Raphoe Hockey Club suffer narrow loss away to NICS  

Raphoe travelled to NICS for their first game in over a month but came away with a narrow 3-2 loss. 

The visitors had started brightly holding a lot of possession and creating plenty of chances. Raphoe played some great hockey down the right hand side and the pressure paid off as Johnny Long used great skill to win a short corner. 

From this, Mattew Lecky drilled the ball into the back of the net  to make it 1-0. After scoring the first goal Raphoe tails were up and they hunted a second creating some good opportunities but failing to find the target.

In the second quarter, Raphoe dropped the tempo and were made pay as NICS won a short corner and slotted past Jay Moore in the Raphoe net. Having conceded, Raphoe held out well keeping possession and making NICS work for the ball.

In the third quarter, both teams started strong and NICS got a lucky break leading to a short corner from which they made it 2-1 with another drag flick. 

Finding themselves behind for the first time Raphoe stepped up and played some great hockey just lacking the killer pass in the final third.

In the final quarter, Raphoe pushed up looking for an equaliser which left them short at the back which opened the pitch for NICS allowing them to win another short corner. 

From this Moore made a good save but the rebound came up off his kicker into the roof of the net to leave it 3-1.

Two goals behind Raphoe pushed hard with Jake McKnight and Matthew Lecky linking up well and winning Raphoe another short corner. 

A well-worked short effort from Johnny Long found Matthew Lecky who found the back of the next. 

Now searching for an equaliser Raphoe had the momentum. A good aerial forward from Sam McKnight found Lecky in the D who brilliantly won a short corner. Another well-worked corner found Long who could only strike the crossbar with a late effort.