Rasharkin retain their Division One status
Thursday, 27 November 2008
The torment Rasharkin went through last week was unbelievable in their bid to remain a Division side.
It certainly wasn't an easy ride as they looked to have blown it after defeats by St.Pauls and St.Brigids.
A win against Gortnamona gave them some hope but when beaten at Cargin the fate of others came into play.
When the dust settled however they had to depend on no-one, Sundays victory against the County Champions St.Galls saving the day.
In the first of their three vital league games on Thursday last they got away to a good start by taking out Gortnamona 1-6 to 0-5.
This result moved them temporarily out of the relegation zone but with still a lot of hard work to do.
After falling behind to a couple of early Gortnamona points they began to realise the seriousness of the situation and the fight back began.
Eamon McNeill got them away in the 14 minute with the goal which clinshed these valuable league points coming six minutes later.
A high ball found the towering Benny Hasson at the edge of the square and a neat lay off set up Declan McKay.
He made no mistake and Rasharkin were on their way. Michael Hasson followed with a point but two late scores from Declan Hughes had the Belfast side just one behind at the break, 1-2 to 0-4.
A much more confident showing from the home side in the second half saw them contain their opponents to a single point, a Michael Pollock free ten minutes from time.
It still took them sixteen minutes of second half play before they got their first score from mid-fielder Brendan Etherson and it was still all to play for during the closing ten minutes.
It was then that they came good. Jonathan McAleese knocked over a free in the 22 minute with Brendan McMullan slinging over an excellent point from play.
Eamon McNeill, just as he had begun proceedings brought matters to a close with his second point and Rasharkin could breathe a little easier, at least for the moment.
Game number two was at Cargin on Saturday afternoon but, with the Toome side going for the league title, they looked on mission impossible. In the end however they put up a good show, eventually losing by five points but still leaving themselves in no mans land.
Trailing by eight points at the interval they eventually got it back to three, thanks to a cracking Benny Hasson goal, but Cargin eased away at the end to win 0-17 to 1-9.
Everything now depended on a good result against St.Galls or the defeat of Hannastown by St.Johns.
There was enormous pressure on the side when they travelled to take on the County champions St.Galls on Sunday. They knew they must win to be certain of retaining their Division 1 status and they did just that.
In winning 0-12 to 1-6 they won their first ever game at Milltown, the home of the champs.
A great start saw them go three points up after just ten minutes. Benny Hasson, a leader if ever there was one, slung one over from his mid-field position with corner forward Conor Gribben adding two in the seventh and tenth minutes.
Three minutes later they almost committed Hari-Kari when a back pass to goalkeeper Donal McLernon went to the net and suddenly, after all their good work, they were caught.
A pointed free from Jonathan McAleese at the start of the third quarter again gave them hope but points from C.J.McGourty and team captain Terry O'Neill saw them in arrears for the first time.
A strong finish however saw master craftsman Jonathan McAleese at his work.
A great left footed effort saw him square the game and , two minutes later another fine effort gave Rasharkin a slender interval lead of 0-6 to 1-2.
It took the champions just one minute to get back on terms when Sean O'Hare steered one between the uprights and by the eighth they were out of sight. Ciaran McGourty scored in the fourth minute, O'Hare got another in the seventh and when C.J.McGourty slung over his second they led 1-6 to 0-6 and looked as if they might run away with it.
They failed to score again however as the Country side clawed their way back. Three points from McAleese and a great effort from full back Brian Cowan saw them back in charge but when the influential Benny Hasson was carried off with an injured ankle, things again looked tricky. On came big man Brendan Etherson, despite a hamstring injury, and they some how managed to survive to the end.
