Impressive Rosemount book place in semi-finals

Rosemount 2-12 St Mary's, Rochfortbridge 0-7

‘Feet on the ground’ will be the buzzwords in the Rosemount camp in the coming weeks, but Karl Dermody’s charges will surely be chuffed with their display in last Saturday afternoon’s IFC quarter-final in TEG Cusack Park, as they reached the last four after a comfortable 11-point win over St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge.

After a slow start from both sides, it was the black and ambers who kicked on, following up two first-half goals with an assured second-half display to book their place in the semis against Milltown. Going by the strength shown down the spine of the team – despite a number of prominent absentees – they look like strong contenders to lift the Peter Geraghty Cup this year.

Goals from Ben Cox and the relentless Boidu Sayeh ensured that the Roses led 2-4 to 0-4 at the short whistle, and after corner back Cathal Byrne intervened to prevent a Rochfortbridge goal on 42 minutes, they kicked five points in a row to put the result beyond doubt.

Eddie Bouabbse’s St Mary’s side could never be written off but, unfortunately, never got to grips with this game. The ‘Bridge saw plenty of ball but were punished severely for some chaotic defending, particularly for Rosemount’s second goal.

Up front, Mary’s lacked a target forward with the height and power to trouble their opponents, and their expected main source of scores, Ian Keelan, played in a deeper role for much of the game. Although generating a couple of goal chances, they didn’t take them, while crucially, Rosemount took theirs.

For the winners, Sayeh’s endless stamina made him a dominant presence both in defence and attack, while David O’Reilly was a real creative force through the middle, feeding the likes of Ben Cox, Cillian Lawlor, David Tone and Seán Conlon, who all played well.

It was Declan Mullen’s experience and leadership that really counted though, first at midfield and later at full forward.

Mullen opened the scoring for Rosemount eight minutes into a poor first 10, with a stiff cross-field breeze causing havoc. Ben Cox shot two wides for the Roses, while at the other end, Ian Keelan and Aidan Robinson both missed the target for the ‘Bridge.

Keelan made amends with an equaliser on 12 minutes, dancing around prospective markers and kicking off the upright. Moments later it was Rosemount who got the first real opportunity at a goal when Mullen sent Cox through, but his tame shot was blocked by Ryan Judge in the St Mary’s goal. The ball was recycled to David Tone, who put the Roses in front with a point.

On the quarter-hour mark, Eddie Alford levelled matters for St Mary’s with a fine individual score off his left, but three minutes later, Rosemount raised their first green flag. With Mullen the lightning rod, drawing out a couple of St Mary’s defenders, he shipped to Cillian Lawlor who played a lovely ball over the top for the inrushing Boidu Sayeh, who rounded Judge and drilled the ball home with his left boot.

To their credit, St Mary’s countered and won a free which Keelan dispatched with ease, but with 20 minutes gone Rosemount came back again. This time Sayeh was the provider, dropping in a long ball that left the ‘Bridge defence at sixes and sevens. Amid the confusion, Ben Cox stole in and slid the ball to the net.

Now leading 2-2 to 0-3, Rosemount stumbled for a bit, with David O’Reilly (frees) and Cillian Lawlor sharing four bad wides. St Mary’s didn’t make these misses count, however, and all they could muster was a second point from Alford, with Keelan missing a 30th-minute free.

Meanwhile, the ‘Bridge had one of their best chances at finding the net when Jack Reid released Daragh Hall through the middle after a quick break. However, Rosemount ‘keeper Peter Elliffe was equal to Hall’s angled drive.

Shortly before the break, Rosemount regained their composure, as Sayeh converted a free and Ben Cox ended the half with a score, teed up by Lorcan Daly. There was some debate as to whether that one was wide. To this scribe, it looked comfortably over and between; referee Seán Carroll and his umpires thought the same.

After the interval, Declan Mullen resumed normal service for Rosemount with a free, and the south Westmeath outfit could have had a third goal moments later when St Mary’s netminder Ryan Judge was forced to turn a dipping David Tone shot around the post. Mullen missed the resultant ‘45’.

Ian Keelan tacked on a free for St Mary’s and although trailing 2-5 to 0-5, a goal would have put them in with a shout of reversing their fortunes. It almost arrived on 42 minutes when a rare gap appeared in the Rosemount defence. Daragh Hall centred for a teammate but Rosemount’s Cathal Byrne saved the black and ambers’ bacon with a timely intervention.

That interception was as good as a third goal from Rosemount, and from there, they pressed on to close out the game. Mullen, now dominant, kicked a free and a mark before sub Pádraig Geoghegan announced himself with a point after his first touch. At the three-quarter mark, Mullen then added a lovely score off his right to make it 2-9 to 0-5.

Although it might not have made much difference at that stage, St Mary’s almost snatched a goal on 47 minutes when Ian Keelan’s point-blank shot was saved by Peter Elliffe. A minute later, Rosemount almost netted when, after a blistering move involving David O’Reilly and Cillian Lawlor, Pádraig Geoghegan fumbled with a goal at his mercy. However, he recovered well to add his second point.

In the final minutes, Rosemount kicked a couple of more wides and Ian Keelan added another free for the ‘Bridge. Seán Lyster (St Mary’s) had a chance for a late consolation goal for St Mary’s, but blasted over the bar.

The black and ambers then had the final say, when Liam Maxwell divided the posts with a terrific free on the stroke of 60 minutes, before Pádraig Geoghegan added his third point, staking his claim for a starting place in the forthcoming semi-final.

Scorers - Rosemount: D Mullen 0-5 (3f, 1m), B Sayeh (0-1f) and B Cox 1-1 each, P Geoghegan 0-3, D Tone and L Maxwell (free) 0-1 each. St Mary’s: I Keelan 0-4 (3f), E Alford 0-2, S Lyster 0-1.

Rosemount: Peter Elliffe; Cathal Byrne, Adam Keane, Ben O’Brien; Luke Kelly, Boidu Sayeh, Lorcan Daly; Declan Mullen, David O’Reilly; Seán Conlon, Cillian Lawlor, Liam Maxwell; Ben Cox, David Tone, Matthew Cox. Subs used: Pádraig Geoghegan for B Cox (43), Ciaran Maxwell for M Cox (47), Eoin Geoghegan for Mullen (55), David Loddick for Tone (57), Colin Boland for C Lawlor (59).

St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge: Ryan Judge; Brendan Brady, Adam Kavanagh, Ed Whelehan; Enda Cully, Peter Lalor, Paul Carey; Seán Lyster, Aidan Robinson; Eddie Alford, Ian Keelan, Daragh Hall; Jack Reid, Liam Carey, Niall Cully. Subs used: Adam Bradley for Brady (inj., 25), Tiernan Fallon for P Carey (37), Eoin Gorman for Reid (41), Tiernan Jessop for Keelan (57), Gerry Byrne for N Cully (57).

Ref: Seán Carroll (The Downs).

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