to find the net on a couple of occasions, especially around the tenth minute when a shot from TJ Ryan skimmed the crossbar. Galtee’s sole score during that period was a Darren McGrath point five minutes from time.
Galtee attacked from the start but were off target early on. The opening score came from Darren McGrath, who was on the field as a blood sub for a two-minute period and would not join the fray proper until the 42nd minute as a replacement for Callum McCarthy. T J Ryan had the sides level when he put over from a placed ball into a slight breeze.
Alan Moloney put the New Inn team one up when he put over a free on sixteen minutes and three minutes later, following a breakaway move out of defence, Moloney turned provider when he sent Jack Kelly through and the half forward made no mistake.
Galtee continued to defend in numbers and attack at a slow pace, not giving away possession. Following a slow build-up involving Cian O’Dwyer, Conal Grogan and Tony O’Brien, Shane Egan was dragged down and slotted over the resulting free to reduce the deficit to the minimum. Adam McGrath had the sides back on level terms one minute before the interval when he converted a free having been the victim of an illegal tackle. This tied the game at 0-3 each at half-time.
The second half started in a much faster fashion, with Galtee on the attack from the throw-in. Adam McGrath was quickly on the scoreboard from a place ball inside a minute and Callum McCarthy added a second one minute later.
Three minutes after the restart, Galtee got the first break when Adam McGrath found the net following good build-up play involving Shane Power and Shane Egan. Alan Moloney pulled one back from a placed ball but Galtee continued to take the game to the New Inn side. Eamon Quirke put five points between the sides after 36 minutes, before Galtee hit another major following the move of the game. Shane Power won a ball around the midfield area and set up a move that involved Adam McGrath and Callum McCarthy before Shane Egan slotted the ball past Michael O’Donnell.
Galtee were now eight points to the good, with 23 minutes left, and taking the game to Rockwell. At this stage they went into defensive mode as Rockwell went into attack. TJ Ryan had a half-goal chance but his shot skimmed the crossbar for a minor on ten minutes. Ryan pulled one back four minutes later before Galtee were reduced to fourteen players following the dismissal of defender Emmet Bonner on a second yellow card.
Rockwell were the better team for the final quarter and two Alan Moloney points before the 20th minute had the gap down to four. Try as they might, they were unable to get the goal that was required to get back in the game. With five minutes remaining Darren McGrath steadied the Galtee ship with his second point before Alan Moloney closed out the scoring with a converted free, three minutes from time.
Galtee Rovers will now meet Golden/Kilfeacle in the divisional decider, in what will be the first final meeting between the sides since 1999.
Scorers: Galtee Rovers: Adam McGrath (1-2, 0-2 frees), Shane Egan (1-1, 0-1 free), Darren McGrath (0-2), Eamon Quirke (0-1), Callum McCarthy (0-1).
Rockwell Rovers: Alan Moloney (0-5 frees), T J Ryan (0-3, 1 free), Jack Kelly (0-1).
Galtee Rovers: Kelvin O’Brien, Peter Carroll, Ciarán McCarthy, Emmet Bonner, Cian O’Dwyer, Evan Kennedy, Sean Daly, Robbie Byron, Eamon Quirke (captain), Conal Grogan, Shane Power, Tony O’Brien, Adam McGrath, Shane Egan, Callum McCarthy.
Subs: Daire Egan for Tony O’Brien (HT), Darren McGrath for Callum McCarthy (42), Tony Egan for Conal Grogan (55).
Rockwell Rovers: Michael O’Donnell, John Burke, Liam Lonergan, Diarmuid Lonergan, Liam Fahey, Robert O’Donnell, Oisin Cummins, Tom Downey, Luka Fitzgerald, Jack O’Kelly, Aidan Barron, Kieran McGovern, Alan Moloney (captain), TJ Ryan, Gavin Ryan.
Subs: Kevin Heaney for Kieran McGovern (48), Colm Hanley for Gavin Ryan (55).
Referee: Richie O’Connor (Arravale Rovers).
