Alas White’s Cross were unable to follow up their massive morale-boosting victory over Whitechurch with another victory over Glen Rovers in this round 2 league tie played in miserable wet conditions at the Glen Field on Sunday morning last. There was plenty to be enthused about the performance, however. This game could have gone either way and a White’s Cross victory certainly would not have flattered.
White’s Cross did get off to the better start when Max Philpott and then Cathal Quinlan, on his weaker side, got two superb scores from play inside the opening 5 minutes. The home side then responded with the next three scores – two frees and one from play. Eddie Coughlan, the star of the last win over Whitechurch, got his opening point of the day when he slotted over a free puck. The Glen responded with a free of their own to keep them in the lead on a score of 0-04 to 0-03 after 12 minutes.
White’s Cross then had a period of dominance where they rattled off the next five scores. Eddie Coughlan scored from play, then from a free before Conor Buckley scored, unusually for him, his only point of the game with a shot from out on the wing. Eddie Coughlan added another point from a free. Then came the score of the game from a White’s Cross point of view. A long ball drifted over the heads of our corner forwards and the Glen defenders looked in control of the situation. However, Eddie Coughlan chased them down, forced an error, dispossessed the Glen player before putting the ball over his shoulder and over the bar from a very tight angle. Eddie would add one more point before the short whistle which was sandwiched between two Glen scores to leave the score ay 0-09 to 0-06 before the interval.
Bad first half conditions seems to get even worse after the break. Both sides struggled initially as there was no score in the opening 9 minutes of the second period. The home side then managed to slot three points in as many minutes. On the 13th minute the turning point, and a controversial one at that, arrived. A long ball came in and White’s Cross goalkeeper knocked it down and then picked it up. However, the umpire on the post deemed that when knocking it down, it went behind the line. Naturally at this level, referees rely upon the participant clubs to supply umpires and linesman. In this regard, the ref had no clear view and had to rely on the umpire’s judgement. There are certainly no cameras or any chance to have a second look so the goal was given.
Stung by this setback, White’s Cross finally got into it in the second half. Two more frees from Eddie Coughlan put only the minim between the sides. The Glen then bought it back to a goal with two frees of their own. Eddie Coughlan went for a goal with a close free late on but it was save. He did add another point from a free while his brother Harry scored a fine point from play. Unfortunately, they were never able to claw back the goal as the Glen added three more scores of their own. Though defeat is our lot, there are many positives from the game. The Whitechurch result was no fluke. We are able to compete at this level.
Team Shane Cahill, Senan Ryan, Seamus Quinlan, Chris Dunne, Gearoid Flemming, Ruairi Quinlan, Cathal Quinlan (0-01), Harry Coughlan (0-01), Max Philpott (0-01), Conor Buckley (0-01), Fiachra O’Connell, Tom Casey, Luke Kelleher, Kevin Buckley, Eddie Coughlan (0-09 – 0-07 frees)
Subs: Sean O’Leary for Tom Casey, Cathal O’Flynn for Luke Kelleher