February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Pierce O’Reilly
Stamford 2-12, Rockland 1-8
Missing five of their regular lineout and especially their industrious center forward, Mike Fitzpatrick, Rockland were always going to struggle against Stamford Sunday at Gaelic Park.
The opening half was very close with both sides exchanging points from the off. Kieran Gallagher was the difference between the sides in this period and his lightning strike with five seconds remaining in the half gave the Connecticut club a three-point cushion.
Rockland started brightly and Fisher Fitzgerald found the net in the second minute after some outstanding work by Mike Healy. Mayo native Gallagher however, was a constant threat in the opening 30 minutes and his pace and accuracy left the Rockland defense in sixes and sevens. Gallagher accounted for 1-2 in this period, his two points coming in quick succession when he collected the ball behind the Rockland halfback line.
Cathal Boyle rattled the back of the Rockland net after 10 minutes after dual player Tom Moylan found him in space on the edge of the small square. Gallagher and Kevin Golden then exchanged points before the sides settled into their rhythm. It was nip and tuck from here to the half time whistle with neither side gaining a clear advantage. Points from Gallagher and Spike Martin (2) pushed Stamford in front before Cork native Denis Cronin and stalwart Gerry O’Riordan reeled them back once again. The crucial score of the half came on the stroke of halftime, with the lively and wiry Gallagher rifling an opportunist goal to the back of Jimmy Dwyer’s net.
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The second half was a much more one-sided affair. Rockland struggled to find their range and with several wayward passes in attack they lost their direction. Stamford, on the other hand, continued to press forward, and with full forward and Kildare native Padraig Crevan hitting some lovely frees, they pulled six points ahead. Further points from Gallagher and Alan Fanning put Rockland out of sight with 15 minutes played. Rockland managed only three points in the second half, all coming from the ground. Fitzgerald got two and Kevin Golden one, their only responses to the Stamford onslaught. Spike Martin finished the afternoon with a great point from the right wing to leave the Connecticut side at the top of the senior "A" division after the hour. Donncha Dwyer will be happy with the result: three wins from three starts is the perfect opening to the season and with a few other players on the way from Ireland the visitors will surely improve. Rockland will welcome back Fitzpatrick and Dublin U-21 captain Martin Kennedy with open arms. If they had them on Sunday, it would have been a lot closer.
Rockland: Jimmy Dwyer, Richie Barrett, Jimmy O’Flynn, Ray Lennon, John Mc Guiness, Tom Acton, Sean Roche, Paddy Corcoran, Tom McHugh, Davie Fitzgerald 1-3, Kevin Golden 0-3, Denis Cronin 0-1, Mike Healy, Gerry O’Riordan 0-1, Tommy Fennell. Subs: Sean Sorahan, Emmett Woods.
Stamford: Enda Lohan, Justin O’Halloran, Philip Wickham, Rory McGeaney, Keith Hennessy, Richie Purcell, Mark Comerford, Alan Fanning 0-1, Sean Maher, Fergal O’Neill, Tom Moylan, Kieran Gallagher 1-3, Cathal Boyle 1-1, Padraig Crevan 0-3, Spike Martin 0-4.