Five-star ROC march on in the Challenge Cup

ROC CELTIC took full advantage of a depleted Rialto FC on Dolphin Road, when they met in this UCFL last 16 Challenge Cup clash, and ran out 5-1 winners reports John Mooney.

Although the scoreline suggests a stroll in the park it wasn’t until about the 60th minute that Roc started to turn the screw, and that was after Rialto had a player sent off for a second yellow card.

Up to that point it was a cracking game with plenty of chances, and some smart goal keeping for both net minders.

After sustaining an opening barrage from the visitors it was the home side that took the lead, and that was after barely seven minutes play.

Robbie Canning took a corner from the right hand side that saw Jordan Carney rise high and head back across goal, where Robert Lyne was on hand to smash home.

It was a shock but the visitors recovered inside five minutes, when Darren King slipped a perfect pass into Jason O’Neill and he fired home from just inside the area.

ROC Celtic beat Rialto FC in the last sixteen of the Challenge Cup

Both Pablo Pena and Sean Power pulled off some superb saves to keep the score level, but that all changed with nine minutes remaining in the first half.

ROC won a free kick on the left hand side of the area where George Farrell floated the ball over, King nodded it back and Anthony O’Brien crashed home from the edge of the area.

On the balance of play they were good value for their lead, but it wasn’t until the home side lost their player that ROC began to take control.

O’Neill made it 3-1 when he first connected with a Jamie Maher centre that Pena saved, and he headed home at the second attempt.

A depleted Rialto FC couldn’t contain ROC Celtic

It put a bit of light between the two and, really, Rialto had no option but to press forward to try save the game and leave gaps at the back.

So it was no surprise that the visitors took full advantage to bag two more through O’Brien and Bernard Grendan, to wrap up the tie and set up a home quarter final tie with Glenmalure Rovers.

RIALTO FC: P. Pena, R. Canning, R. Lyne, K. Herrity, F. Campbell, J. Carney, D. Kelly, L. Hudson, D. Doyle, J. Cooney, A. Fermoyle.

ROC CELTIC: S. Power, K. O’Connell, C. O’Brien, S. Donohoe, B. Herbert, J. O’Neill, D. King, A. O’Brien, E. Shields, G. Farrell, M. Hendrick, R. Cogan, S. Callaghan, J. Maher, T. Shields, B. Grendon.

REFEREE: W. Gahan.