Roscommon use the “Gale” to good effect in defeating Elphin
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Roscommon Gaels 0-7 Elphin 0-5.
ROSCOMMON GAELS put one foot in the quarter finals of the county senior football championship quarter finals with an effective if uninspiring two points win over Elphin in what was probably one of the worst games seen in Hyde Park for many years.
While that statement may sound cruel, it was the inability of both sides to convert scores that led to the low scoreboard and when you realise that the score was 0-3 to 0-1 to Elphin with twenty minutes gone in the first half and both teams were finding it difficult to even make passes count, the you can understand the last statement.
In fairness to both teams, the gale force wind that blew towards the graveyard end made it difficult. But Elphin only managed to score three points with the wind at their backs and at one stage Roscommon Gaels struggled to even make the posts such was the wayward passing and shooting from both sides.
Usually when reporting on games like this one can comment on the style of play or even the crowd's involvement. Sadly the small crowd (Counted at approximately 120) had little to shout about over the hour but were treated to an incredible point from Brian Higgins after just ten seconds of play. It was an extraordinary start to proceedings but it would also be the last score for eight minutes as both teams struggled. Higgins, showing great form and coming back to full fitness, again found the posts to give Elphin a two point lead but with a very strong wind at their backs and that advantage did not materialise throughout the first half. It would be a further ten minutes before the next score would be marked up. Michael Glancy's pass found Fintan Cregg and he made no mistake in finding the posts.
While this report may seem damning of both sides it must be said that Roscommon Gaels did the job of stifling their opponents excellently and they could also have got a goal were it not for the post denying Mark Gilleran's punched effort. The wind held up Scott Oates' free with Gilleran getting the punch in only to see the ball rebound off the post. The Gaels had other chances but the wind put paid to any of them going over the bar. A solitary point from Oates who picked up a knock for his efforts being their only score of the first half.
Elphin were also not making their chances count, six wides their total for the first half and some of those were incredible with the wind playing all sorts of tricks. As both teams went in at half time some even went so far as say that it was the worst game they had seen all year and those who had hoped for a free flowing game were to be severely disappointed.
The other hope was that the second half would be better than the first and it was...briefly. David O'Gara took up the mantle of playmaker and opened the Gaels account for the second half with a good point before John Collins pulled another back for Elphin. Conor Beirne then extended Elphin's lead on eleven minutes but that would be Elphin's final score of the match as Roscommon Gaels took control. In the space of five minutes they had caught and passed out their opponents with the best spell of football seen all game. O'Gara got proceedings underway with a good point followed by Paul Noone and then John Nolan levelled matters with a good point. The momentum had gone the Gaels way and they would not let it go. Jamie Rowan put the Gaels in front with a free and while the pace collapsed again, this played into the hands of the Roscommon Gaels men as they harried and challenged for everything. Elphin would have one other chance to snatch a late winner when Frankie Cregg pulled on the ball near the small square only for Enda Daly to produce a stunning point blank save to push the ball on to the post and out. It would be as close as Elphin would get and Rowan made the game safe with a free in the final minutes to give Roscommon Gaels the win and put them level with Elphin on points with Elphin holding the stronger scoring difference.
Elphin are almost certain to go through even though they were beaten but should Roscommon Gaels lost to Western Gaels by a large margin, then the calculators would have to come out to see who will make it through to the quarter finals from this group. However, if Roscommon Gaels or Elphin harbour any hopes of lifting the county title, they will have to play much better than what they showed on Sunday last.
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