Rock produce sensational fightback to overcome Rostrevor in Ulster Club Intermediate Championship preliminary

Rostrevor 3-12 Rock 3-15

ROCK produced a sensational comeback to get the better of Rostrevor in a dramatic Ulster Club Intermediate Championship preliminary round tie at Burren.

The Tyrone champions trailed by nine points at half-time, but turned the game around when all seemed lost to carve out a memorable victory.

It was their first ever provincial appearance at this level, and they have less than a week to get ready for the next one, a first round clash with St Enda’s Glengormley at O’Neills Healy Park on Saturday.

Goals from Odhran Carroll, Thomas Mackle and Aidan McGarrity hauled the St Patrick’s back into it, and it was Shane Murphy who edged them ahead in stoppage time with a superbly struck two-point free.

Possession was given away to allow Drew Grant in for a Rostrevor opener as the Tyrone champions got off to a nervy start.

Cathal McWilliams sent Liam Nugent un for Rock’s opener, but they were immediately under pressure again, Nicky Murray sending Grant through for a shot at goal, but Oisin MacNia responded with a save to turn the ball around a post.

They pressed the Rock kick-out to win possession around midfield, Murray and James Donaghy combining to set up a score for James Rice.

With a few towering figures in the central area, the Down champions continued to boss the battle for areal and second phase ball, while also forcing turnovers that put the Red Hand representatives on the back foot.

Skipper Piaras Kane clipped over appoint, followed by another from Calum Lagan as they opened up a 0-5 to 0-1 led by the eighth minute.

But Rock suddenly sprang into action, hitting 0-4 in the space of two minutes to go level.

Shane Murphy picked up a poor Rostrevor kick-out to split the posts, and Odhran Carroll won a free that Nugent converted, while Murphy hammered over a two-pointer to tie it up at 0-5 each.

However, the Mourne side tightened their grip on the central area, and assisted by a handful of unforced errors, they drove at the Rock defence relentlessly.

Cormac O’Neill executed a timely tackle to halt a raid, while Shea Litter and Mark McAleer also stepped in with timely challenges, but there was no stopping an opponent growing in confidence and building momentum.

Annett collected a return pass from Conor Rocks to hit the target, and with Rocks playing a key role in his side’s transition from defence to attack, the pressure mounted.

A poor clearance gave Grant the opportunity to send Piaras Kane in to smash home the opening goal in the 18th minute.

And with Rice increasing his influence around the middle, they continued to attack, Rocks sending over appoint, before a brilliant move produced a second goal in the 23rd minute.

Nicky Murray fed Doyle, whose delightful flicked pass released Kane, and he spotted the run of Drew Grant, who did the rest with a clinical finish to the roof of the net.

Rock picked themselves up to respond with scores from Murphy, who ended a 13 minute barren spell, and Aidan McGarrity, who finished off a fast move from deep,

But they conceded a third goal on the half-hour, Donaghy, Kane and Murray all involved in the move that finished with Lagan firing home the shot.

Murphy and Grant traded points in added time, but at the break, it didn’t look good for Rock, trailing by 3-8 to 0-8.

Everything changed after the break, with Thomas Mackle and Diarmaid Carroll, with the assistance of Murphy, getting on top at midfield, and with the shackles well and truly thrown off, Rock took the game to the Down men.

Nugent got his side back on the score-sheet with a free early in the second half, but soon they were on the back foot again, as their opponents came close to grabbing a fourth goal.

Lagan and Annet combined to send Drew Grant in, but he smashed his sit against the crossbar, with Conor Doyle following up to fist the rebound over the bar.

Rostrevor introduced former Pomeroy and Tyrone defender Hugh Pat McGeary off the bench, hoping to consolidate their comfortable lead.

But Rock suddenly found another infusion of inspiration, grabbing two goals in a minute to get themselves right back in contention.

Nugent timed his pass perfectly, sending Odhran Carroll in to bury his shot confidently in he net past Ben Farrell, and while James Donaghy responded with a point at the other end, the St Patrick’s struck for a second time in the 41st minute.

This time it was route one, midfielder Thomas Mackle gathering from MacNia’s kick-out to drive through the middle and deceive ‘keeper Farell with a wickedly dipping shot.

And they almost grabbed a third goal moments later, Nugent connecting first-time with a loose ball to bring a superb save from Farrell.

All the momentum was now with the Tyrone champions, and in the 53rd minute, they reduced the deficit to two points, Aidan McGarrity breaking tackles to fire his shit between the uprights.

And in three minutes later, they were awarded a penalty, Rostrevor defender Eoin Murdock shown a black card for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity.

Skipper McGarrity stepped up to slot the kick low to the net, and Rock were in front for the first time.

Winning kick-outs from both sides, with experienced substitute Aidan Girvan winning vital possession, they now had dominance, but Rostrevor got themselves back level, having failed to score for more than a quarter of an hour before Calum Annett tied it up in stoppage time.

But Murphy, the man for the big moment, stepped up to send a 47 metre free between the posts for a two-pointer, and Conor McGarrity, who had a massive second half, sealed it with a late point.

Rostrevor scorers: Drew Grant 1-2, Calum Lagan, Piaras Kane 1-1 each, Calum Annett 0-3, Conor Doyle, Conor Rocks, James Rice, James Donaghy, Hugh Pat McGeary 0-1 each.

Rock scorers: Aidan McGarrity 1-2 (1-0 pen), Thomas Mackle, Odhran Carroll 1-0 each, Shane Murphy 0-7 (1 tp, 1 tp free), Liam Nugent 0-4 (3 frees), Conor McGarrity 0-2.

Rostrevor: Ben Farrell; James Brown, Tomas Gordon, Conal Gordon; Eoin Murdock, Finn Murdorck, Nicky Murray; James Donaghy, James Rice; Calum Annett, Calum Lagan, Conor Rocks; Drew Grant, Piaras Kane, Conor Doyle.

Subs: Hugh Pat McGeary for Murray, Shaun Parr for Doyle, Finn Morgan-Longfield for McGeary.

Rock: Oisin MacNia; Mark McAleer, Cormac O’Neill, Odhran Nugent; Martin Ward, Cathal McWilliams, Shea Litter; Thomas Mackle, Diarmuid Carroll; Odhran Nugent, Shane Murphy, Peter Loughran; Liam Nugent, Aidan McGarrity, Conor McGarrity.

Subs: Niall McWilliams for McAleer, Aidan Girvan for Ward, Aaron Somers for Loughran.

Referee: Niall McKenna (Monaghan).