Desperation driven by relegation fears drove Colga on to a surprise 3-0 Premier League win against a lacklustre Oranmore yesterday.
It was just last-placed Colga’s second win for the season as they determinedly blazed past their neighbours in a competitive local derby in Oranmore.
Two goals, including a penalty in the first half and a third in the final 45 minutes, sealed the deal, although Oranmore should feel justifiably short-changed as they did everything short of packaging up and mailing the ball past Colga ‘keeper Paul Collins.
If possession equated to points the game should well have been theirs, but instead they were left to nurse a Halloween hangover of substantial proportions.
Oranmore had the run of the game from the opening whistle, shots by Alan Barrett, Colin Browne and Dave Devlin all going close within the first four minutes of action.
A Barrett header proved another near miss, before Lonan O’Farrell’s long ball grazed the top of the cross bar on the 15 minute mark.
But just as all was looking to be flowing their way, Colga retaliated with their first goal.
It came about through a mistake by Oranmore ‘keeper Conor Leydon who came to the top of the box to attempt to defend a shot by Cathal Connolly, but succeeded in making an illegal tackle and referee Vincent Carew pointed to the spot.
Gary Forde was given penalty duties and he made no mistake as Colga took a 1-0 lead.
Momentum refused to swing away from the home side following the goal though and in a heated period later in the half, numerous shots from four consecutive Oranmore corners could well have spelt the equaliser.
One in particular, a long ball by O’Farrell, looked to have actually hit the back of the net, but Carew was on the spot and denied the chance.
Some desperation defensive work off the line saved another few Oranmore chances, two key ones by Browne looking ominous, but again halted at the last moment.
Then with five minutes left in the half Forde claimed his second, this time from the field.
Passes forward from Oliver Mullins and Dermot Mulrooney saw Forde gather it at the top of the box.
He skirted around Dave Devlin and took it right down to the line before flicking it off his left boot across the goal face, behind Leydon and over the line.
It was a significantly more sombre second half from the home side and they never really looked like getting back into the contest, although they continued to have the majority of the opportunities.
Colga and Forde’s third goal came on 72 minutes and put paid to any ideas Oranmore had of a comeback.
Robert O’Grady took a free just inside half way, curving it high to the far left post and Forde was on hand to head it home.
The game then dwindled to its close, Colga content to cling on to a clean sheet and Oranmore resigned to the fact that it was never going to be their day.
Oranmore: Conor Leydon, Dave Devlin (Willie Carr, 75mins ), Sean O’Brien, Dermot Noone, Ollie Neary, Dave Eignor (Tony Kelly, 75mins ), Alan Barrett, Lonan O’Farrell, Brian Mannion, Dave Sheehan, Colin Browne (John Latchford, 55mins ).
Colga: Paul Collins, Marcus Faherty, Oliver Mullins, James McDonnell, Robert O’Grady, Enda Connolly, Maurice Finn, Alan Biard (Jocelita Costa, 72mins ), Cathal Connolly, Dermot Mulrooney (David Donoghue, 54mins ), Gary Forde.
Referee: Vincent Carew.
