Vols finish on high note
VOLUNTEERS FINISHED strongly to see off Rathgarogue-Cushinstown with three points to spare in this entertaining Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group A game in Gusserane on Saturday.
The situation looked ominous for the town team when they trailed by two points entering the final quarter as up to then they had struggled for scores.
At the opposite end a dominant Rathgarogue-Cushinstown side frittered away many scoring opportunities through over-playing of the ball or wild finishing.
As a result, the game hung very much in the balance right up to the closing minutes with the Vols eventually edging in front (0-12 to 1-8) with seven minutes remaining.
They suffered what looked like a major blow two minutes later when Keith Kearney was dismissed on a second yellow card.
Still little separated the sides in a tense finish, with the Ross District side also reduced to 14 players when Eric Cummins collected a second booking, leaving David Shannon to clinch the win with an additional time point for the town side.
Reigning Junior champions Rathgarogue-Cushinstown had the opening score after four minutes with a Nicky Sinnott point, while Tadhg Cody extended that lead.
Seven minutes into the game the Ross District side stretched into a 1-2 to nil advantage when Luke O’Connor finished a Daire Bolger pass to the net, while they looked comfortable as Eoin Porter then converted a free.
Volunteers had to wait until the eleventh minute for their opening score, a David Shannon point, and they went on to trail by 1-7 to 0-5 at half-time.
When an opening-minute point on the resumption from Tadhg Cody extended the lead, Volunteers looked to have a real challenge on their hands just to get back into the game.
They began their recovery through two David Shannon pointed frees, while Keith Kearney followed up with two fine points to leave leaving the minimum separating the sides (1-8 to 0-10) with nine minutes remaining.
Had Rathgarogue-Cushinstown availed of their scoring chances they would have been out of sight, but opposing ‘keeper John Cody denied them goals with excellent saves in each half.
Volunteers forced a penalty after Jack O’Leary was fouled, but Keith Kearney blazed the kick over the bar, bringing the sides level (0-11 to 1-8) with seven minutes remaining.
An O’Leary point put the Vols in front for the first time one minute later, but then came Kearney’s dismissal.
Four minutes from the end the crucial breakthrough was made when a delightful move started from deep in defence left Stephen Kearney in the clear and he blazed high into the corner of the net, giving his side a four-point (1-12 to 1-8) advantage.
While their opponents responded with points from Daire Bolger and Tadhg Cody, they lost Eric Cummins to a second yellow card before that late Shannon point made sure of victory for the Vols.
Volunteers: John Cody; Brian Delaney, Keith Furlong, Brian Sheridan; Aaron McGuire, Jason Kearns, Stephen Burke; Eoin McCarthy (0-2), Cian Brennan; Shane Bates, Jack O’Leary (0-1), Keith Kearney (0-3, 1 pen.); Mikey Banville, David Shannon (0-7, 4 frees), Kyle Dempsey. Sub. - Stephen Kearney (1-0) for Burke.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Jonathan Kelly; Pádraig McGrath, Bryan Cody, Patrick Murphy; Peadar Cody, Brian O’Neill, Matthew Cody; Daniel Martin Carroll, Eoin Porter (0-1 free); Jason Dunne, Daire Bolger (0-4, 2 frees), Tadhg Cody (0-3); Eric Cummins, Luke O’Connor (1-0), Nicky Sinnott (0-2). Subs. - Paddy Barron for McGrath, Robert Murphy for Dunne.
Referee: Thomas Furlong (Adamstown).