Abbeylara reach last four at second attempt

22.08.10 | SFC Quarter-Final | Abbeylara 2-7 Rathcline 0-10 | By Neil Halligan

Yet another semi-final beckons for Abbeylara after a hard-earned win over Rathcline at the second time of asking.

It's the north Longford side's third semi-final appearance on-the-trot, and having lost the previous two, they'll be looking to make a return to the county title decider for the first time since 2006.

If they are to achieve what many would feel is a big ask against a free-scoring Dromard side, it will take a lot more than what was produced in Pearse Park on Sunday evening last.

In glorious sunshine, it wasn't a game that befitted the weather conditions as both sides struggled to get a grip on proceedings.

Overall, it was Rathcline who probably played more of the football, but two first half goals proved to be pivotal in ensuring Abbey's passage to the semi-final.

Of course, at the heart of both goals was Niall Sheridan. The tall full forward has terrorised defences throughout his long and successful footballing career, for both club and county.

For teams that are struggling to find an opening, he provides a perfect outlet for a long ball that either he or his fellow forwards can feed off.

And so, up against Rathcline's Kevin Connaughton, Sheridan had an interesting battle, particularly in the first half.

The first two balls into the full forward line, Connaughton managed to come out on top, winning the first ball and earning a free with the second.

However, by the time that second ball was pumped in, Rathcline were already up and running with three points on the board in the opening nine minutes – Derek Casserly, Ryan Fallon and James Hanley all raising the white flag.

With options seemingly limited, Abbey persisted with the long ball. Sheridan managed to grab hold of the third long punt, but had his shot bravely blocked by defender James Carroll.

The fourth yielded Abbey's opening goal in the 13th minute. John Kiernan lobbed the ball in from the left, and Sheridan managed to break it for Maurice O'Connor. After his first shot was blocked, O'Connor managed to finish off the rebound to level the scoring and undo all of Rathcline's early work.

Sheridan set up Robbie Smyth's first of three points, before goal number two arrived in the 17th minute – again the big number 14 was at the heart of it.

James McEntire, from outside the 45 metre line, launched a long probing ball towards the Rathcline goal, where Sheridan and Connaughton were jostling. The ball looked to be drifting over both, but in stretching for the ball, the Rathcline player managed to get a hand to it. In doing so, however, the ball was diverted past the advancing Declan Feeney and into the net.

Rathcline responded well, with points from James Hanley (free) and a Brian McCormack point that could have been a goal. Abbey replied with two Brian Smyth points to put them 2-3 to 0-5 ahead at the break.

Once again, Rathcline hit back with three points (two huge efforts from Ronan Clyne) to bring them to within one, but some wayward shooting meant they couldn't capitalise on their period of dominance.

Abbey added a further two to push themselves three ahead, but Rathcline again came back with two more to make it a one-point game with just four minutes left on the clock.

As the clock ran down, Rathcline missed some scoreable chances in normal, before the 2006 champions knocked over two points in injury time, through Barry Smyth and Robbie Smyth seal their place in the last four.

A far from convincing win for Abbey' who will face a different prospect in Dromard. Another interesting full forward/full back duel is in prospect there.

Abbeylara: Declan McGuire; Liam Reilly, Donal Ledwith, Ciaran Drake; Colm P. Smyth, James.McEntire (1-0), Fergal Battrim; Willie Crawford, Enda Ledwith; Brian Smyth (0-2), Colm E. Smyth, John Kiernan; Robbie Smyth (0-3), Niall Sheridan (0-1), Maurice O'Connor (1-0).

Subs: Sean Murphy for Kiernan (half-time); Michael O'Connor for Brian Smyth (43 mins); Barry Smyth (0-1) for Battrim (48 mins).

Rathcline: Declan Feeney; Eamon Farrell, Kevin Connaughton, Michael Hanley; James Carroll, Ronan Clyne (0-2), Rory Donnellan; Derek Casserly (0-2), Sean Farrell; Shane Carroll, Paddy Mullooly, Ryan Fallon (0-1); Kevin Chapman, Brian McCormack (0-1), James Hanley (0-4, 3f).

Subs: Shane Donohoe for Donnellan (43 mins); Stephen Masterson for Hanley and David Rooney for Mullooly (56 mins).

Referee: Aidan Dowler (Moydow Harpers).

Copyright Longford Leader