A great day for the Roses as Tang's rally falls short

Jasca Sports Westmeath IFC Quarter-Finals Rosemount 2-7 Tang 0-12 Two stunning goals in the 15th and 21st minutes were absolutely crucial in Rosemount's win over a fancied Tang side in this Westmeath IFC quarter-final played in perfect weather conditions at a resplendent Cusack Park on Saturday evening. Victory may only have been by the minimum margin at the denouement, but it was nonetheless huge in terms of a Roses squad coming off the end of a 3-11 to 1-5 drubbing against C-F/C/W in their last group game, in addition to being without marquee forward David 'Dude' McCormack. In contrast, Tang - having made a none-to-impressive start in their group - ultimately sealed a quarter-final berth with fine wins over Milltownpass and Ballynacargy and appeared to be hitting top form at just the right time. However, Eamonn Gallagher's black and amber charges had other ideas. With the exception of the opening seconds of play, when goalie Eoin Carberry collided with a defender in attempting to clear a probing centre from Tang midfielder Colm Conlon, it was a hitherto rampant Rosemount who hit all the right buttons as they amassed a 1-2 to 0-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Paul Conway's maroons had failed to raise a flag in this period, while Roses' goalie Eoin Carberry got his team on the scoreboard when pointing a '45' with just over two minutes gone, the umpire hesitating before flagging the score. Aidan Burke hit the post as Tang came close to a quick response, but David Tone increased the Rosemount lead with a smashing point on 15 minutes. Carberry denied Tang skipper Aidan Burke with a smart save, but it was 'Roses in Bloom' on 15 minutes when my 'Man of the Match' Theo Watts, drove home a fine goal, giving Tang 'keeper Martin Donoghue no chance. It was a defining strike in this quarter-final. Now 1-2 to the good, Rosemount were clearly increasing in confidence against a Tang brigade who, to date, had left their best form back on the training ground. The maroons finally got on the scoresheet when Aidan Burke pointed two frees (16th and 18th minutes) to ostensibly settle their ship. Minutes later and, to the unbridled delight of the Rosemount faithful among the fair-sized attendance, their favourites struck again when a Declan Mullen centre broke to David Tone, who drove home goal number two. A David Mullen pointed free for Rosemount opened up a seven point leeway, before a fisted point by Alan Higgins cut the gap to six. An exchange of frees, courtesy of David Mullen and Aidan Burke, in the four minutes of injury time allowed by referee Michael McAdden, made no difference to the interval situation with resurgent Rosemount deservedly ahead by two clear goals (2-4 to 0-4). Although clearly rocked by conceding those two first-half goals, Tang are nothing if not traditional championship stalwarts, and this trait became abundantly (if belatedly) clear right from the resumption. Team captain Aidan Burke showed the way with two excellent points from play and, after further pressure was successfully resisted by the Roses rearguard, wing-back Sean Egan made the road for Trevor English to add another point (40th minute). Rosemount then lifted the siege in stirring fashion and, with Theo Watts forcing the fouls, David Mullen added a brace of points from frees, promptly followed by Eamonn Boland splitting the uprights, thereby restoring the black and ambers' six-point advantage with 12 minutes of normal time remaining. Tang, however, rose admirably to the challenge as they produced a superb late effort to rescue their season. Rosemount never lost the lead at headquarters on Saturday, but five unanswered points in a heroic maroon renaissance brought this quarter-final to the wire. Top scorer Aidan Burke (3, 2 frees), Martin Rock and Trevor English (1 each) were all on target in this spell. Also, fine interplay between Kieran Duncan, Robert English and Trevor English saw the latter's shot come back off the post. Tang had a chance to snatch a draw in the fourth minute of injury time when Dean Reddin drew the foul, but Aidan Burke was just wide of the target and Rosemount were through to the last four. That brainstorming opening half was instrumental in the Roses' ultimate win. Goalie Eoin Carberry, Enda Boland, Andrew McCormack, Stephen Darcy, David Tone, David Mullen and Theo Watts played big parts in a great day for their club. Tang only showed their best form in the second half and almost forced a replay. John Rock, Kieran Duncan, Conor Marlowe and Trevor English and Aidan Burke - who finished as the game's top scorer with 0-8 - worked hard at various stages. Scorers - Rosemount: D Tone 1-1; David Mullen 0-4 (4f); T Watts 1-0; E Boland and E Carberry ('45') 0-1 each. Tang: Aidan Burke 0-8 (5f); T English 0-2; A Higgins and M Rock 0-1 each. Rosemount: Eoin Carberry; Dylan Hassett, Enda Boland, Luke Kelly; Shane Tone, Andrew McCormack, Darren King; Declan Mullen, David ('DD') McCormack; T.J. Fox, Eamon Boland, David Mullen; David Tone, Stephen Darcy, Theo Watts. Sub: David Malynn for David Mullen (61). Tang: Martin Donoghue; John Rock, Kieran Duncan, Connor Marlowe; Sean Egan, Alan Murray, Sean Coughlan; Colm Conlon, Robert English; Trevor English, Alan Higgins, Niall Bannon, Aidan Burke (capt.), Joshua Flanagan, Martin Rock. Subs: Dean Reddin for Conlon (27), Fergus Farrell and Christopher O'Connor for Flanagan and Murray (h-t), Eamon Carey for Coughlan (51). Referee: Michael McAdden (St. Loman's).