Ferrybank 1; Dungarvan United 0
Ferrybank recorded their 3rd league victory of the current season on Wednesday last and in doing so they gave themselves a lifeline in their desperate did to avoid relegation. Defeat in this game would have more or less condemned them to Division One football next term.
It was hard to believe that this was an outfit who were fighting for survival because from the opening whistle they were by far the better team and they had the Old Borough side on the back foot, and in many ways the only surprising aspect was that they did not win by a bigger margin.
Kevin Roche, Ferrybank’s leading goalscorer for the past two years, went close with a low strike from the left after only 3 minutes of play. John O’Byrne then had a good chance 10 minutes later following a pass from Shane Mallon but he shot over the crossbar from inside the penalty area.
The home side almost went in front on 16 minutes when Mark Dalton took a corner kick from the right. His delivery looked as if it was going to enter the net at the far post but defender Kevin Walsh headed off the line with goalkeeper Alan Landers beaten.
Mark Dalton then played the ball forward to Kevin Roche after 28 minutes but just as he was about to shoot, Tony Fitzgerald got in a clearing tackle in front of goal. One minute later Mark Dalton brought a fine save from Alan Landers, who tipped the ball over the crossbar.
It was only a matter of time before the goal arrived and it was Kevin Roche who scored it on 31 minutes.
Brian Mallon played the ball forward from the centre circle. Kevin Roche controlled it before making room for himself on the right side of the penalty area and he found the net with the aid of the far post with a blistering shot.
It was Kevin Roche who had the best chance later on but after moving forward to meet a pass from Sean Flynn he hooked the ball over the bar from a good position. That move was created on 76 minutes. Dungarvan United did not really test the Ferrybank goalkeeper Sean Phelan during the course of the game.
Ferrybank: Sean Phelan, Colm Roche, Shane Mallon, Richard Gaffney, Darren Lyons, Brian Mallon, John O’Byrne, Sean Flynn, Peter Murphy, Kevin Roche, Mark Dalton. Subs: Vinny Hetherington for Dalton (56 mins), Robert Mullally for Roche (90 mins).
Dungarvan United: Alan Landers, Kevin Walsh, Pat Lynch, Christy Power, Tony Fitzgerald, Gavin Crotty, Aidan Landers, Mark Crotty, Tony Keane, Tommy Butler, Micheal Downey. Sub: Pat Quinn for Keane (77 mins).
Referee: Paul O’Keeffe.
