NAFL Clarence Cup, Round One
Shamrock 4-9 Willowbank
THERE was no shortage of goals at Marrowbone Park on Saturday afternoon as Willowbank grabbed the lion's share of the 13 scored to reach the second round of the Clarence Cup at the expense of a battling Shamrock.
This game was initially due to take place before Christmas, but stormy conditions forced a postponement. Although freezing conditions dominated this week, the frost made way for a heavy drizzle on Saturday, and it was game on.
Two divisions separate these teams in the NAFL with Wiollowbank playing in 1A to Shamrock's 1C and it all went to form in a game that was highly entertaining from the off with the hosts playing their part, but Willowbank's greater threat told.
The Steel & Sons Cup finalists were favourites and wasted little time in establishing themselves with wingers Declan Gill and Ryan McAreavey causing problems and three minutes in, the former opened the scoring with a slide as he was put clear with a slide ball along the left and the finish was superb.
Willowbank sought to press home their advantage with an excellent long ball from Richard McAvoy finding Conall Maguire whose touch took him past goalkeeper Tiarnan Hughes, but too wide for a shot.
Gill then had an effort that just flew past the post, but Shamrock had been growing into the game and they were back on terms with 13 gone as a fine, curling ball into the box by Sean Begley was met by Nathan Moore who lifted the ball over Cian Kelly and into the net.
This seemed to reset the Willowbank focus as they quickly regained composure and pushed to get back in front.
Ciaran Manson saw a low drive deflected just wide, while Conall Maguire shot straight at Hughes.
Shamrock were not exactly backs to the wall as they looked to get in front with a Nathan Moore effort too high. But Willowbank would continue to press with Gill clipping into Richard McAvoy who took the ball down and steadied but missed the target from in front of goal.
Still, they were getting closer and they would indeed get back in front in the 31st minute as a corner from the right by Maguire was met by the head of Eamonn Hughes who powered a header high into the net.
This would see the floodgates open as four minutes later it was 3-1 when Pearse Devine forced a turnover and he knocked into the path of McAvoy to finish.
Three quickly became four as a superb, crisp move culminated with McAvoy's delicate back-heel sending Maguire in to finish, and it was four goals in just 10 minutes as a long ball into McAvoy saw him grab his second of the half.
However, Shamrock hit back immediately from the kick-off as Sean Begley let fly from the highway line and his effort beat Kelly who was off his line and reduced the deficit to 5-2 at the break.
The hosts would pull another one back just a minute after the restart as Sean McAuley prodded forward and pressure from Keelan Hagans on Ciaran Kelly saw the Willowbank goalkeeper miss the ball and Hagans finished.
That gave the Ardoyne men a lift and they appeared to grab the momentum, but it soon flipped back as on 53, Ryan McAreavey got to the right end-line and pulled back with Shamrock goalkeeper Tiarnan Hughes spilling on the greasy surface, leaving Conall Maguire with the simplest of finishes from just a yard out.
They restored the four-goal gap two minutes later and in fortuitous fashion as Gill skipped into the box and around Hughes. His shot from an angle on the right was thumped off the line by Gerard Patterson but cannoned back off Damien Manning and into his own net.
Shamrock hit back with one of their own just minutes later as Nathan Moore left the ball for Hagans who weaved into the box on the right and finished for his second of the game.
This reduced the gap to three, but Willowbank were in no mood to give the hosts any further encouragement as they grabbed another two in quick succession soon after.
First, a corner swung in from the right reached McAvoy who thumped a shot which kindly deflected into the path of Michael Savage to turn home and then substitute Eamonn McCullough played a lovely back-heel to Maguire who thumped home at the near post to complete his hat-trick.
That made it 9-4 and the sting had gone out of the game in the final quarter, but Shamrock goalkeeper Hughes was called into action on a few occasions to deny Gill and Savage from making it double figures for the Beechmount men.
However, the issue had long since been decided as Willowbank powered into the second round.
One Round Two fixture did take place on Saturday and it resulted in a 3-0 win for Crumlin Star at Bangor Amateurs with Domhnall Cosgrove grabbing a brace and Cormac Mullan also on target to see them through.
SHAMROCK: T Hughes, T McKee, G Patterson, D Manning (C Curley 62), N Lynch (R Glenholmes 62), S Begley, K Donnelly, S McAuley (D Keenan 62), K Hagans, K Harbabuz, N Moore.
Goals: N Moore 13; S Begley 41; K Hagans 46, 52
WILLOWBANK: C Kelly, M Reid (P Hamilton 59), M Savage, E Hughes, C Manson, N Halfpenny (G Doran 68), D Gill, P Devine, R McAvoy, C Maguire, R McAreavey (E McCullough 59)
Goals: D Gill 3; E Hughes 31; R McAvoy 35, 41; C Maguire 39, 53, 65; D Manning (OG) 55; M Savage 62
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