PIKE Rovers maintained their 100% record in the Limerick District League Premier Division with a hard-fought 2-3 victory over Ballynanty Rovers at Limerick Institute of Technology. Eoin Hanrahan x2 and Nathan O’Callaghan accounted for the Pike goals while John Connery and Eddie Byrnes were on the scoresheet for the hosts.
Both sides entered the game with two wins from two games so something had to give on the night. Ballynanty manager Dave Dunphy stuck with his preferred 3-5-2 formation but made a number of changes with Daragh Hughes, Jason Hughes and Arron Nunan replacing Ger Higgins, Eddie Byrnes and Pa Whelan following Sunday’s win over Mungret.
Pike made no fewer than 8 changes to their starting 11 from the weekend’s drubbing of Kilmallock United as with the likes of Colin Daly, Hanrahan and Layng returning to the team.
Robbie Williams team were the brighter of the two sides in the opening period with both Hanrahan and Steven McGann looking particularly dangerous in the final third. It was the combination of these two players which put the visitors in front when McGann brushed passed the challenges of both Seamus Maloney and Jake Dillon before finding the onrushing Hanrahan at the back-post who finished emphatically beyond Stephen McNamara.
Both teams then traded long range efforts as both Daly and Nunan failed to test the opposition goalkeeper, The home side’s equaliser arrived when Daragh Hughes’ headed flick on was met by the alert John Connery in the penalty and the former St. Michaels man saw his effort beat Neville.
There was another nervy moment from a long throw as Pike were struggling to clear their lines but they regained the lead when the deadly duo of McGann and Hanrahan combined once more when the former sent the latter through with a pass which deceived Adam Costelloe before the winger buried the ball past the advancing McNamara.
McGann was showing why he was courted by the likes of Treaty United during the off-season and he almost grabbed a goal of his own but for the acrobatic save of McNamara to deny his long-range dipping volley. Ten minutes before half-time, disaster struck for the home side when they failed to clear a corner-kick and substitute Nathan O’Callaghan who had replaced the injured Evan Patterson early in the game, volleyed into the top corner.
The opening 20 minutes of the second half was a relatively dull affair with neither side creating much although former Ballynanty man Ger Barry fired wide following good build-up play from the Hoops, Hanrahan repaid McGann for earlies assists when his clever flick found the attacking midfielder in the box but his headed effort was gathered by McNamara.
Ballynanty substitute Eddie Byrnes replaced Michael Guerin and played like he had something to prove, instilling some energy into the home side. It was Byrnes goal which re-vitalised the home side as he was teed up by Adrian Power on the edge of the box before firing low past Neville.
Byrnes almost grabbed the equaliser with five minutes remaining but his effort rattled the post as Pike retreated and invited pressure after it seemed like they would sail to a comfortable away victory just 15 minutes previously. As we approached the final minute of injury time substitute Pa Whelan had a glorious chance to equalise as Power’s shot was palmed out by Neville but the striker didn’t sort out his feet quickly enough and tapped wide from 6 yards.
There was time for one more late scramble as Whelan flicked on from a throw in but both Connery and Maloney couldnt beat Neville at the back post Pike were relieved to leave LIT with the three precious points.
Ballynanty Rovers: Stephen McNamara, Daragh Hughes, Seamus Maloney, Jake Dillon, Adam Costelloe, Adrian Power, Dave Donnan, Jason Hughes, Michael Guerin (Eddie Byrnes), John Connery, Arron Nunan (Pa Whelan)
Pike Rovers: Gary Neville, Evan Patterson (Nathan O’Callaghan), Wayne O’Donovan (Eddie O’Donovan), Adam Lipper, Danny O’Neill (Cian Collins), Brendan O’Dwyer, Colin Daly (Johnathan Grant), Steven McGann, Ger Barry (Shane Walsh), Eoin Hanrahan, Conor Layng
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