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Raphoe men make full points raid on ‘Orchard County’

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Armagh 0. Raphoe 3.

RAPHOE Hockey Club men's firsts travelled to the Orchard County on Saturday to play Armagh and brought home the three Senior One points, as well as their first clean sheet in the league this season with a 3-0 scoreline.
Raphoe opened the brighter of the two teams and Alan Patterson had their first chance straight from the push-back. As the home defence dwindled on the ball, Patterson stole the ball off the last man, but saw his effort hit the side board from a narrow angle.
Raphoe took the lead midway through the half when, from their first short corner, Matthew Lecky powerfully flicked the ball into the net from the top of the circle.
Raphoe were well on top at this stage and after good patient build-up play Alan Patterson again found himself in the circle and with the reverse stick he sent a shot goalwards, only for Richard Patterson to unfortunately deflect the ball wide.
At the other end, Armagh could only muster a couple of half chances, one of which ended with them winning a short corner, but Johnny Rankin was up to the task and easily saved from Ainsley Roberts.
Towards the end of the first half, both teams found themselves down to 10 men when, after a few 'handbags at four paces', Rodney Bates and Gregory Croft were both 'sinbinned'.
Armagh started the second half trying to find an equaliser, but time and again they tried but and failed to find a way past the Raphoe defence and 10 minutes into the half they found themselves 2-0 down.
Raphoe counter-attacked with John Watt clearing the ball from deep inside his own half. He found Richard Patterson wide on the left and his cross was easily tapped in by Alan Patterson with the Armagh defence at sixes and sevens.
But credit to Armagh, they refused to lie down and began to fight back and won several short corners during a 10-minute spell, when Raphoe found it difficult to clear their lines.
Great saves
But again Rankin produced several great saves - kicking one shot out for a side line hit and he produced the save of the match low to his right when he got his stick to the ball and deflected it around the post.
With eight minutes left, Raphoe wrapped up the three points when Trevor Patterson fed the ball to Richard Patterson in the circle. He coolly rounded the keeper and pushed the ball into the open net.
Then, in the final couple of minutes, from Armagh's final short corner Richard Patterson was quick off the line to block Gregory Croft's shot and the game ended 3-0 to Raphoe.
Man of the match for Raphoe was Johnny Rankin. This result, along Saturday's other results, leaves Raphoe in second place in Senior League One - nine points behind Antrim with two games in hand. This coming Saturday, Raphoe are at home to Bangor with a 2.30pm push-back at the Royal School grounds.
This weekend's match sponsors were Jonathon Magee, McBride Street, Raphoe, and Morris Brothers, Main Street, Convoy.
Raphoe: Johnny Rankin, William Kilpatrick, Rodney Bates, Matthew Lecky, Keith Meehan, Lee Stewart, Ian McGonigle (cpt), John Watt, George Patterson, Richard Patterson, Alan Patterson, Trevor Patterson, Gavin Lecky and Alan Meehan.
Elsewhere, Raphoe thirds drew 3-3 at home with South Antrim and the fourths team lost 6-2 at South Antrim.
Meanwhile, winners of this week's 300 Club draw were: 1, Frank McBrearty Jnr; 2, Suzanne McKean; 3, Don Pearson.

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