Rockmount's win puts it up to Springfield in CSL U12 league
Conor Buckley (right), Rockmount, is congratulated after his goal against Springfield Ramblers. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
ROCKMOUNT had a great home win over league leaders Springfield in their Blackwater Motors U12 Division 1 clash on Sunday.
The home side will be hoping that their significant amount of games in hand will bring them closer to the summit.
The teams looked fairly evenly matched, the ball pinging around the middle of the park frantically in the opening minutes.
Both sides had chances as well, Kaylen Hastings and Mikey Gill delivering great balls into the box for the visitors but the incoming attackers failed to make the most of them.
Cillian McSweeney had the first attempt for the home side, his looping shot from the right claimed by Luca O’Rourke in goal.
Then the impressive Tom Forrest went close inside ten minutes, finding space in the middle before unleashing a brilliant strike that flew just over the crossbar.
Forrest was involved again a few minutes later when Rockmount got the opener. He delivered a corner from the left that found Conor Buckley on the other side of the box who produced a brilliant volley that flew into the far top corner; a strike worthy of breaking the deadlock.
After going behind the away side tried to respond. Liam Reidy and Mikey Gill linked up well down the right, Reidy getting a shot away but it trailed to the right and wide.
Up the other end Forrest played in Buckley down the left with a deft pass but this time that combination wouldn’t result in a goal, with Buckley seeing his strike go the wrong side of the upright.
Rockmount stayed on top for the majority of the first half, pressing on and not giving their opponents chances to create shots on goal. Their back four was also preventing any danger from reaching the final third, making for a quiet first half for their keeper Dean O’Leary.
With half time approaching Tom Forrest went on a brilliant individual run only to be brought down at the edge of the area.
It worked out well for the away side as the resulting free kick was well blocked.
Despite the home side taking a deserved advantage into the break, the game was blown wide open when Springfield equalised a minute after the restart.
Playing with the wind in the second period, the away side started quickly. An initial strike from the right was saved well by the keeper but Aaron Stafford was there following in the rebound to knock it into the bottom right corner and equalise.
Rockmount never went away though, and ten minutes into the half they found the all-important goal.
It was Forrest again at the centre of it all as he picked up the ball in the middle and skilfully beat three defenders before producing a measured finish into the bottom right corner to reinstate his sides lead.
Aaron Stafford thought he found an equaliser at the death, doubling on a long ball. But Dean O’Leary gathered well to ensure all three points for his side.
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