Subs play key role as Rebels overcome valiant Rossies

A glorious odyssey for Roscommon which brought provincial honours only a fortnight previously - and which resulted in a magnificent sea of primrose and blue adorning Croke Park for this All-Ireland Quarter-Final - was ended by a more experienced Cork outfit last Sunday. Five minutes into the second half of last Sunday's Quarter-Final, it looked as if Roscommon's odyssey would continue when Fergal O'Donnell's heroes stormed into an 0-8 to 0-7 lead against a Cork side who looked, at this stage, as if they could be vulnerable to the sucker punch. However, it was not to be, as Conor Counihan's rebels - following major half-time surgery, in the form of a triple substitution - suddenly grasped the initiative and the probable favourites to annex their first All-Ireland crown since 1990 (and their seventh in all), went on to effectively control proceedings to the finish, outscoring a gallant and brace Roscommon by 1-9 to 0-2. As an indicator of the run of play over seventy minutes a nine point finishing margin between these keen rivals - whose first confrontation at the level was in 1990 when Cork prevailed in the All-Ireland semi-final - did scant justice to the superlative effect put in by the brand new Connacht champions for the greater part of this Croke Park clash. Cork, with a proven track record of provincial and league successes in recent years (even if regaining Sam Maguire has eluded them when confronted by perennial All-Ireland day nemesis Kerry), were a huge step-up in opposition for Roscommon, reflected in the odds offered against both protagonists in the run up to Sunday last, viz Cork 1/14 Roscommon 8/1. Against this background, Cork supporters must have believed the bookmakers as they stayed away in their droves from HQ on Sunday, whereas the outstanding Roscommon following was certainly worth its weight in gold to their young team. The Rebels, however, appeared to justify their pre-match favouritism as they made the more productive start with two points inside the opening five minutes from the accurate book of Daniel Goulding (free and '45'). Roscommon would receive a huge boost in the 6th minute, when from a quick free on the sideline, David O'Gara's flick to Donal Shine gave the young Clann sharpshooter the opportunity to do what he does best - send a powerful shot over the bar from a seemingly impossible angle. Eire "g's Goulding would continue to prove Cork's premier marksman with two further points from play, (7th and 18th minutes), but in between we had much negative fare with both sides guilty of some scorable misses and the ball being turned over consistently as each strove to impose their authority on the games. The Roscommon half back line, where Castlerea's Cathal Dineen held down the pivotal position with authority were giving little away to arguably Cork's strongest sector, comprising Paul Kerrigan, Pearse O'Neill and Paddy Kelly. But in attempting to shut out the very real challenge posed by the Donal Shine-led Roscommon full-forward trio, Cork's rearguard were falling back in numbers, often resorting to potentially dangerous back passes to their goalie, Alan Quirke and consequential ponderous build-ups to initiate attacks at the other end. The resultant plethora of handpassing was not achieving the desired result and, with Cathal Cregg helping his defence in winning plenty of breaking ball, Cork suddenly looked vulnerable and bereft of attacking initiative. Wing-back Noel O'Leary created the opening for Paul Kerrigan to land Cork's fifth point (22nd minute), but a lovely inter passing movement, one minute later, saw David Keenan making the road for David O'Gara to point on the run. Full-forward Ciaran Sheehan, for the first time, eluded his marker and Roscommon skipper Peter Domican to point from play (26th minute). Roscommon rally The Leesiders would not score again before half-time, as a spell of dominance by a steadily improving Roscommon produced a feast of first class scores. The wholehearted David Casey stormed upfield to set up John Rogers for a brilliant point, while, at the other end, goalkeeper Geoffrey Claffey further enhanced a growing reputation with a superb save from Aghada's Pearse O'Neill. With the Roscommon midfield duo of Michael Finneran and Karol Mannion, as they had done against Sligo in the Connacht final, winning the midfield battle, one got a sense that something special for Roscommon was about to unfold on the Croke Park stage, further enhanced with a brace of Donal Shine points, the first following good work from Cathal Cregg and Ger Heneghan, and the second when punishing a foul on himself, from a placed ball. It all culminated in a half-time situation where Cork led by just a single point (0-6 to 0-5) and the huge Roscommon following were certainly on song. Manager Conor Counihan certainly wielded the scalpel at the interval, making no less than three substitutions and introducing the subsequently highly effective Donncha O'Connor, John Miskella and Nicholas Murphy, with team captain Graham Canty moving to full-back. Pearse O'Neill pointed just thirteen seconds after the resumption, but an equally resurgent Roscommon had other ideas. A scintillating cameo ensued which would produce three superlative points, simultaneously catapulting Fergal O'Donnell's men into the lead. It took a fingertip save from Cork keeper Alan Quirke to deflect a Ger Heneghan rocket over the bar, while in rapid succession, Peter Domican and Donal Shine respectively turned providers for midfielders Karol Mannion and Michael Finneran to rise the roof of the Croke Park stands by lofting over a brace of powerful points to rocket the now rampant Rossies into a one point lead (0-8 to 0-7). Were Cork about to follow Kerry and Tyrone on the road out of Championship 2010 in what had, to date, been a weekend where favourites were falling as if at Becher's Brook? However, such would not be the case on this occasion. The effects of the half-time anaesthetic for the Cork surgery were just wearing off and results were about to rapidly accrue. A nine minute period would realise five unanswered points, with Sheehan, Goulding sub Donncha O'Connor, O'Neill and Kerrigan all on target. Murphy was now dominating the midfield sector, with Ballydesmond's O'Connor adding flair and panache to an earlier pedestrian attack, and it took one brilliant interception from Peter Domican to prevent another score. In a now rare Roscommon attack Ger Heneghan forced a foul, pointed by Donal Shine, but in further Cork forays, Graham Canty (though injured in the process) and Daniel Goulding (free) added a further brace of points. Donal Shine (63rd minute) pointed a free, but this would be Roscommon's last score of this quarter-final. They needed a quick goal to force a grandstand finish, but the greater experience of the Leesiders was now beginning to tell. It took another terrific save from Geoffrey Claffey (surely a strong contender for an All-Star award in this position) to deny the now dominant Pearse O'Neill, whose searing runs at the heart of the Roscommon defence were paying rich dividends for his team. O'Neill goal seals it The killer score, however, was about to be registered in this quarter-final, when sub Alan O'Connor dispossessed a Roscommon defender, and passed to the unmarked O'Neill - goal! It was now game, set and match to the blood and bandage, but they were not finished yet as that man again, Donncha O'Connor, added two more points from play and it could have been worse at the denouement as another super sub, John Miskella, was denied a certain goal by the Castlerea custodian in injury time. It didn't affect the outcome however as Cork's strong second half showing had sealed a place in the semi-final v Dublin, with Kildare and Down a novel pairing in the other penultimate tie. How good are Cork? The jury is, at this stage, still out on this matter and one wonders what is their best starting team. They had to replace both midfielders, as had Sligo in the Connacht final, in this match and certainly their first-half performance sent out all the wrong signals. They looked in serious trouble when Roscommon took that early second-half lead, but those half time substitutions eventually led to a match winning rally which saw them through. We will know much more about them when they meet the Dubs. Roscommon can hold their heads high after a high octane display for the greater part of this tie. They asked searching questions of one of the country's current football superpowers and without doubt, their young side will have gained huge experience as a result, a good omen for the future. On Sunday, there were superb displays from Geoffrey Claffey, Peter Domican, Stephen Ormsby, Michael Finneran, Cathal Cregg (1st half), David O'Gara and top scorer Donal Shine. CORK: Alan Quirke, Ray Carey, Michael Shields, Jamie O'Sullivan, Noel O'Leary, Graham Canty (capt., 0-1), Paudie Kissane, Derek Kavanagh, Aidan Walsh, Paul Kerrigan (0-2), Pearse O'Neill (1-2), Patrick Kelly, Daniel Goulding (0-6, 2f, 0-1 '45'), Ciaran Sheehan (0-2), Colm O'Neill. Subs: Donncha O'Connor (0-3, 0-1pen) for Colm O'Neill, John Miskella for O'Sullivan and Nicholas Murphy for Walsh (triple substitution h-t), Alan O'Connor for Kavanagh (51), Eoin Cotter for Canty (inj., 58). ROSCOMMON: Geoffrey Claffey, Sean McDermott, Peter Domican (capt.), Stephen Ormsby, Sean Purcell, Cathal Dineen, David Casey, Michael Finneran (0-1), Karol Mannion (0-1), David Keenan, David O'Gara (0-1), Cathal Cregg, John Rogers (0-1), Donal Shine (0-5, 3f), Ger Heneghan (0-1). Subs: Colm Garvey for Purcell (48), Kevin Higgins for Rogers (51), Enda Kenny for Mannion (55), John Dunning for Cregg (61), John Nolan (Roscommon Gaels) for Casey (65). REFEREE: Cormac Reilly (Meath), who issued three yellow cards, two to Cork.