Cappry come good to see off Keadue in battle of the Rovers

Cappry Rovers had to come from a goal down on their own patch before eventually defeating Keadue Rovers 3-1.

Cappry Rovers 3:1 Keadue Rovers

Pat Ward’s visitors opened in excellent fashion and were full value for their 20th minute lead through Peter McGee. 

However, the home side did finally settle and with Paddy McNulty and Michael Carroll both on target for Jimmy Doherty’s men, it was the Cappry that held the upper hand at the changeover. 

Keadue had originally set the pace in this one with David Ward’s neat lob just two minutes in being called back for offside. Up the other end, and while not as intricate, McNulty’s smashed effort from distance just went topside of Shane O’Gara’s crossbar. 

On 13 minutes, Keadue Rovers again came close to making a breakthrough but Ward was this time thwarted by a good Eoin Gallen stop. 

On 20 minutes Keadue did find the lead their early pressure deserved as McGee beat the home offside trap and calmly lifted over the advancing Gallen and into the empty net.  To the hosts’ credit, that setback seemed to spark them and over the next ten minutes, right up to the half hour mark, they were the more dominant side. 

And when the excellent Jamie Murray received possession out on the wide right, his precise delivery was perfectly nodded home by McNulty. Eight minutes out from the break, a bad lapse in concentration from the Cappry rearguard allowed Aiden McHugh to thread Ward through on the wide left. 

And while the Keadue attacker did very well to control and fire low to the near post, Gallen again was equal to the task. However, just before half-time, raiding home full-back Carroll got forward brilliantly and onto another quality Murray delivery to fire home at the back post and, in the process, hand Cappry the midpoint lead.

Cappry could and should have doubled their lead shortly after the restart. With Murray again threatening down the left, his pinpoint cross towards McNulty was cut out by O'Gara. And while the ball broke kindly for Conor Laverty, he somehow scooped high and over from almost point black range.

Still, ten minutes into the second period, and the home side did go 3-1 clear with McNulty adding his second thanks once more to the excellent service provided by Murray. 

Keadue then almost pulled a goal back when a corner from the right hand side wasn't dealt with and while McGee threw an instinctive boot at it, it somehow came back off the underside of the crossbar down onto the line before being cleared away from danger.

Keadue players felt that the ball had crossed the line however experienced official Dessie McLaughlin waved away those remonstrations. Some good linked play from McHugh, Mark Forker and McGee then almost forged the opportunity for the latter but Cappry recovered.

Keadue were now the side in the ascendancy but with Cappry prepared to sit and protect their two-goal cushion, they were content enough to soak up that pressure. 

Seven minutes out from time the ball fell kindly for Ward left of centre but he dragged a first time effort well wide. Substitute Luke Neely also gained a good sight of goal. But it was the hosts that saw out the remaining action in comfortable enough fashion.

Cappry Rovers: Eoin Gallen; Michael Carroll (David Ramsey, 90+2), Aaron Kelly, Conor Doherty, Brendan McLaughlin (Benny Bonner, 56); Jamie Murray, Ronan McNamee, Conor McDaid, Conor Laverty (Jack Burke McBride, 65); Paddy McNulty (Jack Long, 80), Sean McBride. 

Keadue Rovers: Shane O’Gara; Matthew Smith (Daniel McHugh, 73), Martin Ferry, Ryan Connors (Chris Green, 56), Brendan McCafferty; David Ward, Mark Forker, Christie Conaghan (Luke Neely,81), Peter McGee; Aiden McHugh, Brian Proctor. 

Referee: Dessie McLaughlin.