WILLOW PARK 4 COLLINSTOWN FC 1
John Dingle
It was the perfect response to conceding six goals against Glebe North in their previous outing as Willow Park returned to winning ways with a comprehensive performance to inflict defeat on Collinstown in DPD Park on Saturday night.
The first two opportunities in the game fell the way of the visitors with Mikey Griffin firing over from the left with Dean Meehan also off target. Mark Sherlock then had the first home chance as Willow gradually got a foothold in the game.
Sherlock had a further opportunity and the deadlock was broken by the home team after 20 minutes play, Benny Magennis finding the net with a neat finish after drawing the keeper off his line. It was the perfect tonic for manager Davie McGuinness as Sherlock and Magennis had further chances to increase the lead.
Four corners in quick succession had Collinstown under pressure but the visitors had a good chance to level matters five minutes before half time. Gerard Shortt set up Luke Kelly but his shot was pushed away by Dylan McGoey, leaving the game delicately balanced for the second half.
Sherlock had the first chance to score when play resumed and the lead was soon doubled, a well placed corner kick taken by Ryan Gaffey falling to Cathal Callinan who volleyed to the net.
Collinstown replied through Paul McMahon but his shot cleared the bar. The three points were safely secured on the hour mark. A free kick was conceded just inside the Collinstown half and Niall Scullion took responsibility and what happened next was truly astonishing as the strike carried in the swirling wind all the way to the net past a back-peddling Greg Murray in the away goal.
More grief was to follow for the hapless keeper as he was dismissed just three minutes later. Rushing out of his penalty area to upend Sherlock was ill advised and left the referee with little choice other than to produce the red card.
There was a slight delay in proceedings as Collinstown changed keeper, but further punishment was to follow from the resulting free kick. Callinan’s strike hit off the post but Gaffey was in the right place to tap home from close range.
Everything was going the home team’s way at this stage but surprisingly they did not add to their goal tally in spite of having an extra man. With the points safely secured, Willow eased up a little.
Collinstown survived without conceding again and rallied to reduce the deficit with 10 minutes left to play. It was a good goal to provide the Dubliners with some consolation as substitute Josh Dunne’s shot on the turn gave McGoey no chance of saving.
Willow did not create any further chances to increase their lead. Instead, the visitors might even have further reduced the deficit before the final whistle sounded. In the closing moments, Kelly took aim and was not far off hitting the target with the ball clearing the bar.
Full time soon arrived and Willow could celebrate a welcome win.
