Laune Rangers 2-10, North Kerry 1-18
Laune Rangers efforts in the County Minor Football Championship came to an end on Saturday afternoon with defeat to North Kerry in Caherslee. It marked the third game versus a Divisional opponent, with the combination of Feale & Shannon Rangers representing 13 different clubs – while the previous games against Mid Kerry (5) and South Kerry (9) meant Laune Rangers came up against teams representing a combined 27 different clubs in their three games.
To that extent, the Division 1 Champions will rue a missed opportunity in both of their opening two fixtures, losing the first by a point and conceding a last kick of the game equallising goal in the second, as the strength in depth of North Kerry saw the pre-competition favourites pull away in the final quarter of Saturday’s game to take a deserved win. Laune Rangers talismanic midfielder Aona O’Shea missed out on the game through injury and joined Ciarán O’Sullivan on the sideline.
Scores were level after five minutes as Darragh Foley & Eoghan Hassett (free) pointed for their sides, before North Kerry took the lead with a goal as Rory O’Mahony pounced on a spilled ball as Adam Carey got caught with the October sunlight in his eyes. Cormac Dillon added a point, but Eoghan Hassett cancelled it out with a pointed free to leave North Kerry leading by 1-2 to 0-2 at the first water break.
Hassett and John Burke scored excellent points in quick succession before Rangers hit the net to take the lead – Jack O’Sullivan with excellent composure to pick up the ball and round a defender before squeezing it under the goalkeeper. Kieran Mackessy came upfield to point a free for North Kerry, while points from Jack O’Sullivan & Eoghan Hassett were answered by one for Rory O’Mahony to leave Rangers ahead by two at the break. Half Time Score:- Laune Rangers 1-6, North Kerry 1-4.
North Kerry had a great start to the second half with five consecutive points through Rory O’Mahony, Jack Sheehy, Jerh Brosnan, Darragh Foley & captain Adam Segal to go three ahead, before Eoghan Hassett stemmed the tide with a pointed free. However, Rangers took the lead again with a second goal as Oisín Birmingham was rewarded for a well timed run upfield as he finished the ball to the net. Cormac Dillon levelled with a point to see the sides tied at 2-7 to 1-10 at the second water break.
The strength in depth of North Kerry came through in the final quarter led by their Kerry Minor contingent up the spine of the team, while Eoin Lynch’s withdrawal to injury in the Rangers full backline was a hammer blow to the club side. Jack Sheehy & Cormac Dillon (free) put North Kerry ahead before Eoghan Hassett pointed a free to pull one back. Another two points by Eoghan Hassett wouldn’t be enough to take the win as North Kerry added points from Robbie Foley, Adam Segal, Rory O’Mahony (2), & Cormac Dillon (2) to ease to a five point win in the final couple of minutes. Full Time Score:- Laune Rangers 2-10, North Kerry 1-18.
It is ultimately disappointment for the Laune Rangers side, although they can take pride in the manner of their efforts in their club jersey in the Championship, going toe to toe with Divisional heavyweights & being in the mix in all games until the end. The side will hopefully have a Central Region Competition and/or Mid Kerry Championship to contest before their season ends.
Laune Rangers:- Adam Carey, Killian Spillane, Cathal O’Callaghan, Eoin Lynch, Tom Garry, Ryan Diggin, Oisín Birmingham (1-0), Cillian Foley, Tom Whittleton, John Burke (0-1), Eoghan Hassett (capt, 0-8, 5f), John Tuohy, Darragh O’Grady, Jack O’Sullivan (1-1), Jack Lynch. Subs used: Tim Mangan, David Crowley, Adam Owens, Joe Cronin Langham.
North Kerry:- Kieran Mackessy (Finuge, 0-1), Oisín Kennelly (Moyvane), Eddie Healy (Listowel Emmets), Conor Sweeney (Moyvane), Jack O’Keeffe (Moyvane), Adam Segal (capt, Ballyduff, 0-2), Daragh Carey (Listowel Emmets), Robert Stack (Beale), Darragh Conway (Finuge), Jerh Brosnan (Moyvane, 0-1) Cormac Dillon (Beale, 0-5, 1f), Jack Sheehy (Ballydonoghue, 0-2), Darragh Foley (Tarbert, 0-2), Rory O’Mahony (St Senans, 1-4), Keltyn Molloy (Finuge). Subs: Rian Quinn (Moyvane), Robbie Foley (Ballydonoghue, 0-1)