Glenelly Fight Back to Earn Points

Owen Roes 1-9 Glenelly 1-12

Owen Roes hopes of their first ACL points of the season evaporated in a fifteen minute second half spell in Dunamanagh tonight as they hosted high flying neighbours Glenelly. Ahead at the break, Glenelly raced back with an unanswered seven-point spell that in the end earned them the points.

It was the O’Neills that hit the ground running with Declan McCrossan stroking over a first minute free. Within sixty seconds things were about to get much better for the Green and Reds. Gerard Devine broke from his number three berth, and after good build up play between Aidan McCrossan and Marcus McGinley, it was left for Kiernan Kelly to apply a cute finish to the bottom of Tim Harney’s goal.

Glenelly pulled a point back from open play, before McCrossan tagged on another Owen Roes point. When the returning Aidan McCrossan, and Kelly split the posts from placed ball it was looking gloomy for the Plumbridge side.

Nonetheless the kept attacking, and whittled the lead away via four unreturned dead balls. Mark O’Neill got his first score for Owen Roes, and good work from Ryan Stewart let Declan McCrossan in for another White flag. As the half ended the St.Josephs got one back to leave them three adrift at the half-time whistle.

Scores early in the second period would probably be decisive, and so it proved, as Owen Roes squandered several chances. However Glenelly’s ability to earn dead balls was standing them in good stead, as their seventh score was their sixth from a free.

The sky blue jerseys also showed an ability to split from play as they tagged on two more points to tie the game, before the game’s deciding moment.

Owen Roes squandered play deep in Glenelly half, and the visitors quickly broke and with a smart finish slipped the ball low past Dylan Early in goal. Glenelly quickly added another as they opened a four-point gap.

With a derby defeat on the cards Owen Roes quickly regained their composure, and Kiernan Kelly twice split the posts from frees to put a couple in it. Things could’ve looked healthier for Owen Roes with a minute to go.

Ronan Parker did well to gather possession, but off balance the substitute split the sticks above the bar as a goal chance looked on. Tempers started to fray as time ticked through. For the hosts though they could not garner that levelling score and instead the visitors added a pair of injury time points to take two crucial league points. Owen Roes misery was compounded late on as Kevin Doherty collected a second yellow card.

The frustration continues for Owen Roes, and they’ll know that this is definitely points that could’ve been bagged. However they should look at the fact a Glenelly side that sit third in the table were taken the distance as a positive, and with one or two more players leaving the treatment room there is still much to build on. 

Owen Roes: Dylan Early, Paul Kelly, Gerard Devine, Willie Doherty, Kevin O’Donnell, Kevin Doherty, Ryan Stewart, Chris Kelly, Marcus McGinley, Declan McCrossan (0-3), Barry Porter, Kiernan Kelly (1-3), Mark O’Neill (0-1), Aidan McCrossan (0-1), Stephen Boyle. Subs: Ronan Parker (0-1) for Boyle, John Harper for Porter