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New York GAA Westput withers in Rockland rout

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Mike Fitzpatrick

Rockland 3-11, Westput Gaels 0-0

The scoreline is not a misprint.

Westput failed to score a single point in this 20-point hammering at the hands of Rockland.

The two upstate rivals came face to face in this junior football "A" tie where it was generally considered that we’d have had a decent game of football played. Westput clearly missed the services of their charismatic star Danny Leavy, still unavailable due to injury and he was never more sorely missed than in this annihilation by Rockland, their local rivals.

Emmet Woods and Jimmy McGovern opened the scoring for Rockland and within minutes of the game’s opening, Rockland was two goals and five points to the good.

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Westput did perform some attacking maneuvers, though efforts from Philip Connolly, Sean Cox and Kevin McManus sailed well wide.

On a day when temperatures soared upward of 85 degrees on the first official day of summer, Rockland showed no mercy toward their opponents, and though the lead they had accumulated was virtually unassailable, an unforgiving performance from Woods continued to inflict damage upon the Westput backline.

Woods hit another goal and a point in the second half.

Rockland continued to surge forward throughout the second half, with the exciting forward Tommy Fennell making an appearance midway through the half and almost getting on the score sheet with a well taken effort that sailed narrowly wide. John Fitzpatrick also came on for Rockland and registered a score with a shot that flew in over the Westput bar to further increase their lead.

The result is surprising, as this Westput side had brushed Dublin aside with relative ease earlier in the season. Rockland thoroughly deserved the victory, and though scoring a combined total of 20 points to Westput’s no score, it would be unfair to suggest that the scoreline flattered Rockland. They were by far the better side on the day. After maulings such as this, however, it is not always easy to gather up momentum and continuing to battle for points in the championship race. Rockland are clearly a serious force in this season’s set-up.

Rockland: Ray Lennon, Brendan McHugh, Tom O’Riordan, Jimmy O’Flynn, Donal Cassidy, Denis McHugh, Tom Acton (0-1), Tom McHugh, Paddy Corcoran, Jimmy Duggan, Billy Horan (0-2), Dave Fitzgerald (0-1), Mike Prendergast (1-0), Emmet Woods (2-3), Jimmy McGovern (0-3),. Subs: John Fitzpatrick (0-1), Tommy Fennell, Sean Fitzpatrick, Gerry Riordan, Sean Roche.

Westput Gaels: Tom Feighery, Neil McMahon, Sean Burke, Mike Burke, Mike Deere, Mike Conway, Sean Brennan, Jim Stanton, John Higgins, Peter Brennan, Ronan McCaffery, Philip Connolly, Sean Cox, Jim Burke, Kevin McManus. Subs: Shane McCauley, Kieran Cullinane, John Larkin.

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