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Snugboro United FC

Mayo visitors, Snugboro United from Castlebar, scored a deserved 4-2 success over RISSC in an entertaining friendly encounter played at the LPR Sports Ground on Sunday, 22 October. The match was played in the traditional spirit of the game without any of the rancour which too often pervades football at all levels in this day and age.

The excellent playing surface at the Sudbury Hill ground was made extremely slick by the torrential downpours of rain before and during the match.At the outset, both sets of players had difficulty with the speed of the ball over the ground but gradually adapted to the conditions.

RISSC were without skipper Karl McGee, Adrian Ward and the influential Donnie Mullen, causing manager Paul Franklin to switch Dan Healy to the centre of defence with Franklin himself starting the game on the right hand side of midfield. RISSC striker Richie Dempsey had an early chance but was unable to convert. The deadlock was broken on seven minutes,when a speculative long range shot caught out goalkeeper Darren Nolan, who had strayed from his line. The shot struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced over the line to give the visitors the lead.

On eighteen minutes, Paul Franklin gave way to Mark O’Connor who had been delayed on his way to the ground. Five minutes later the scores were level, when Mick Coffey’s cross from the right was helped on by Dempsey to the incoming Brian Moriarty who struck a fine shot to the back of the net. The remainder of the half saw several neat passages of play from both sides but with very little end product. The only moment of danger occurred three minutes from the break when Nolan made a splendid save from a fiercely struck thirty yard shot.

RISSC (London) FC

The early stages of the second half were mainly contested in the central area of the pitch.
The occasional foray forward was dealt with comfortably by both defences until the fifty first minute when RISSC conceded a second goal. A break through the old inside left channel by Snugboro,was ended by a foul tackle and with the RISSC defence hesitating in anticipation of a penalty award, the ball was driven across the face of goal where an alert Snugboro striker tapped it home.

The concession of the second goal prompted a spirited response from RISSC and moments later, Dempsey had a fine shot well saved by the goalkeeper. Within seconds Moriarty struck another volley which flew just over the crossbar. RISSC continued to put pressure on the Snugboro defence and in the sixty third minute, Finton McKeon drove forward from midfield and struck a twenty five yard shot which deceived the goalkeeper and nestled in the net. The goal was deserved reward for the Roscommon man whose energy and industry in the middle of the pitch was exemplary.

The wet conditions were beginning to take their toll on all of the participants and the match appeared destined to end all square when a snapshot by Snugboro, reminiscent of their opening goal, dipped over the head of netminder Nolan to give the Mayomen the lead. RISSC responded immediately and a well struck shot from Tim Nagle was just turned round the post by the Snugboro keeper. In the final minute of the game, hesitancy in the RISSC defence allowed Snugboro’s star player Johann Collins to chip a fine fourth goal for the visitors.

Team
Darren Nolan;
Jon Carey, Dan Healy, Mick Cusack, Martin Flannery;
Paul Franklin, Finton McKeon, Tim Nagle, Brian Moriarty;
Richie Dempsey, Mick Coffey

Substitutes:
Mark O'Connor, Liam Quirk