Milltown/Castlemaine v Laune Rangers

Laune Rangers A: 1-14, Milltown/Castlemaine: 2-07

Report: Sinéad Pigott

Laune Rangers made the trip to Paddy Burke Park on Sunday afternoon for their encounter with Milltown/Castlemaine in the first of this year’s Mid Kerry Senior League semi-finals. Despite two opening half goals from the home side, Laune Rangers maintained control throughout the game and went on to win by four points in the end.  Laune Rangers handed full Senior debuts to Cathal O’Callaghan and John Burke for the game.

Daire Cleary opened the scoring for the visitors with a point from a mark in the 1^st minute. This was followed by a pointed free from John Tyther when Stephen Sealy was fouled in the 4^th minute. Milltown/Castlemaine responded with a point of their own from Cathal Moriarty, a well taken long range effort, with 5 minutes on the clock. Laune Rangers were rewarded for a well worked passage of play soon after when Matthew Leslie linked well with Daire Cleary and Patrick Carey with Carey adding his name to the scoresheet in the 8^th minute and it was 0-03 to 0-01 in Laune Rangers’ favour. Laune Rangers had two early goal chances which they did not capitalise on but when Milltown/Castlemaine’s Cathal Moriarty found Jerome Flynn in the 12^th minute, he made no mistake in firing the ball to the back of the Laune Rangers’ net and the lead swung to the home side’s favour; Laune Rangers 0-03 to 1-01 Milltown/Castlemaine. Laune Rangers responded well with points from John Burke and Matthew Leslie in the minutes that followed before Stephen Sealy went through for Laune Rangers’ goal in the 16^th minute and the visitors led 1-05 to 1-01 mid-way through the opening half.

Laune Rangers’ Gearóid Hassett converted a mark in the 17^th minute to extend their lead some more but it was Milltown/Castlemaine who struck next for their second goal of the afternoon. Éanna O’Connor linked with Cathal Moriarty and Moriarty slotted the ball passed Jason Browne in the Laune Rangers’ goal to let the score 1-06 to 2-01 in the visitor’s favour. Daire Cleary added another point from a mark for Laune Rangers in the 19^th minute, however, this was cancelled out by a well taken long range Cathal Moriarty effort soon after. Seán Cleary added his name to the Laune Rangers’ scoresheet in the 26^th minute before David Mangan slotted over his own point in the 28^th minute, to let the game 1-09 to 2-02 in Laune Ranger’s favour. Milltown/Castlemaine’s Éanna O’Connor and Rangers’ John Burke traded points in the final minutes of the half to let the score at the short whistle; Laune Rangers 1-10 to 2-03 Milltown/Castlemaine.

The second half was a much lower scoring affair. Both sides also made several changes at half-time and throughout the half. Éanna O’Connor opened the second half scoring with a great effort in the first minute to close Laune Rangers’ lead to three points. Laune Rangers’ Shane Daly registered his own point in the 6^th minute to extend to lead back out to four points. Two points in quick succession from Seán Horgan and Conor Spillane cut Rangers’ lead to two; 1-11 to 2-06 with 10 minutes of the 2^nd half played. David Mangan responded for Laune Rangers in the 14^th minute and Laune Rangers led by three once more mid-way through the half.

Seán Cleary further extended Laune Rangers’ lead in the 22^nd minute after some great work from Gearóid Hassett in the build-up. Milltown/Castlemaine’s Seán Hogan put over their final point in the 27^th minute before the final point of the game, a well taken Gavin O’Shea effort for the visitors, left the score at the final whistle; Laune Rangers 1-14 to 2-07 Milltown/Castlemaine.

Laune Rangers: Jason Browne, Cathal O’Callaghan, Patrick Carey(0-1), Evan Madden, Rory O’Connor, David Mangan(0-2), Seán Cleary(0-2), Shane Daly(0-1), Eoin O’Sullivan, Stephen Sealy(1-0), John Tyther(0-1 1f), John Burke(0-2 1f), Daire Cleary(0-2 2m), Matthew Leslie(0-1), Gearóid Hassett(0-1 1m). SUBS: Darragh O’Connor, Ryan Diggin, Jack O’Sullivan, James Treacy, Darragh O’Grady, Mark O’Connor, Áona O’Shea, Gavin O’Shea(0-1).

Milltown/Castlemaine: Cormac Leane, Anthony Kelliher, Pa Wrenn, John O’Connor, Killian Kerins, Kieran O’Carroll, Conor Spillane(0-1), Brendan Delaney, David Roche, Cian O’Connor, Éanna O’Connor(0-2), Seán Hogan(0-2), Brendan Casey, Jerome Flynn(1-0), Cathal Moriarty(1-2). SUBS: Dara O’Connor, Adam Scanlon, Shane O’Connor, Linus Óg Burke, John Dennehy