This article is from page 68 of the 2009-01-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 68 JPG
ROCK Rovers moved to the top of the first division with a hard fought victory over Shannon Olympic on Sunday.
The two sides are level on 13 points apiece but Rovers sit top with two games in hand on their nearest ri- vals.
The win stretches Rock’s unbeaten league record to five games. It’s a
record Rock did well to keep intact after a tough and desperately hard fought game. This was a battle in every sense of the word, made so by the heavy, muddy conditions.
Following rain and the schedul- ing of a youths fixture on the same surface the night before, Olympics home ground resembled a mud bath, making any sort of lead all the more prized.
Leading 2-1 at half time, the visi-
tors extended their lead courtesy of Stephen Hickey’s 53rd minute pen- alty. Olympic hammered away in search of a breakthrough. It even- tually arrived with two minutes re- maining. Rock had just enough left in the tank to hold out.
The Clare Cup holders spent most of the first quarter on the back foot as Olympic made a fast start. Despite pinning Rock back inside their own half, Olympic created few clear cut
chances and were punished by their opponents on the break.
The energetic David Considine picked put Dean Gardiner on the left wing in the 22nd minute. Gardiner cut inside and he finished at the sec- ond time of asking to give Rock the lead.
The goal gave greater urgency to Olympic. The home side saw one low shot clatter against the post before scoring a deserved equaliser. Ray
Quigley created a yard just inside the 18-yard box and flashed a shot past Rock goalkeeper Leonard Keane.
With Hickey and particularly Marty McLoughlin in lively form upfront, Rock possessed a sharp cutting edge. McLoughlin was involved in teeing up Gardiner for Rock’s second goal, a powerfully struck shot from the edge of the area.
Rock will have been disappointed not to go in further ahead at the break. First, appeals for a penalty were waved away and later Hickey saw a goal disallowed for handball.
Olympic, playing with an attitude that augers well for the remainder of the season, made an excellent start to the second half and should have drawn level.
Shannon Olympic were denied by an outstanding save from Keane be- fore the rebound was fired over from close range.
The turning point arrived moments later. McLoughlin was adjudged to have been fouled inside the box from a Rock free kick. The decision was hotly contested by Olympic. Hickey buried the spot kick to make it 3-1.
Back came Olympic. Jason Regan linked well Richie Hanley and Ray Quigley, playing, at times, some ex- cellent football.
Rock had their own big perform- ers in defence in Shane Daniels and Keane. Rock’s rearguard was finally breached when Olympic scrambled home a late goal. 3-2 it ended. It’s getting tight at the top.