Rapps survive Monageer rally
RAPPAREES M-B’VOGUE 3-20 2-21 (AET)
HAVING TRAILED by eleven points at the interval, a remarkable Monageer-Boolavogue rally forced extra-time, but in the end they went under by a two-point margin to a fine Rapparees outfit in this excellent Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship quarter-final in Oylegate on Sunday.
The Rapparees were fired up for this game when playing with the assistance of the strong breeze, and by the end of the opening quarter they led 1by -6 to 0-3.
The goal came from Anthony Murphy, while Neil McCrea was showing excellent accuracy both from frees and play, with Stephen Murphy pointed frees keeping the opposition in touch.
Monageer-Boolavogue were making hard work of containing the opposition, with even full-back Eoin Quigley sending over two pointed ‘65s, while three minutes before the break the same player sent in a huge free which found its way to the corner of the net.
Just on the break, Monageer-Boolavogue were awarded a penalty but Peter Mernagh’s shot was excellently saved by Jim O’Connor, and the eventual winners led by 2-10 to 0-5 at the interval.
Great credit is due to Monageer-Boolavogue for the manner in which they battled back in the second-half. After Mark Walsh and Eoin Quigley (‘65) exchanged points, substitute Niall O’Loughlin found the net from close range on 38 minutes to reduce the deficit to 2-11 to 1-7.
The sides continued to trade points, but entering the closing ten minutes the town team still looked comfortable as they led by 2-14 to 1-10.
Peter Mernagh pointed three unanswered frees, with Niall O’Loughlin adding a further point. Walsh and Mernagh (free) followed with points, and a James Gahan additional time point brought the sides level (2-14 to 1-17) to force extra-time.
Substitute Lee Treacy marked his introduction with a lead point for the Rapps, but the opposition responded with points from David Mernagh and a Dean Fenlon goal.
Diarmuid Cullen and Anthony Murphy pointed for the opposition in between, leaving Monageer-Boolavogue leading by 2-19 to 2-18 at the break.
Neil McCrea was enjoying an excellent game, and he came to the Rapps’ rescue in the second period of extra-time with an excellent goal, along with two pointed frees, as they fought their way to a hard-earned victory, despite having Nathan O’Connor red-carded close to the finish.
Rapparees: Jim O’Connor; Declan Courtney, Eoin Quigley (1-3, 1-0 free, 0-3 ‘65s), John Barron; Ryan Hadley, Cathal Ryan, Anthony Peare; Peter O’Sullivan, Nathan O’Connor; Ronan Kirwan, Lee Murphy, Diarmuid Cullen (0-3); Neil McCrea (1-12, 0-7 frees), John Murphy (0-1), Anthony Murphy (1-1). Subs. - Lee Treacy (0-1, 15th man for extra-time), Joe Cullen for Hadley, Mikey Dempsey for A. Murphy, Gary Murphy for Dempsey, John Ryan for D. Cullen.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Niall Finn; Lee McHale, Tomás O’Leary, Ray O’Brien; Robbie Donnelly, Paddy Breen, Seán O’Leary; Stephen Lacey (0-1), Shane Kehoe; Mark Walsh (0-2), Brian O’Loughlin (0-1), James Gahan (0-2); Peter Mernagh (0-11, 7 frees, 1 ‘65), Ger Daly (0-1), James Sweeney. Subs. - Niall O’Loughlin (1-2, 0-2 frees) for Donnelly, Colm O’Loughlin for Sweeney, Dean Fenlon (1-0) for McHale, David Mernagh (0-1) for O’Leary, Pádraig Walsh for O’Leary, Sweeney for Gahan.
Referee: Paddy Brady (Ballygarrett).