Pike Rovers maintained their perfect start to the season at a rain-soaked Crossagalla this evening, securing victory over Geraldines by the narrowest of margins.
In scenes reminiscent of last season’s goalless version of this fixture, played on a foggy November morning, this was a pretty turgid affair, devoid of any real clear-cut chances. For those playing spot the difference, the only additions were one own goal and a whole lot of bloody rain.
Although there wasn’t much to shout about for either team, the Geraldines sideline were certainly in full voice in the opening minutes, when James Cleary was bundled off the ball by Wayne Colbert just outside the Pike box. While calls for a dismissal were overcooked, as Colbert had cover, the away side certainly had cause to bemoan the failure to award a free-kick in what would have been a very dangerous area.
Cleary was again fielded in a lone striker role this evening – a tough ask for the ex-Summerville number nine. Cleary looks at his best when given licence to run the channels – bringing the ball into feet and holding it up for his midfield is not his game.
This wasn’t the only area where things looked less than optimal for the ‘Dines in the first half. Pike were getting a lot of joy in their left-back area, with Donie Curtin failing to get close enough to Garry Higgins to stop the cross. Luckily for the away side, their penalty box defending was up to snuff and no real clear-cut chances resulted from the stream of deliveries coming in from that flank. Cian Collins was staying high on the left when his side were out of possession, presumably to take advantage at the back post, but he was unable to do so.
However, despite being largely under the cosh, ‘Dines were able to fashion a couple of half chances. Their front three were under clear instructions to press the Pike defence and it almost paid dividends. Although it was his partner, Sean O’Callaghan, who seemed most vulnerable to this pressure, it was Wayne Colbert who misplaced a pass in his own half after ten minutes, allowing Darren O’Sullivan to collect the loose ball. O’Sullivan drove purposefully towards goal, before forcing a diving save from Neville from the edge of the area.
Although O’Sullivan worked very hard today, there was a sense that perhaps Geraldines would have been better configured with the wingers swapped. Although Eddie Lee looked a threat when running with the ball infield on the left, he may have been more productive hugging the touchline on his usual right flank – we saw how vulnerable Pike were to Alex Purcell playing in a similar fashion last Sunday morning.
Am I allowed to mention the rain again? Jesus, it was bad. Gary Neville presumably agreed when he slipped after moving off his line to collect a routine Keith Hartnett ball over the top early in the second half. Eddie Lee prodded wide at the back post under fierce pressure from a vigilant Wayne O’Donovan.
The Geraldines management obviously spoke to Curtin at half-time. Moments after the restart he was on Higgins’ toes and won the ball cleanly from him with a strong challenge. Alas for the visiitors, a new deficiency then presented itself, which would prove to be their downfall.
Pike unleashed a seemingly never-ending stream of set-pieces in the opening ten minutes of the second period, which Geraldines consistently failed to deal with. The commanding presence of goalkeeper Mfon Nyong, on show last Thursday and, indeed, in the first half here, had evaporated. The goal was coming. And arrive it did – courtesy of a Hanrahan inswinger which centre-back Keith O’Connor turned into his own net from six yards.
Pike shored it up with a couple of defensive substitutions from here, bringing on defenders Jason Mullins and Ken Meehan to provide steel to the midfield area, but the victory never really looked in doubt – even after the ‘Dines introduced towering Drogheda midfielder Stephen Keeley to the fray, who put in an encouraging cameo performance.
And so Geraldines drop their first points of the league season, four games in. This was, of course, a rare away fixture for the ‘Dines, who were originally down to play four of their first six games at home – before their own pitch in Garryowen will be ready for action. This became five out of six after the club swapped with Regional to accommodate that side’s own infrastructural woes. Seems like the fixtures “computer” has a bit of a virus to me, particularly given how many of their opening run that Fairview are being forced to play away from home – is it 5 out of 7?
Hopefully that “computer” will be checked out in time for next season, to prevent a repeat of such a strange outcome….
Limerick District League 