Written by Murt Murphy for Kerrygaa.ie
Rangers give O'Rahillys the Blues
Laune Rangers 0-16 Kerins O'Rahillys 1-12
Not for the first time Laune Rangers have proved to be Kerins O'Rahillys nemesis when they out battled the Strand Road side in the opening Castleisland Co-Op Mart Club Championship semi final played at the Fitzgerald Killarney on Saturday. Both clubs have been struggling in the County League and in fact Laune Rangers are still in a spot of bother but now Rangers are at least in line for winning some silverware with their young side. O'Rahillys manager Mark Fitzgerald must be wondering has he upset the Gods because no sooner does he gain a player, than he seems to lose one almost straight away. There was very little between the sides in the opening half as two points apiece for O'Rahillys from Barry John Keane, Declan Quill and John O'Connor kept the Tralee club just ahead in a close first half, leading 0-6 to 0-5 after 24 minutes, before Quill's crisp finish, after a Tommy Walsh shot was only parried by Tony Lyons , and Declan Quill followed up to finish to the Rangers net. O'Rahillys resumed in determined fashion and looked as if they might prevail thanks to points from Tommy Walsh, Keane (0-2), Quill and Brian Moran - which saw them back in front , 1-12 to 0-13, but they just could not sustain their effort with s couple of costly wides and turnovers.
Dogged Rangers stuck to their task and late points from Seamie Foley, Pa Joy and Johnny Carey, edged Rangers back into a one-point lead, which they held onto and now face Rathmore in a surprise final pairing. SCORERS: Laune Rangers: MF Russell (4f) 0-5, P Joy 0-3, S Foley, S McSweeney 0-2 each, J Sheehan, T McGillycuddy, P Sheehan, J Carey 0-1 each Kerins O'Rahillys: D Quill (2f) 1-3, BJ Keane 0-5f, J O'Connor 0-2, T Walsh, B Moran 0-1 each TEAMS: Laune Rangers: T Lyons; C Johnston, J Carey, K Crowley; P Sheehan, P Crowley, S McSweeney; J Sheehan, M Foley; S O'Connor, K Doona, C O'Shea; MF Russell, S Foley, P Joy. Subs: T McGillycuddy for C O'Shea (2); R Keane for S O'Connor (46).
Kerins O'Rahillys: D Hennessy; D O'Sullivan, M O'Shea, S Brosnan; A Thompson, B O'Shea, R O'Callaghan; B Moran, M Quirke; T Walsh, BJ Keane, C O'Mahony; D Quill, G O'Grady, J O'Connor. Subs: J Nolan for A Thompson (30); D McLoughlin for C O'Mahony (57). Referee: P O'Sullivan (Firies) |