Blast from the Past. Munster Junior Cup, November 2003 Rockville take their chances, Glencairn don't.
Blast from the Past. Munster Junior Cup, 9th November 2003
"All about taking your chances"
Winners Rockville
Rockville 3 Glencairn Celtic 2
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| Rockville scorer Mick McAuliffe (right) says thanks Micky Forde for the pass. |
Visitors Celtic survived a few more scary moments in the first half before Alex Gorobets blasted a free kick home early in the second half. It was all Celtic now and they soon equalised but, like Rockville, in the first half, wasted a string of chances and it was Celtic who paid in the end when Mickly Forde took advantage of a defensive slip-up to put Rockville into the draw for round three.
Rockville’s 5th-minute opener was expertly headed home from close range by the experienced Mick McAuliffe. He had earlier missed making contact with a Wayne Hogan cross but was spot on when Micky Forde fired the ball over from the right.
Glencairn's Neil Duggan wins header against Eamonn Cassidy.
Glencairn tried to get back into it and both Kieran Duggan and Robert Kelly missed at the far post after a Neil Duggan corner had been allowed to travel across. That was in the 6th minute and, less than sixty seconds later Kelly, again at the far post, was unable to profit after Mick Glavin had flicked on.
Rockville defender Denis McAuliffe kicks clear.
Forde got his first of the game in the 16th minute. He took down a right-wing cross from Hogan, turned and shot low past keeper Mark Smith.
Again the visitors tried to respond and were almost gifted a goal in the 24th minute. Then keeper Kieran Cogan and Denis McAuliffe collided as a Kelly cross came in. The ball ran loose but fell kindly for McAuliffe who calmly booted clear.
Rockville keeper Kieran Cogan, anxious as Kieran Duggan (Glencairn)
just fails to reach speeding cross in the dying minutes.
Glencairn continued to press and came very close five minutes later. Then Galvin played a one-two with Kelly but Cogan was on full alert and advanced to block the shot as it left the striker’s boot. Kelly then got through the middle but fired straight at Cogan.
Rockville soon had chances to extend their lead as the initiative swung their way. Full-back Eoin Oniell did well to free Forde on the right and his cross fell to McGillacuddy but keeper Smith got down bravely to make the save. 
Rockville's Jason McGillacuddy on the ball as Paul Keenan closes in.
Celtic were thanking their keeper again in the 43rd minute. Then Mick McAuliffe blocked down a clearance on the left and sqaured the ball to Hogan who looked good for a goal. But the keeper advanced smartly and tapped the ball off Hogan’s foot. That save and a later one from McGillacuddy keep the tie alive for the second half.
Glencairn took over after the restart and Rockville could not get out of their own half. And Russian Gorobets set home nerves jangling with a brilliant 51st minute free kick that flew past Cogan as he dived to his right.
Glencairn's Neil Duggan outjumps Alan Shaw (right).
Rockville did break out in the 56th minute when Hogan and Forde combined to get McAuluiffe in but keeper Smith again saved the shot before it got going.
Glencairn were soon back on the attack and converted keeper Galvin, playing at centre forward, made it 2-2 in the 57th minute, cracking in an 18-yard shot after Neil Duggan had helped knock down a cross from the left by Downey.
Glencairn
Rockville were reeling but Glencairn just couldn’t come up with a killer blow. Alan McCarthy fired just over after a Harrington cross had produced a corner and then Downing raced in from the left but his shot sped over the top.
Midway through, another Downey effort, this a chip, ended going over and then Neil Duggan played Kelly through the middle but, forced wide, he shot straight at keeper Cogan.
Glencairn scorer Mick Galvin (right) heads clear against Denis McAuliffe.
Rockville gradually got their act together and had a chance on the half-hour. Hogan‘s cross found Forde lurking couple of yards out but his effort was taken off the line.
That was in the 75th minute and Rockville had better luck in the next. Glencairn’s keeper and defence got their calls wrong and Forde kept going, won a ball he had no right to, looked up and rolled it into the empty net as a lone defender scurried back in vain.
Glencairn keeper Mark Smith knocks the ball away from Wayne Hogan.
It was a cruel blow to Celtic but as Greg Duggan, the Rockville assistant manager, said: It’s all about putting the ball in the net and, in Forde and McAuliffe, we have two that do that consistently. Nothing else matters.”
Glencairn manager Pat Downing would surly agree having seen his injury-hit team waste the opportunities when they had the upper hand in the third quarter.
Glencairn's Michael Galvin gets away from the grounded Alan Shaw.
Rockville: Kieran Cogan, Eoin O’Neill, John Long, Denis McAuliffe, Damien O'Sullivan, Eric Doolin (captain), Eamonn Cassidy, Wayne Hogan, Mick McAuliffe, Mick Forde and Jason Mcgillacuddy. Subs used: Alan Shaw and Liam Myers.
Glencairn Celtic: Mark Smith, Ian Harrington, Alex Gorobets, Alan McCarthy, Fergal Giltinan, Kieran Duggan, Neil Duggan (captain), Paul Keenan, Michael Galvin, Robert Downey and Robert Kelly. Subs used: Ken Kelleher and Kiril Burkhan.
Referee: John Lyne
Rockville's Eamonn Cassidy is first to the ball.
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