LEAGUE LEADERS INSTONIANS had too much for Raphoe at Shawsbridge in Belfast on Saturday.
Instonians 4 Raphoe 0
Raphoe found themselves 2-0 down inside the first ten minutes following individual errors at the back and giving up the ball far too cheaply.
Stephen Kelso rolled the ball into the bottom left hand corner of Johnny Rankin’s net after being given too much space in the middle of the circle five yards out.
With Raphoe sitting deep Instonians doubled their lead when James Dowling was allowed to finish far to easily having again been afforded too much space in the area.
Raphoe’s coach Rodney Bates reshuffled his pack after this and this closed off some of the space that had been exploited by Instonians and Raphoe were now able to play a bit more hockey.
Despite getting back into the game Raphoe’s final pass inside the Instonians half let them down on more than one occasion – both Luke Witherow and George Patterson were guilty of giving up possession far too easily when they had several players in good positions going forward.
Stephen Cleverley had Raphoe’s best chance of the half – he was sent through by Alan Lyttle but saw his goal bound effort saved by the Instonians keeper.
Rankin was having an excellent game in goals for Raphoe as he denied Instonians from numerous short corners and the half ended 2-0.
Into the second half and Raphoe started off the better team and should have pulled a goal back inside the first ten minutes from their first short corner – Ben Wallace’s shot was pulled left of the goal but William Kilpatrick at the back post completely missed the ball with an open goal at his mercy.
Two minutes later and to rub salt in the wound Instonians increased their lead – Alan Meehan had initially made an excellent interception but caught playing the ball out which resulted in Instonians winning another short corner that was tucked home by Kelso for his second of the game.
Shortly after, from another Instonians short corner Meehan redeemed himself by clearing the ball off his own goal line with Rankin beaten.
Instonians scored a fourth with five minutes left on the clock – a flowing move down the left ended with Spencer Pinion lobbing the ball over Rankin from a tight angle.
On the stroke of full time from only their second short corner Wallace hit the post from a flick from the top of the circle and the rebound just evaded Cleverley and Alexander Tinney.
Raphoe: Johnny Rankin, William Kilpatrick, Alexander Tinney, Paul Stewart, Alan Meehan, Ian McGonigle, Kit Regan, Ben Wallace, George Patterson, Alan Lyttle, Luke Witherow, Stephen Cleverley, Vincent Devenney.
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