Milltown/Castlemaine 1-10, Laune Rangers B 4-8
Laune Rangers won their second game of this season’s Mid Kerry Junior League with an away win against Milltown/Castlemaine on Wednesday evening.
Eamonn Carey was first to register a point and give Rangers an early lead, but Milltown/Castlemaine soon levelled matters with a pointed free by Conor Spillane. Points were traded again as scores were hard to come by in the early stages – Brendan Delaney nudging the home side ahead before Marc Clifford equallised – and the sides were level at 0-2 a piece with fifteen minutes played.
Conor Spillane pointed two frees for Milltown/Castlemaine, while points were again traded between Eamonn Carey & Kieran Carroll first, and then Colm O’Shea (free) and Donal Kelliher to leave the hosts two ahead. However, an injury time goal by Cian O’Shea, who finished well after a super run along the end line, gave the visitors the lead at the break.
Half Time Score:- Milltown/Castlemaine 0-6, Laune Rangers B 1-4.
Jack O’Sullivan pointed to double Rangers’ lead before a second goal stretched it further – Gabriel Griffin intercepting a short kickout before lobbing the ball over Derek Twiss in the Milltown goal. Cian O’Shea added a pointed free before Conor Spillane replied with a point – his first from play. Another pointed free for Cian O’Shea saw Laune Rangers leading by 2-7 to 0-7 with fifteen minutes remaining.
Kieran Carroll scored an excellent point from a sideline ball that seemed to renew his side’s momentum, and Seán Hogan found the net for them a minute later. Conor Spillane halved the deficit again with a point before Seán Hogan levelled matters. However, Laune Rangers were far from finished as the introduction of Mike Frank Russell gave the visitors a fresh focus. Russell lined up a 45 that looked to have split the posts only to drop short, but fellow substitute Morgan O’Sullivan was on hand to strike the ball to the net to put Rangers back in the lead in the 54th minute. The final minutes were understandably tense as Milltown/Castlemaine pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but the Rangers backs were alert to an dangers including a dropping ball coming down off the post. Morgan O’Sullivan scored another important point to put Rangers 4 ahead and effectively secure the win and, while Rangers pressed high to pressure the Milltown backs, Gabe Griffin capitalised on a defensive error to tap the ball into an empty net.
Full Time Score:- Milltown/Castlemaine 1-10, Laune Rangers B 4-8.
Mid July is high season for football with most competitions well up and running at this point. The past week easily highlighted this as Wednesday night’s game was Laune Rangers’ fourth game in the adult grade in 6 days after the Senior A (Friday), this Senior B (Saturday) & Development (Monday) teams had played previously. Of course this provides ample opportunity for players to get games under their belts and no less than 45 players played at least a part in the week’s on field activity.
Laune Rangers B:- Adam Carey, Patrick Brennan, Cormac Johnston (capt), Daniel Evans, Cillian Foley, Jonathan Carey, Ciarán O’Sullivan, Michael O’Sullivan Aona O’Shea, Eamonn Carey (0-2), Gabriel Griffin (2-0), Marc Clifford (0-1), Cian O’Shea (1-2, 2f), Colm O’Shea (0-1f), Jack O’Sullivan (0-1). Subs: Morgan O’Sullivan (1-1) for Colm O’Shea, Michael F Russell for E Carey, Jack Healy for J O’Sullivan.