Ardfert goals punish Rangers
Ardfert 2-16 Laune Rangers 0-15
REIGNING County Intermediate champions Ardfert claimed an important and deserved win over Laune Rangers in Ardfert on Sunday, a result that heaps more woe on the Killorglin club
Second half goals from John Egan and a late effort from Daniel Collins rescued a draw for Ardfert and sent the game to extra-time where Ardfert were the dominant side and went on to win by seven points.
Laune Rangers had Mike Frank Russell at corner forward and he opened the scoring with a point. The other corner forward, Pa Joy, followed with another point.
Ardfert took a while to settle and eventually they went into a one-point lead, with points from Damien Wallace, John Egan and David Griffin. Pa Joy converted a free for Laune Rangers and Chris Riordan followed with a point from play.
Ardfert were guilty of some bad passing and fouling. The best score of the game followed when Darren Wallace was fouled and took the free from 50 yards out and put it over the bar. This had the scores level.
Damien Wallace and Mike Frank Russell exchanged points and Darren Wallace got the final score of the half for Ardfert. Laune Rangers, however, added on two points following mistakes in the defence by Ardfert, Pa Joy from play and John O’Shea from a free. The half time score was Ardfert 0-6 Laune Rangers 0-7.
In the second half Ardfert played against the breeze and were not performing well. Laune Rangers were now in full throttle and scored the first three points of the half through Paudie Murphy, Shane McSweeney and John Tyther.
Ardfert were now four points in arrears and struggling. Egan gave them a lifeline when he palmed the ball to the net, following good work by Eoghan Courtney.
Rangers responded with three points, two from Russell and one from Shane McSweeney. Trevor Wallace got Ardfert’s first score of the half, but Laune Rangers sub David Costello replied immediately. Ardfert were down four points again and the end of the game was fast approaching.
Trevor Wallace scored a point before Damien Wallace following a good run was brought down. Damien Wallace’s free was pushed away by Tony Lyons only to Danny Collins, who finished to the net.
Ardfert completely dominated the extra-time. They scored seven points in the first half without reply from Egan (3), Damien Wallace, Darren Wallace and a long range score from Darren Dineen.
Laune Rangers scored one point from a free in the second half from John Sheehan, with John Dowling replying with a point from a free.
Ardfert were somewhat fortunate to rescue a draw in normal time as Rangers were probably the better team in the first hour, but Ardfert’s never-say-die attitude was duly rewarded and they dominated in extra-time.
ARDFERT: N O’Sullivan, D Dineen (0-1), R Horgan, M Moloney, T Wallace (0-2), D Collins (1-0), E Courtney(0-1), K Shanahan, I Courtney, D Griffin (0-1), D Wallace (0-3), F Horgan, S Griffin, D Wallace (0-3), J Egan (1-4). Subs: J Dowling (0-1f), N Clifford, J Wallace, A Fealey.
LAUNE RANGERS: T Lyons, M O’Sullivan, T O’Callaghan, K Sheehan, C Riordan (0-1), J Sheehan (0-1f), K Crowley, P Murphy (0-1), M Foley, R Keane, J O’Shea (0-1), J Tyther (0-1), M F Russell (0-4, 1f), S McSweeney (0-2), P Joy (0-3, 1f). Subs: D Costello (0-1), P Sheehan, S O’Connor, R Sayers, A Cox.