Credit Union County Senior Football League, Division 1
Match report by Aidan Clifford
Glenflesk 2-17
Laune Rangers 4-13
With the sides safe from relegation and hopes of winning the league more or less faded, both Laune Rangers and Glenflesk would have been forgiven for taking the foot off the gas for the rest of the campaign. Instead they served up a fantastic contest no shortage of scores, including half a dozen goals.
Laune Rangers flew out of the traps and had two goals on the board after less than six minutes. Patrick Daly was first to raise a green flag with a cool finish and, after Seán Cleary came upfield from the back to pop over a point, the visitors struck again – a flowing team move ending with Gavin O’Shea finding the net via the upright and the legs of Glenflesk’s Daniel O’Brien.
Eoin O’Sullivan increased the Laune Rangers lead with a point before Glenflesk settled themselves and scored a pointed free through Tommy Bowler. Stephen Sealy replied for Laune Rangers but Glenflesk were finding their feet and pointed through Killian O’Sullivan, Callum Cronin & Ian Roche to trail by 2-3 to 0-4 with fifteen minutes played.
A diving block by Joe Rudden on Matt Leslie saw the ball out for a 45’, which was in turn dispatched with an excellent kick in ideal conditions by Jason Browne. Dáire Cleary & Fiachra Clifford added their names to the scoresheet, but Ian Roche kept the home side in touch with three pointed frees.
Jamie Moynihan pointed from distance for Glenflesk, while Matt Leslie closed out the half with a point to give Laune Rangers a five point lead at the break.
Half Time Score:- Glenflesk 0-8, Laune Rangers 2-7.
Laune Rangers began the second half as they had the first with two quickfire goals – this time within three minutes of the restart. The first was a spectacular finish to the top corner by Oisín Birmingham before Gearóid Hassett feigned to pick the same spot before cooly rolling the ball to the net.
Glenflesk now trailed by eleven, but had no intention of going quietly. Indeed, they responded quickly with a goal of their own as Chris O’Donoghue picked his spot and made no mistake with the finish. Gearóid Hassett pointed before Glenflesk netted again, with Callum Cronin scoring a deserved goal for his efforts. Tommy Bowler added a point before Glenflesk were in on goal again – this time Jason Browne saving from Luke Crowley to force the ball over for a point to leave the visitors leading by 4-8 to 2-10 with a quarter of the game to go.
Gearóid Hassett & Luke Crowley traded points as did John Tyther (free) & Callum Cronin, before a Tommy Bowler free was cancelled out by a Rory O’Connor point – Laune Rangers 13th different scorer on the day.
Tommy Bowler continued to be Glenflesk’s go-to forward, pointing twice more to halve their deficit while Laune Rangers did what they needed to do to close the game out with victory, matching the opposition score for score. Gearóid Hassett & Kevin Bowler trading points before Ian Roche (free) & Fiachra Clifford did the same.
Full Time Score:- Glenflesk 2-17, Laune Rangers 4-13.
Laune Rangers:- Jason Browne (0-1 45’), Seán Cleary (0-1), Oisín Daly, Rory O’Connor (0-1), Daragh O’Connor, Oisín Birmingham (1-0), Eoin Clifford, Eoin O’Sullivan (0-1), Stephen Sealy (0-1), Fiachra Clifford (0-2), Gearóid Hassett (1-3), Gavin O’Shea (1-0), Patrick Daly (1-0), Dáire Cleary (0-1), Matthew Leslie (0-1). Subs: Calum Moriarty for Sealy, Killian Spillane for D O’Connor, John Tyther (0-1f) for O’Shea, Stephen Gannon for Leslie, John Burke for P Daly.
Glenflesk:- Eoin Moynihan, Denis O’Connor, Daniel O’Brien, Joe Rudden, Michael Mullane, Emmet Finnan, Peter Cronin, Jamie Moynihan (0-1), Killian O’Sullivan (0-1), Cian Horan, Kevin Bowler (0-1), Callum Cronin (1-2), Eoghan Kelly, Tommy Bowler (0-5, 3f), Ian Roche (0-5, 4f). Subs: Chris O’Donoghue (1-0) for Kelly, Luke Crowley (0-2) for P Cronin, Liam Warren for Horan.
