Unstoppable Shane guides the Gers home

GER O’HANRAHAN’S 3-17 RÉALT NA MARA 4-8

SHANE ROCHE was in simply unstoppable form as he guided Geraldine O’Hanrahan’s to a reasonably comfortable victory over Réalt na Mara in the second round of the Joyces Expert Intermediate A football championship in Oylegate on Friday.

The recently retired inter-county stalwart contributed a stunning personal salvo of 2-11, with 1-7 from play, as he tore the Réalt na Mara defence to pieces almost every time he was in possession, going through three different markers in the process.

This Group A game started off with a Réalt na Mara goal from Eoin Corcoran with their first attack, and the Ballygarrett based side looked good for a ten-minute period as Tom Sinnott and Pat Naughter added to the tally, with Roche and Matt Crowdle chipping in for the Geraldine’s.

But then Roche really sprung to life, kicking five scores in a row, and adding another after Dylan Egan chipped in, putting the eventual victors up by five with five minutes remaining in the opening half.

Réalt na Mara were given a great boost when Cormier Moore Kavanagh’s pointed effort dropped short and into the net and with help from Patrick Naughter there was only three in it at the break.

With eight minutes played in the new half, the sides were level after two quick Naughter points and a trade of scores between Colm Kennelly and Roche.

But just like in the first half, Roche stepped up to the mark, this time to finish off a sweeping move to the net.

Dylan Egan added another, moments later and when Roche converted a penalty shortly after the midway mark, this game was over as a contest.

Three goals in nine minutes would kill any team but to their credit, Réalt na Mara fought back and while it was never going to affect the outcome, they hit two goals in the closing stages giving their opponents something to think about.

Geraldine O’Hanrahan’s: David Merrigan; Michael Cleere, Enda Kelly, Barry Kelly; Padraig Bailey, Eoin Kelly, Séan Crowdle; Jack Foran, Danielius Neikius; Matt Crowdle (0-2), DD Kehoe (0-1), Dylan Egan (1-1); Barry Roche (0-1), Shane Roche (2-11, 1-0 penalty, 4 frees), Ben Walsh. Subs: Dylan Whickham for Walsh, Ned Connors for Bailey.

Réalt na Mara: Kieran Gigi; Eddie Redmond, Aidan Murphy, David Doran; Brian O’Connor, Dan Morris, Tom Sinnott (1-1); Cormier Moore Kavanagh (1-0), Patrick Naughter (0-5, 4 frees), Jimmy Murphy; Colm Kennelly (0-1), Eoin Corcoran (1-0), Jack Hobbs (0-1). Subs: Johnny Sinnott (1-0) for Doran, Adam Flemming for Hobbs, Dylan Sweeny for Murphy.

Referee: Justin Heffernan (Blackwater).