Supersub to the rescue
LSL DIVISION 1A BOYNE ROVERS...............1 VERONA..........................1
Mark Quinn, Square United can't believe he's being sent off after receiving his second yellow card against Woodview during their Tully Bookmakers Cup tie.
Wednesday March 10 2010
SUBSTITUTE Mickey Leech grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser for Boyne Rovers in a dramatic finish to this clash at Parkview on Sunday.
Leaders Verona looked to have stolen victory when they broke the deadlock in the 88th minute, but the home side – beaten 4-0 by lower league opposition the week before – showed admirable battling qualities to hit back and claim what could prove a vital point.
The visitors' efforts to break down Rovers in the first half failed miserably, as centrehalves Shane McCann and Andy Mooney kept a high line and caught their opponents offside almost a dozen times.
Brian McCole and Paul McCarthy ran the show in midfield, and the former should have scored on the half-hour when the Verona keeper saved his shot from inside the six-yard box.
Just before the interval Kevin Walsh released Ciaran Hartnett with a 40-yard pass and the striker flicked the ball over the advancing keeper and off the crossbar.
On 50 minutes Keith Mullally shot narrowly wide from 18 yards, and at the other end keeper Shane Boylan remained a virtual spectator as Verona continued to stray offside with remarkable regularity.
Rovers' luck appeared to have run out in the 88th minute when Verona's centreforward shot past Boylan, with the home side looking for the assistant referee's flag.
But in the second minute of stoppage time Rovers won a corner and Colin Rafferty's kick was flicked on by Dean Smith and Leech – only on the field about four minutes – fired to the Verona net from close range.
Much to the annoyance of the visitors, the referee only played one further minute before blowing for full-time.
Ironically, Rovers' draw actually saw them drop into the bottom two in the 1A table for the first time this season, but if they can repeat performances such as this one they are well capable of pulling clear of the drop zone in the coming weeks.
