Clane come out on top in Christmas cracker
Clane's Alex Mooney was a driving force in his side's win over Suncroft. Photos: Michael Anderson
As our wet winter continued, the all-weather pitch at Doctors Road was in full use on Saturday. The meeting of Suncroft and table-toppers Clane United on the final weekend before the Christmas break was played in blustery wet conditions, that made quality football a challenge, but both sides defied the odds to produce a cracker of a game.
The early stages of the game were tentative as both sides struggled with a wind favouring Suncroft in the first half. Suncroft set up to force Clane back towards their own goalline in the early goings - and had some success - but failed to threaten the scoreboard.
As both teams got to grips with the conditions, Clane stared to have some success down the right with Eddie O’Loughlin and Gavin Denton having shots easily saved by Martin in the Suncroft goal.
The breakthrough came in the 19th minute when Denton squared the ball to an arriving Sean Murphy who placed his shot into the bottom corner to give Clane the lead. The home side upped the tempo and should have increased the lead over the next few minutes, but Murphy and Denton each missed good chances.
Suncroft were hanging on a bit at this stage but Hipwell in the middle of their defence was excellent as Clane pushed for a second. The away side gradually stemmed the flow and from the half hour mark began to push a Clane defence further and further back with a period of sustained pressure.
Suncroft finally got what that pressure deserved shortly before half time when a back pass from Sam Farrell didn’t have enough on it allowing Hartnett to pounce. His effort drew a fine save form Mooney in the Clane goal, but the keeper was powerless to stop Cahill tucking home the rebound to restore parity.
The remainder of the half was tight and the teams went into the break level at 1-1.
The second half stared with the wind favouring Clane but it was Suncroft who started the brighter with Magee in the Suncroft engine room pulling the strings. It wasn’t long before he whipped in a fabulous cross that made it all the way to the back post, but Mooney pulled off an outrageous double save from Ryan and Cahill to keep Clane level in the game.
The hosts seemed to be inspired by this reprieve. A fabulous run from Denton saw him hauled down in the box leaving referee Eddie Sullivan little option but to point to the spot. Denton picked himself up but his scuffed shot wide and the game remained at a stalemate.
Clane went to their bench after an hour's play and the three replacements made an immediate impact. O’Loughlin took a corner from the right and Shane Henry, mere moments after his introduction, rose highest to direct a powerful header into the net from ten yards.
Clane were now on the up and pressed for more goals. Suncroft looked threatening on the counterattack with Magee to the fore as his side searched for an equaliser.
However, it was Denton who had the final say in this entertaining game, firing home a shot with five minutes remaining following a deft pass from Felton to make the game 3-1. Clane managed the final few minutes without any major scares and now head the table at the Christmas break.
