County Minor Football Championship Rd 2
26 July 2022, 7:00 pm
Mid Kerry
1-15 - 0-9
Laune Rangers
Paddy Burke Memorial Park
Minor Boys

Match Report

Mid Kerry 1-15, Laune Rangers 0-9

Laune Rangers took the field in the County Minor Championship against a strong Mid Kerry side in Milltown.

A low scoring first quarter saw Laune Rangers score the first two points of the game through John Burke (free) and Darragh Clifford, but Mid Kerry opened their account with a point – the shot deflected over the bar by a fine Conor Buckley save.  With fifteen minutes on the clock, Laune Rangers led by 0-2 to 0-1.

Mid Kerry pointed again to level matters, but John Burke (free) and Niall O’Brien scored excellent points to restore the two point lead.  A Mid Kerry point was quickly cancelled out by a John Burke score from play, but the home side scored three in succession to take a slender lead into the break.

Half Time Score:- Mid Kerry 0-6, Laune Rangers 0-5.

The stronger Divisional side flew out of the traps after the restart and doubled their lead in the early stages with a point.  Pointed frees were exchanged between the sides (John Burke for Rangers) before the hosts struck the net for the game’s only goal and take full control of the tie, following it up with a point to extend their lead to six points.  Darragh Clifford scored an excellent point from distance for Rangers, but Mid Kerry pointed twice more to lead by 1-11 to 0-7 with fifteen minutes to play.

Darragh Clifford added another excellent point for Laune Rangers but Mid Kerry were still on top, and they added another point that would have been more but for an excellent save by Conor Buckley.  The home side added two more points, but the young Rangers side kept plugging away.  John Burke scored a well taken point, although Mid Kerry added a final score before the final whistle.

Full Time Score:- Mid Kerry 1-15, Laune Rangers 0-9.

The strength of the Divisional side proved too much for the young Laune Rangers team, with 13 of the 20 still eligible for Minor next year.  A final game against another Divisional side in West Kerry takes place next Monday evening, August 1st in Killorglin.

Laune Rangers:- Conor Buckley, Tim Mangan, Shane Clifford, Matthew Spillane, Niall T O’Brien (0-1), Oisín Birmingham, John Tuohy, John Burke (capt, 0-5, 3f), Patryk Radny, Rian O’Sullivan, Tom Garry, Eoin O’Connell, Seán Diggin, Darragh Clifford (0-3), Stephen Gannon.  Subs used: Ryan Carey for Garry, Gavan Mangan for Tuohy, Devin Hogan for Diggin, Seán O’Donnell for T Mangan, Callum O’Sullivan