February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Rovers 4, Islip 2
The Rovers won the League Cup recently with a thrilling victory over Islip. Lenny Skeehan’s men gave the Rovers a tough match, John Caffrey excelling in midfield, but Rovers had the best player on the field in Stuart Duffin, who scored a hat trick.
Duffin put Rovers ahead with a fine strike from the edge of the area, but John Carty headed an equalizer. Duffin then finished off a John O’Hagan cross, but again Islip fought back to tie the game at halftime. Andy Hill headed home a Martin Docherty center from close range early in the second half before Duffin completed his hat trick with a bicycle kick Pele would have envied.
Super Cup
Rovers 1, Real Caribe 0
Rovers won the Super Cup with an unlikely victory over league champions Real Caribe. Rovers had to thank young Owen MacParland for a wonder display, and a great goal on his return to first-team football from Kevin Daly. Daly scored the winner with only five minutes left on the clock. Kieron O’Brien ran 40 yards before passing to Daly, and the former St. John’s star curled a 20-yard shot over the keeper and under the bar.
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Rovers Over 30s 3, Islip 0
Rovers Over-30s captured their first league championship with a hard-fought win over a determined Islip team. Rovers dominated possession but could not find the breakthrough until Dave Quigley beat the offside trap to score the opening goal just before halftime.
Early in the second half, a spectacular free kick from John Browne was superbly touched onto the post by the Islip keeper, but Dan Sewell prodded home the rebound for his first Rovers goal. Quigley then headed home a Nigel Cunniffe cross. Liam Flanagan and Paul McGlynn were fantastic in midfield, while the defense again was rock solid.