Laune Rangers B 0-12, Rathmore B 2-18
Report: Paul O’Brien
On a cold and wet Saturday evening in the J.P. O’Sullivan Park, Laune Rangers B and Rathmore B served up a game to brighten the evening. In an exciting game, it was to be the visitors who would go home with the spoils denying Rangers’ the Division 5B Shield.
Laune Rangers started brightly with a Cian O’Shea point from a free after good build-up play from Callum Russell in the 2nd minute. In the 6th minute, Rangers doubled their lead after a lengthy period of possession with a point from the boot of Cian O’Shea. Rathmore were starting to find their feet at this stage and got off the mark through a free in front of the posts from Eoin Lawlor in the 9th minute. Rangers worked the ball from the resulting kick-out and landed a point from midfielder Morgan O’Sullivan and the game stood 0-03 to 0-01 in the home-side’s favour. Rathmore replied straight away with a point from their own midfielder Darragh Rahilly to close Rangers’ lead to the minimum. Rathmore gained possession from the restart and a point from their other midfield, TJ Friel, levelled the game in the 11th minute.
Rathmore were starting to gain the upper hand at this point and a pointed free from Anthony Darmody mid-way through the half saw them take the lead. In the 17th minute, Rangers’ keeper, Adam Carey, fumbled the ball under the crossbar and Rathmore’s corner forward, Dean Fitzgerald, punished the error and tapped the ball into the net and Rathmore led 1-04 to 0-03. The sides swapped points in the minutes that followed with Cian O’Shea putting over a free for the home-side while Dean Fitzgerald added another for Rathmore from play. In the 25th minute, Rathmore went through for their second goal of the evening when an effort at a point came back off the post. It was Anthony Darmody who reacted the quickest and blasted the ball to the back of the Laune Rangers’ net, extending Rathmore’s lead to 2-05 to 0-05. Laune Rangers responded with another Cian O’Shea pointed free before Rathmore got the last score of the half from Anthony Darmody to let the score at the short whistle; Laune Rangers B 0-06 to 2-06 Rathmore B.
Rathmore started the second half the brighter, kicking the opening four points of the half, through Darmody, Fitzgerald and two from Lawlor extending their lead some more and giving Laune Rangers a mountain to climb, 2-10 to 0-06. Rangers got a point back from play through Callum Russell in the 12th minute. However, Rathmore replied instantly with another Darmody effort from a free. Laune Rangers kicked the next three points, from Gavin O’Shea, Cillian Buckley and Cian O’Shea to close Rathmore’s lead to 2-11 to 0-10. Rathmore and Rangers swapped points once more with another Lawlor effort for the visitors followed by a Tom Garry effort from the home-side to keep the score-board ticking with 25 minutes played.
As the game entered its final minutes, Laune Rangers pushed for a goal to bring them back in the game, however, it was Rathmore who registered the next four scores, turning over possession and punishing errors. This put Rathmore out of sight, 2-16 to 0-11 in Rathmore’s favour. Laune Rangers’ last point came in the 33rd minute of the half, another Cian O’Shea effort, but it was Rathmore who closed out the game to let the final score; Laune Rangers B 0-12 to 2-18 Rathmore B.
Laune Rangers B: Adam Carey, Patrick Brennan, Matt Reenstierna, Cathal O’Callaghan, Tom Garry, James Treacy, Cillian Foley, Morgan O’Sullivan, Callum Russell, Mikey O’Donnell, Darragh O’Grady, Jack Healy, Adam Owens, Cillian Buckley, Cian O’Shea. SUBS: Gavin O’Shea, Colm O’Shea, Daniel Evans, Jake Reenstierna.
Rathmore B: William Casey, Jack Buckley, Mike Joe Kelliher, Paudie Doherty, Timmy Doherty, Cillian O’Connor, Daniel Moynihan, Darragh Rahilly, TJ Friel, Anthony Darmody, George O’Keeffe, Tadhg O’Mahony, Darragh Desmond, Eoin Lawlor, Dean Fitzgerald.