Daley Keeps Shamrocks on Track

By Ronan  Creaney

POLONIA were the visitors to Monsignor McClancy high as the Shamrocks continued to reconstruct their season after their early season mishaps. Coach Billie Henderson welcomed back marathon man Mick Hennessey and with a lot of vocal support the Rocks accounted for the visitors 1-0 thanks to a Hugh Roy Daley strike. 

Daley struck after 35 minutes, driving home pile driver from 22 yards after some good work by “Uncle” Gary O’Neill. With Anto Kearns and Freddie Fitzpatrick in flying form the Shamrocks should have gone on to rack up a high score. 

Instead, too often they shot with a better-placed man available, and 1-0 in no way reflected their superiority. Still it was move in the right direction and Henderson was happy that his men were finally “getting it together.”

If last week’s display was bad this week’s was totally forgettable for the Rocks previously high flying reserves. In four weeks they have lost more points than they did in the whole of last season as they went down 6-3 to Polonia reserves. 

Much of the blame for this week’s debacle must be placed on an inept defense, with only Brian Wholahan escaping criticism. That the score flattered the Poles is irrelevant and leaves much soul searching for some of the Rocks stalwarts. 

The third team didn’t fair much better than the reserves, making the long trip to Clarkstown only to end up on the wrong side of a 4-1 score line. Andrew Burke once again hogged the limelight netting the consolation from the penalty spot. 

In over-30s, John Guildea’s veterans came from a goal to beat GH Metros 2-1, Carlos netting twice. The highlight of the game was the quick thinking Darren Hennessey, sacrificing his own undoubted verbal skills, to take the Metros danger man out of the game.

The Shamrocks Booze Cruise takes place this Friday, November 7. There is a bus leaving the Voyage bar between 5:30 and 6 p.m., first come first serve.