Goalkeeper Graham Hill proved "Captain Fantastic" as Enniscorthy men's first XI advanced to the second round of the Leinster Intermediate Cup at the expense of Dublin North II at a rain-sodden Abbotstown on Saturday.
Hill's 1v1 heroics followed an action-packed yet scoreless encounter between two well-matched sides. Enniscorthy went into the cup tie against the division 5 side down three of their regular starting eleven in Clive Rothwell, Glen Chapman and Daithi Medcalf. Despite this, the Slaneysiders thresatened early on with chances for O'Sullivan and Rynhart. In what was a topsy-turvy encounter, Hill was then forced into a double save just before half time.
Shortly after the interval Liuikimas was denied by the home 'keeper followed by a succession of penalty corners for Enniscorthy. A Dublin North penalty corner - Hill and Simmons combining well to counter the threat - was sandwiched by two O'Sullivan shots on goal. With five minutes remaining O'Leary had a chance to grab the winner but forced his shot high.
And so to the dreaded 1v1s. Durnan opened the scoring after his initial effort was saved, the hosts equalising. Chapman then grabbed the second, driving the ball into the bottom corner of the net from a tight angle. Hill then raised the stakes immeasurably by saving the Dubliners second; a cheeky lob by Liuikimas and a second save by Hill secured the win and progress to the second round against fellow division 4 side Weston II in January.
Squad: Graham Hill, Andrew Rothwell, Ivan Rothwell, David Simmons, Roy Chapman, Jacob English, Cian Hogan, William Durnan, James O'Sullivan, Ciaran O'Leary, Edmundas Liuikimas, Seb Rynhart, Cory Cooke.
Hill's 1v1 heroics followed an action-packed yet scoreless encounter between two well-matched sides. Enniscorthy went into the cup tie against the division 5 side down three of their regular starting eleven in Clive Rothwell, Glen Chapman and Daithi Medcalf. Despite this, the Slaneysiders thresatened early on with chances for O'Sullivan and Rynhart. In what was a topsy-turvy encounter, Hill was then forced into a double save just before half time.
Shortly after the interval Liuikimas was denied by the home 'keeper followed by a succession of penalty corners for Enniscorthy. A Dublin North penalty corner - Hill and Simmons combining well to counter the threat - was sandwiched by two O'Sullivan shots on goal. With five minutes remaining O'Leary had a chance to grab the winner but forced his shot high.
And so to the dreaded 1v1s. Durnan opened the scoring after his initial effort was saved, the hosts equalising. Chapman then grabbed the second, driving the ball into the bottom corner of the net from a tight angle. Hill then raised the stakes immeasurably by saving the Dubliners second; a cheeky lob by Liuikimas and a second save by Hill secured the win and progress to the second round against fellow division 4 side Weston II in January.
Squad: Graham Hill, Andrew Rothwell, Ivan Rothwell, David Simmons, Roy Chapman, Jacob English, Cian Hogan, William Durnan, James O'Sullivan, Ciaran O'Leary, Edmundas Liuikimas, Seb Rynhart, Cory Cooke.
