Laune Rangers B 2-6, Milltown/Castlemaine 1-15
Laune Rangers relinquished the Mid Kerry Junior title on Wednesday evening as they were defeated by a more experienced Milltown/Castlemaine team in JP O’Sullivan Park. Both teams were missing players, but with Laune Rangers a few days away from Championship action, the home team were without a raft of eligible bodies and fielded a team with no fewer than nine U19s in the starting lineup.
The young Laune Rangers side took time to grow into the physicality of the whistle-light game, and found themselves 1-6 to 0-2 behind after fifteen minutes – O’Shea brothers Cian (free) and Gavin scoring for Rangers but Milltown blitzed their hosts for the opening quarter with Seán Hogan (0-2), Conor Spillane (1-3), & Kieran McKenna (0-1) getting the scores.
John Dennehy (2) and Kieran McKenna pointed for Milltown in the second quarter, but Laune Rangers scored through Cian O’Shea (free) Callum Russell and Ciarán O’Sullivan (1-1) to leave four between the sides at the break.
Half Time Score:- Laune Rangers B 1-5, Milltown/Castlemaine 1-9.
Two pointed frees by Conor Spillane increased Milltown/Castlemaine’s lead but it was soon halved with the score of the game – Ciarán O’Sullivan selling an excellent dummy before finding the bottom corner of the net with a shot from outside the square for his second goal.
However, that was as close as Rangers would come on the scoreboard as Conor Spillane (free), Seán Hogan (2), & Brendan Delaney all pointed to extend the lead. Substitute Mike Frank Russell – fresh from Sunday’s 1997 celebrations – added a pointed free late on but Milltown/Castlemaine secured the win.
Full Time Score:- Laune Rangers B 2-6, Milltown/Castlemaine 1-15.
Laune Rangers B:- Adam Carey, Killian Spillane, Cormac Johnston (capt), Cathal O’Callaghan, James Treacy, Jonathan Carey, Ciarán O’Sullivan (2-1), Michael O’Sullivan, Callum Russell (0-1), Cillian Foley, Marc Clifford, Aona O’Shea, Eamonn Carey, Gavin O’Shea (0-1), Cian O’Shea (0-2f). Subs: Morgan O’Sullivan for E Carey, Patrick Brennan for O’Callaghan, Michael F Russell (0-1f), Oisin Flynn for C Russell, Daniel Evans for J Carey.