This article is from page 69 of the 2009-09-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 69 JPG
WITH Lifford A rooted firmly to the foot of the Premier Division table, a huge performance was on the cards to restore some much needed confi- dence.
Lifford are normally associated with being in contention for the title, however, this year they are in a Se- rious rough patch and have not cap- tured a single point from their open- ing four league games.
Limerick side Askeaton were fully aware of this ahead of their journey to Cassidy Park and looked to capi- talise on a dodgy defence that has been breached an astonishing 13 times in those four outings.
The first-half was a dull and weary affair with neither team creating any real opportunities. Mike O’Connell found himself with space down the left flank for Askeaton on more than one occasion but was unable to de- liver an end product.
In the first 45 minutes Lifford failed to test Danny Fitzgerald in the Askeaton goal and it looked as though the visitors from Limerick would leave victorious with Lifford playing some stagnant football.
Lifford should have grabbed a goal just before the break when Scott Hennessy made a clever run down the left touchline and crossed to TJ Abisomo, who failed to connect with a ball that should really have been planted in the back of the net.
This encounter was an intense phys- ical battle and its effects were shown throughout the match with Stephen O’Halloran having to limp off at the beginning of the second-half.
Lifford began to string together a few passes and were able to exert some pressure on the Askeaton de- fence that had previously remained untested.
Roberto Pinto was a handful for the centre-backs all afternoon and he came close to giving Lifford the lead with a free kick that was fired just over the crossbar.
Pinto was deployed as Lifford’s target man with Abisomo living off the breaking ball he created. Ten minutes into the second-half, Scott Hennessy delivered a floating free kick from central midfield which was glanced across goal by Pinto and headed home with real conviction by Abisomo, who made amends for ear- lier misses.
The game began to open up from here, with Hennessy able to carve up
the opposing defence with intelligent passes and good execution from set plays. It only took five minutes for Lifford to double their advantage with Hennessy spraying the ball out to the right wing for Ryan Boyle to chase, the latter then beat two play- ers and fizzed the ball across the goal mouth but was unable to get the touch it deserved.
Liam Meaney was still able to col- lect the ball and cross to the near post where Pinto was unmarked and never in doubt of missing from that range.
Moments later Boyle again found himself with space down the right for Lifford and was darting towards
the box until he was brought down by Robert Whelan who in turn was booked for his troubles.
Hennessy once again delivered a killer ball which was volleyed past the despairing Danny Fitzgerald by Gary McNaboe. At this stage of the match Lifford held a firm grip over proceedings and were display- ing some fine football until Mike O’Connell finished superbly with a well placed header past Mike Heath on the counter attack for the away team.
Twenty minutes were still on the clock and Askeaton were given a glimmer of hope by O’Connell’s
goal, but a huge task was still at hand if they were to overturn a two goal deficit.
Lifford began to look more limited on the ball as the second-half drew on, but Askeaton could not find a way past Heath who pulled of a fine save from a deflected shot.
On the stroke of the 90th minute, Mike Fitzgibbon played a through ball over the Lifford back four for striker Ray Foley to chase but Ha- mad Kuku was able to sweep back and clear the ball for a corner.
Left-back Brian Corrigan, who had been solid all afternoon, dispatched the corner towards the back post where Dave Kenwick was lurking unmarked and nodded home for the visitors. Five minutes of injury-time were announced and panic was en- graved on all the home sides’ faces as the Limerick team heaped men deep into Lifford territory in a vain search of an equaliser that wasn’t to come.
At the sound of the final whistle Lifford were able to draw a sigh of relief and hopefully build on this hard fought win.