Late Dowling header ends New Oak's perfect start
New Oak’s Dean Kelly fires in a shot at goal. All Photos: Michael O’Rourke Photography
Bobby Dowling’s 79th minute header was enough for ten-man St. Fiacc’s to rescue a draw against a wasteful New Oak, and end the Paupish’s perfect start to the season.
New Oak took the lead early on through Cian Cleary and dominated the game for large periods but struggled to be clinical and put chances away, David Doyle in particular struggling. Fiacc’s defended doggedly and hit the Town side on the counter-attack.
New Oak went close in the early stages through a Jordan Harmon free from the left but it was hit straight into Craig Doyle into the Fiacc’s goal.
With four minutes gone, New Oak took the lead as a David Doyle cross was deflected off a Fiacc’s defender and into the path of Cian Cleary who made no mistake in putting the ball into the back of the net. It looked like it might be a long evening for Fiacc’s from there.
Three minutes later, a Luke Ramsbottom corner from the left was cleared. Doyle and Harmon both went close but hit efforts over the bar.
A John O’Shea free offered Fiacc’s a chance to cause problems for the New Oak defence, but they answered the challenge well, clearing the ball and the resulting corner from the right saw Jack Byrne’s effort cleared.
New Oak continued to threaten as a Harmon free from the right was cleared.
Despite being a goal down, Fiacc’s kept pushing and Aaron Dorgan forced Craig Kearney into a great save to deny him from distance. A Dean Kelly corner for New Oak from the right was cleared. A cross from the left was headed wide on the near side by Doyle midway through the half.
With 20 minutes to go until half time, a Sean Smithers effort from the right was saved. Two minutes later, Kelly put an effort wide on the right.
On the half hour mark, Fiacc’s had a great chance to get back into the game but Scott Roycroft’s effort ricocheted off the post. Three minutes later, David Doyle hit an effort from the edge of the box wide on the right and Cian Cleary curled an effort wide on the right.
New Oak went closest after the break as Sean Smithers down the right got in behind Craig Doyle but his effort was cleared. Fiacc’s went close when Jack Byrne down the right played a ball in for Aaron Dorgan but he took too much of a touch and fired his effort off a New Oak player.
New Oak continued to threaten. Doyle hit an effort wide on the right before intercepting a ball in the final third a minute later but could only steer his effort at the goalkeeper.
Just after the hour mark, a Smithers effort was saved and Cian Cleary’s rebound was hit off the post. Aidan Bradley was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box and was sent off for it and a penalty was awarded.
Oddly, it was Jordan Harmon rather than Dean Kelly who stepped up to take it and he saw his effort saved by Craig Doyle as he dived towards the bottom right hand corner.
Midway through the half, a Jack Byrne effort was saved and with 20 minutes to go, a Byrne free from the left was headed towards Kearney by Jamie Parr.
Five minutes later, a Kelly effort was saved with the rebound from Kelly also denied.
Jordan Harmon hit a free off the wall and with 11 minutes to go, a Byrne corner from the left was headed into the right hand side by Bobby Dowling who rose highest to the ball as Fiacc’s pulled level.
With three minutes to go, a Doyle effort was hit over the bar. In stoppage time, a Luke Ramsbottom corner from the right was cleared. An O’Shea free from the right for Fiacc’s was headed over at the far post by Jack Byrne.
Craig Doyle, Mikee Horohan, Jake Haughney, Aidan Bradley, Leo Hurley, Harry Walker, Jack Byrne, Bob Mulholland, Scott Roycroft, Aaron Dorgan, John O’Shea.
Jamie Parr, Eoin White, Adam Farrell, Jamie Byrne, Ciaran Scully, Bobby Dowling, Lee Byrne.
Craig Kearney, Cian Dowling, Luke Ramsbottom, David O’Shea, David Keating, Kyle Foley, Jordan Harmon, Dean Kelly, David Doyle, Sean Smithers, Cian Cleary.
Lee Murphy, James McGrath, Lee Gordon, Ben Lawler, TJ Brennan, Corey Harmon, Cormac Murphy.
Pat O’Connor assisted by Artur Bienko and Joe Byrne
