Watters' wonder goal seals win

As match-winners go Alan Watters' goal that decided this Meath & District League Div 2 tie at Ross Cross on Sunday was right up there, the ball hit with textbook precision and power that ensured Robinstown left with all three points on offer. It would not have been an injustice if this game had ended level as both sides had given it everything, serving up a topsy-turvy, entertaining encounter with Robinstown taking a 2-0 lead before Skryne/Tara hauled themselves back into contention. The game looked to be heading for a draw before Robinstown produced that little spark of magic that proved to be the difference between the sides. With 72 minutes on the clock, and the sides level at 2-2, Robinstown conjured up the crucial goal. Brian Brereton and Watters were involved in its creation. The ball ended up heading in the direction of Watters on the edge of the box. He swung his right foot and made a sweet connection. He could afford to stand back and watch the ball fly high into the top corner of the net giving Skryne/Tara goalkeeper Paul McGoldrick no chance. The game's fifth and match-deciding goal came just minutes after Robinstown were reduced to 10 men when full-back Owen Fagan was penalised for deliberate handball on the line. A brief skirmish subsequently developed. Referee Martin Dowdall waited, let tempers cool before reaching for the card that was as red as the player's jersey. It looked like Robinstown's hopes of victory disappeared with the banished player who, without argument, went to the dressing rooms. Instead of folding it was 10-man Robinstown who managed to dig deeper into their reserves of energy, commitment and spirit to come up with the final and vital strike that decided the issue. Not that it looked early on as if Robinstown would need to rely on the late, spectacular goal to win this fiesty, but eminently fair encounter. They started the game like the proverbial steam train with Joe Farrell a constant threat with his movement. Farrell created a chance for Brereton who skilfully guided the ball home to open the scoring on the 10-minute mark. It got better for the boys in red eight minutes later when a long ball from Cian Rennicks released Farrell who guided the ball past the advancing McGoldrick. More organised and better focused Robinstown looked set for a big win as Skryne/Tara struggled to get themselves sorted. Then the tide turned in an instant when a Robinstown defender failed to deal with a long ball. Skryne/Tara's Jamie Jordan pounced, won possession and raced clear before firing home. It was a brilliant strike, hit with venom and accuracy. Early in the second-half all Skryne/Tara's adventurous play - and rediscovered confidence - paid dividends. As the game went on the silky skills of Mark Jordan became ever more prominent and he was involved in a move that eventually led to a scramble in the Robinstown goalmouth. Fagan handled, saw red and up stepped Mark Jordan to slot home the spot-kick with a cool confidence. Near the end Mark Jordan had a shot well saved by Robinstown's Paul Kavanagh. But instead of finishing the job Skryne/Tara were caught by the Watters exocet and ended up pointless and languishing at the bottom. Considering the standard of players they have Skryne/Tara will surely rise from their current lowly position. The two Jordans, Dowling, Cian O'Byrne and James Hegarty were among their best performers on this occasion. Robinstown's Scottish manager Jim Oliver had reasons to be delighted afterwards. "We're a bit more consistent than we were last year, this year we'll be there or thereabouts, we've never had our full squad available to us yet," he said. Skryne/Tara - P McGoldrick; C English, D Brennan, D Carty, P O'Leary, C O'Byrne, J Hegarty, P Dowling, J McGovern, J Jordan, M Jordan. Subs - G Sweeney for O'Leary, S Cunningham for Hegarty. Robinstown - P Kavanagh; J Kelleher, O Fagan, P Curtin, D Dunne, A Watters, S Markey, C Rennicks, B Brereton, J Farrell, P Garry. Referee - Martin Dowdall.