RAPHOE HOCKEY CLUB remain bottom of the Ulster Hockey Men’s Premier League after a comprehensive home defeat against North Down.
Raphoe 1-5 North Down
By Charlie Collins, Donegal Sport Hub
The final score was a harsh one on the home team with Josh Gilmore scoring a hat-trick for the visitors to the Royal & Prior.
It was the hosts who had the first chance of the afternoon when Alan Meehan was sent into the clear only for goalkeeper Coates to save.
Raphoe were punished for that on nine minutes, when Ross Linter set Gilmore away and following a fine turn he scored the opening goal.
Keith Meehan almost laid on a Rahpoe equaliser but his super cross couldn’t find that elusive touch to level with Ian Witherow just a whisker away from a touch that would’ve led to a certain goal.
Alexander Tinney was then out of luck on 19 minutes when he found the net only for the goal to be disallowed for an infringement.
It was 1-0 to North Down at half-time but they grabbed a second goal two minutes after the restart. Phil Wilson was the goalscorer after a daring break from Gilmore.
Coates in the away team’s goal then made two important saves with Tinney one of those who was out of luck.
Again it was a case of North Down’s economy coming to the fore as they grabbed a third on 50 minutes through David Shepherd.
Tinney pulled one back for Raphoe, to make it 3-1 on 56 minutes. A well-worked short corner routine with Luke Witherow involved created the opportunity.
But within two minutes, North Down were 4-1 up when another breakaway instigated the goal, with Gilmore once more the beneficiary.
Coates was having an excellent game in goal for North Down and in the closing stages got the better off luckless Tinney again, before Luke Witherow was also denied.
Gilmore completed the scoring from a penalty stroke two minutes from time.
Raphoe: Johnny Rankin, William Wauchope, Simon Goudie, Alan Meehan, William Kilpatrick, Ian McGonigle, Keith Meehan, Alexander Tinney, Luke Witherow, John Watt, Ian Witherow, Vincent Devenney, Tom Eaton, Evan Lyttle.
North Down: Andy Coates, Phil Templeton, Mark Linter, David Shepherd, Jordan Linter, Ross Linter, Chris Speers, Steve Raltzell, Mark Shannon, Phil Wilson, Gareth McKeown, Jack Bond, Jamie Orr, Tom Dennan, Josh Gilmore.
