It was a tough game with both teams giving it their all on a sticky pitch but it was played in the right spirit throughout.
There weren’t too many clear cut chances throughout the 1st half, the best falling to Eanna Mooney who tried to lob the keeper who was equal to it, then Dylan Maguire saw a header come off the bar. The Lane threatened to cut the Rossin defence open on a couple of occasions only for some timely tackles to prevent them.
There was a long stoppage to the game on the half hour mark when Rossin left back, Conor Kennedy, dislocated his knee. Minor things like that don’t bother a man of Conor’s stature so he popped it back into place and went off as a precaution 
😀 We wish Conor all the best in his recovery!!
The half ended 0-0
HLU changed their formation at half time and stepped up a gear and tried to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Shane McCormack, in particular, threaded some nice through balls to the forward line but again, the Rossin defence held firm.
Evan English replaced Alan Conlon midway through the 2nd half and made an immediate impact with some good runs down the right wing. Francis Marrywas doing similar on the left and overall had a great game. Eanna Mooney and Dylan Maguire were working tirelessly up front but chances were few and far between.
HLU had a great chance to take the lead. An short backpass from Andy McGuinniety (hands up 😀) was pounced on by the striker but he hesitated allowing the recovery tackle to be made. There was a small shout for a penalty but it was corrctly waved away.
HLU then had the ball in the net. A freekick was whipped into the box, it was flicked on by Dave Culligan but a HLU midfielder was adjudged to have wandered into an offside position and the ref immediately blew the whistle, much to the annoyance of the away side.
Jack Lawler replaced Dylan Maguire with around 15 mins left and did very well o the right hand side.
The game’s defining moment came around 5 mins from time. Rossin lost their 2nd left back of the day when McGuinniety had to go off succumbing to an injury collected earlier in the game. He was replaced by James Butler, making his first appearance since picking up a knee injury a number of months ago. Butts’ first touch of the ball, straight from entering play, was to strike an unbelievable freekick from easily 25 yards into the keeper’s top right hand corner in off the post!! The Hazel Lane keeper tried his best to get to it but it really was unstoppable. If Carlsberg did comebacks…….
Hazel Lane pressed for an equalizer in the last few mins with a couple of freekicks which were well defended. The game ended 1-0
It was a great team performance today from the whole squad. The central defence was as solid as ever, Gym Marry played particulary well and Brian Byrne and Keith Lynch in midfield put in a hard shift.