ROC are denied a place in last four of Knight Cup

LIVORNO  Carpenterstown ended ROC Celtic’s bid for a third semi final place this season, on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Sacred Heart Tallaght, when they won 4-2 in the UCFL Richard Knight Cup, reports John Mooney.

This was a cracking game and one, as they say, of two halves, with Livorno on top in the first and ROC dominating the second.

Wholesale changes in the Celt’s side with one eye on this Sunday’s LFA Junior Cup semi final against Evergreen in Kilkenny and, in the opening half, they paid the price.

Livorno started like an express train and had ROC on the back foot from the opening whistle and their tactics, of playing the ball early to the front men, paid dividends when Jay Harper slotted home the opener in the 16th minute.

Four minutes later Harper was at it again, this time after lifting the ball over the advancing Sean Power in the home goal before crashing home.

And before ROC could recover from that double whammy they were 3-0 down, after 25 minutes, when Cathal Flynn lobbed Power from a Klevis Malaj pass.

It looked like curtains for the home side, but on the stroke of half time they got themselves a lifeline when Darren Kelly pulled one back.

ROC Celtic’s Lee Collins looks for options before Livorno Carpenterstown’s Cathal Flynn closes him down

It made for an interesting second half, and ROC came out with the bit between their teeth and laid siege to the visitors goal.

They put them under a lot of pressure but Livorno’s defence stood up to the challenge, and had a real hero in keeper Lawrence Offiong-Eyoessien who was in inspired form.

When the defence was breached he was there to mop up and denied the home attack on a number of occasions, before finally being beaten by Jamie Maher with nine minutes remaining.

ROC saw the door opening that bit more and pressed forward but the visitors soaked up the pressure and bided their time, and in added on time it paid dividends when Michael Rogers added their fourth to book their place in the last four.

ROC CELTIC: Sean Power, James O’Brien, Scott D’Arcy, Killian Brennan, Shane Donohoe, Anthony O’Brien, Aaron Shortall, Craig O Brien, Lee Collins, George Farrell, Darren Kelly, Jason O’Neill, Marcus Hendrick, Jamie Maher, Dean Kershaw, Bernard Grendon.