Bluebell overtake Orchard at the top of Major Division
BLUEBELL United leap-frogged their opponents Cherry Orchard into top spot in the LSL Major Saturday league table, as a double from winger Luke Rossiter helped them to victory at Capco Park on Saturday.
In a high-quality encounter, Bluebell’s pressure eventually paid with goals in each half for the influential Rossiter, though Junior Sanusi’s reply for the Ballyfermot side set up a nervy final third.
Bluebell United went top of the LSL Major Division
Cherry Orchard, with a strong breeze at their backs, started brightly but they failed to convert their territorial dominance into goal chances, and the homeside soon grew into the game, with Orchard ‘keeper Adam Walsh’s miscued clearance allowing midfielder Keith Quinn an early opportunity from distance.
Walsh atoned for his error with an assured save on this occasion, but he could do very little about Bluebell’s opener moments later, as impressive striker Tony Griffiths’s quickly-taken free kick put Rossiter in on the left, and the wideman was clinical with his finish.
Bluebell came close to doubling their advantage on the half-hour mark, as Rossiter’s corner slipped through Walsh’s fingertips, but Quinn and centre-back William McDonagh were unable to force the ball home from close range.
Both sides were passing the ball well through midfield, with Bluebell’s Gilmar Mandiangu particularly outstanding, while the hosts’ defensive pairing of McDonagh and Brian Cullen were also strong, ensuring their side were deservedly in front at the break.
Cherry Orchard’s hopes of reversing the deficit were dealt a major blow minutes into the second period, as a speculative Rossiter free kick delivery travelled all the way through untouched, nestling into the far corner of the net.
However, the visitors hit back in perfect fashion moments later, when attacking midfielder Adrian Rafferty’s well-disguised pass found Stephen Nicholl in space, and his cross dropped for fellow winger Sanusi to stab home at the back stick.
Rather than turning the tide, that goal seemed to further spur Bluebell on, and they almost regained the two-goal lead when goalkeeper Andy McNulty’s excellent long ball forward put Rossiter through, only for him to fire over his chance of a hat-trick .
Rossiter nearly added an assist to his personal tally moments later, as another corner led to left-back Tony Keeler’s header sailing just over the bar.
Bluebell had one last golden chance to kill the game off in the closing stages, as substitute Gary Deans fed striker James O’Brien to surge past the Orchard defence, and he ignored a possible pass to Rossiter before seeing his attempt on goal saved by Walsh.
BLUEBELL UTD: A. McNulty, S. Gleeson, T. Keeler, W. McDonagh, B. Cullen, G. Mandiangu, L. Heffernan, K. Quinn, T. Griffiths, J. O’Brien, L. Rossiter. SUBS: A. Griffiths, G. Deans, J. O’Connor, A. El Haggid, C. Tunney, A. Ngai.
CHERRY ORCHARD: A. Walsh, B. Shorthall, J. Kelch, P. Shorthall, M. Nataro, A. O’Callaghan, J. Sanusi, P. Thomas, L. Collins, A. Rafferty, S. Nicholl. SUBS: K. Bowden, L. Kane, A. Bekombo, A. Finlan, Y. Tchoudjin, C. Daly, K. Abu.
