A Colin Daly hat-trick fired Pike Rovers to their sixth league victory out of six tonight, against a depleted Regional United.
First half
Coming into this game without Garbhan Coughlan, Kieran O’Connell and Dave Cowpar was always going to be a tough ask for the visitors. Yet, despite these key absences, Regional more than held their own in the early part of the first half. However, despite enjoying decent possession, the boys in red were clearly putting the focus on keeping it tight. Although they started with two strikers today, in the shape of Peter Ryan and Ollie O’Driscoll, it spoke volumes to see the latter get in off a Nealon through ball, only to find not one single red shirt in the area to meet his cross.
Pike, with the extra man in midfield, eventually began to assert their inevitable dominance. They began to get space between the away defence and midfield, who were guilty of not getting compact enough at times, in the absence of O’Connell. Hanrahan was given all the time in the world to pick one of his trademark long-range efforts. And moments later, Colin Daly was allowed to play Garry Higgins in down the inside-right, who forced a strong save from Rob Shier.
Mikey Lyons’ runs from midfield were again a bright spot for United. Midway through the first period, he steamed past McGann to collect a lay-off, playing in O’Driscoll. who forced a save and a rare fumble from Pike netminder, Gary Neville. The Hoops were first to the rebound to save his blushes.
Pike upped the pressure ante towards the end of the half, however, creating two fantastic chances from the right that they should have converted. First, Daly again got on it between the lines, feeding Wayne O’Donovan, who had left marker O’Driscoll for dead. O’Donovan’s cutback found Hanrahan all alone in the area, but the striker skewed his sidefooted effort wide of the far post. Moments later, a Garry Higgins cross, from the same flank, found Paddy O’Malley at the back post. O’Malley failed to turn in his headed effort from point blank range.
Second half
Regional lost another key player at the break. Centre-back, Andrew Cowpar, was forced off due to injury, with returning midfielder Paddy McMyler introduced in his stead – Tommy Frawley duly dropped into defence.
Despite this further blow to their chances, the away side started the second period in the ascendancy. Davey Lyons had a great chance from the edge of the area that he lofted over. And, moments later, a miscued headed clearance from Pa Mullins, starting his first game of this season, allowed Ken Nealon in on the Pike goal. Nealon’s effort bypassed Neville, only to be dramatically cleared off the line by Wayne O’Donovan!
However, from the resulting Mikey Lyons corner, Regional finally got their reward – Brian O’Callaghan rising higher than the hand of Gary Neville to head onto the crossbar. Peter Ryan was on hand on the line to head in the simple rebound. Neville vociferously claimed that he had been illegally impeded and was booked for his troubles.
That lead didn’t last long. Pike equalised moments later courtesy of a fantastic fast break. Hanrahan dropped off to collect the first ball out of defence, before immediately playing in O’Malley on the left. The winger showed amazing pace to skin Deegan before producing a perfect low cross for the onrushing Colin Daly to convert in the six-yard box.
There was more injury misery to come for Regional. Manager, Brian O’Callaghan, was caught injured in a striker position, as Pike mounted an attack. Although Peter Ryan filled in for his boss, he was unable to stop Colin Daly from feeding Hanrahan in the area. The Pike striker took the ball in and drew a foul from the other stand-in, Tommy Frawley. Regional personnel on the sideline felt that there was a clear offside in the build-up, although others were more concerned with their decision not to make an immediate substitution. Those concerns aside, there was a brief reprieve coming for the visitors, in the form of another Wayne O’Donovan penalty miss – skied over the bar, Baggio-style. An unusual run of form for the full-back, who rarely if ever missed from the spot during his time at Pearse Stadium.
Regional were holding on now. They introduced young Evan Patterson at right back for their crocked boss, with Deegan shifted central and Ryan dropping back into a holding role. Although Patterson had played in that position in his cameo away to Geraldines too, his defensive inexperience was on display for the late Pike winner. Patterson did well to get his head to a Paddy O’Malley corner, heading it back in the direction of the taker. Unfortunately, upon rushing out to confront the Pike winger, the Regional full-back jumped and showed his back to his opponent, allowing the cross. That cross was won by the home side at the back post, with Colin Daly picking up the pieces, nodding in at close range for his second.
His third was still to come – in injury time, after he collected an underhit Frawley backpass and beautifully lofted his finish over the backpedaling Shier. Quite the way to complete a hat-trick.
Conclusion
And so it’s a deserved win in the end, for a Pike side that could afford to spurn two glorious late first-half chances and still run out two goal winners. More than a touch of misfortune about it for Regional though, who will bemoan the absence of key players and the mid-game injuries to both starting centre-backs. They almost hung on for a valiant point nonetheless, only to fall victim to an unfortunate individual error in the last minute.
Although Pike, along with Geraldines and Mungret Regional, had the joint most settled side in the league before tonight’s game, with only 13 unique starters*, that’s all about to change in the coming days and weeks. The imminent arrivals of Brazier and Connery will solve problems in wide areas and up top respectively, as long as the latter is fielded as a striker where he belongs, feeding off Daly’s through balls and allowing Hanrahan to return to his natural wide position. Ken Meehan has returned to the northside, with Moyross the destination, with rumours circling about another Hoop joining him. Meanwhile, Pike are also allegedly on the hunt, outside the city, for another body for their ever-burgeoning centre midfield cohort.
Interesting times up at Crossagalla times, then. And successful times too. With almost a third of the season played, they’ve yet to drop a point. And that’s with a squad that they’re apparently not yet entirely happy with!
Scorers
Daly (3); Ryan
Man of the Match
Colin Daly
*Yes, I’ve been collecting statistics (starts and goals) since the beginning of the season too, primarily driven by a desire to create a top scorers chart that reflects league games only and isn’t skewed by lower division cup hammerings (although, perhaps I shouldn’t have revealed that now, eh?…). Look out for a stats page on my website soon, including little trivia nuggets like that one above. Finally, thanks to all those who showed support in public and private for the sentiments behind my article yesterday. I spoke to committee members of both clubs this evening about the current situation and will continue to do so as I move around the grounds. Let’s not let this lie now, while the momentum is there.
Limerick District League 