GOH make quarter-finals

GER. O’HANRAHANS KILRUSH

MAKING THE most of their chances in dreadful conditions, Geraldine O’Hanrahans secured their quarter-final spot as a result of a three-point victory over Kilrush in this Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group A game in Bree on Saturday.

The two points earned the New Ross town side a place in the last eight, having annexed four points from four games.

As for the losers they will need to beat Réalt na Mara in the last round to avoid a relegation decider.

The ability and ball skills of Shane Roche in the wet and slippery conditions eventually proved the real difference, as he had a hand in most of his side’s scores, while providing the final pass for the first-half goal, which was to prove crucial in the end.

Both sides found it difficult to bring any real pattern to their play, a factor not helped by the rain and underfoot conditions, which in turn led to a low-scoring first-half.

The eventual winners led by 1-3 to 0-2 at the break, with the crucial goal arriving as early as the eleventh minute when Shane Roche set up corner-forward Barry Roche, who fired low to the corner of the net.

Shane Tomkins had opened the scoring with a point, and after David Crowdle equalised on seven minutes, Shane Roche sent over two points, while Gavin Sunderland managing a pointed free in between.

Having trailed by four points, the north county side opened the second-half impressively, with Michael Murphy pointing.

And then on 39 minutes, Podge Byrne found the net from close range to bring the sides level (1-3 each).

Kilrush took the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game when Michael Murphy pointed, but the Ross side’s response was swift as they levelled through Jack Foran.

And they went on to close out victory with three successive Shane Roche points, two from frees, leaving them to hold firm in the closing minutes while restricting their opponents to a solitary Michael Murphy point.

Geraldine O’Hanrahans: Robbie Vallejo; Michael Cleere, Seán Crowdle, Barry Kelly; Pádraig Bailey, Matt Crowdle, Eoin Kelly; Danielius Niekis, Jack Foran (0-1); Diarmuid Kehoe, Shane Roche (0-6, 2 frees), Dylan Egan; David Crowdle (0-1), Kevin Grangel, Barry Roche (1-0). Sub. - Ben Walsh for B. Kelly (temp.).

Kilrush: Darragh Kinsella; Tom Byrne, Garrett O’Connor, John Kavanagh; Peter O’Neill, Denis Lancaster, Jim Sharry; Colm Buttle, Shane Tomkins (0-1); Podge Byrne (1-0), Michael Murphy (0-3), Gavin Sunderland (0-1 free); Conor Levingstone, Billy Nolan, Seán Kirwan.

Referee: Stephen Burke (Volunteers).