O’Rahillys’ goals sucker Rangers
GARVEY’S COUNTY SFC ROUND 1
Feale Rangers 0-16 Kerins O’Rahillys 3-15
GOALS were game breakers in this first round tie in the County Senior Football Championship in Listowel last Saturday evening, particularly the two which the visitors scored within seven minutes of the restart of the second half.
Overall, Feale Rangers matched Kerins O’Rahillys in most facets of play for long periods, but it was the clinical efficiency of the Blues in goal-scoring situations which ultimately proved to be significant.
All were pretty similar in terms of their creativity and execution involving some swift and clever link up play between a number of players. Feale Rangers were guilty of not tracking or picking up runners coming from deep positions, especially in relation to the second half goals which left their last line of defence outnumbered and exposed and having fallen ten points adrift by the thirty seventh minute they were never likely to retrieve the situation thereafter, even if they continued to pursue the situation with a lot of endeavour and intent.
They also had goal opportunities in both halves, but just didn’t have the same level of resourcefulness as O’Rahillys in similar type situations. The absence of Anthony Maher from the Rangers line up was obviously a factor, but one felt that the visitors always had the ability to respond and step up whenever the occasion demanded.
The locals started quite brightly, but kicked successive wides before Jack Savage opened the scoring with a pointed free in the third minute.
O’Rahillys consolidated their advantage three minutes later when Gavin O’Brien neatly converted low to the Feale Rangers net having availed of some good build up play involving both Cormac Coffey and Tommy Walsh.
However, with Damien Somers operating to good effect in midfield Feale Rangers kept pace, with Conor Cox and Martin Stack kicking some good scores, which left them just one goal adrift 1-3 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter.
At the other end of the pitch Tommy Walsh was a central figure, kicking a few excellent scores and with David Moran effecting some fine fetches and opening up the defence with some penetrating runs O’Rahillys were five points in front 1-6 0-4 by the twenty fifth minute at which stage Feale Rangers created a goal-scoring opportunity when Ger McCarthy manoeuvred himself into a good position inside the last line of defence.
Some good collective defending denied Conor Cox with the final effort from close range, but with the impressive Martin Stack on target again and defender Shane Stack kicking a superb score from distance Feale Rangers were still very much in touch 1-7 0-6 at the interval break with such as David Foran and Eamonn Flaherty having added a lot to their first half challenge.
Within a minute of the restart
they had a goal chance to narrow the gap to the bare minimum when David Foran was denied at the near post by an excellent save from Gary Kissane.
A pivotal moment in some respects, given that, O’Rahillys largely put the game beyond reach shortly afterwards. David Moran in support of his attack ghosted inside the defensive cover completely unmarked, and provided a pretty emphatic finish low to the net for his side’s second goal.
They could well have added another shortly afterwards when Jack Savage shot over the bar from close range.
Martin Stack with his third point momentarily kept Feale Rangers challenge afloat, but, when John Ferguson was at the end of another defence splitting move and produced a pretty confident finish for goal number three in the thirty seventh minute it provided Kerins O’Rahillys with a commanding ten point lead 3-8 0-7 and put them firmly in the driving seat.
However, it didn’t in any way diminish the level of Feale Rangers momentum, who continued to pursue the issue with a lot of energy and purpose with Seán T Dillon as he had been all through extremely resolute in defensive situations.
They added three more points in the third quarter, but were still eight points adrift 3-9 0-10 at the end of that particular period in proceedings.
It looked as if the encounter was drifting to its inevitable conclusion, but when the margin was reduced to six points 3-9 0-12 there was, maybe, a slight chance that they might salvage the situation.
However David Moran kicked a vital point to essentially put paid to any chance of a Feale Rangers revival. Thereafter O’Rahillys were able to control matters, with a number of substitutes having been introduced.
Gary Kissane with another block from point blank range in the dying moments denied Feale Rangers once again, but a goal at this stage would have been of academic interest only.
If they had capitalised with some of the goal chances early on it might have produced a closer contest, but taken in the overall context O’Rahillys were the more efficient combination with a few individual aces coming up trumps at crucial stages in proceedings.
Certainly, no short of effort or endeavour from Feale Rangers, but, crucially, it was the Blues who produced the greater level of expertise with those match winning goals.
FEALE RANGERS: Jeremiah Kelly (Duagh), Sean T Dillon (St Senans), Pat Corridan (Finuge), Niall Collins (Emmets), Tom Scanlon (Duagh), Shane Stack (Moyvane), (0-1), Ger McCarthy (Emmets), Damien Somers (St Senans), Eamonn Flaherty (Moyvane) (0-2), Maurice O’Connor (Duagh), David Foran (St Senans), Cormac Mulvihill (Emmets), Martin Stack (Moyvane) (0-4, 1f), Conor Cox (Emmets) (0-7, 5f), Padraig Quille (St Senans) (0-1). Subs: Jason Browne (St Senans) (0-1) for M O’Connor, Bryan Sweeney (Emmets) for T Scanlon, Martin Scannell (Duagh) for C Mulvihill
KERINS O’RAHILLYS: Gary Kissane, Danny O’Sullivan, Ross O’Callaghan, Darragh McElligott, Cormac Coffey, Ryan Carroll, Karl Mullins, David Moran (1-1), Con Barrett, Gavin O’Brien (1-0), Tommy Walsh (0-3), Cian Sayers, Barry John Keane (0-1), Jack Savage (0-7, 6f), John Ferguson (12). Subs: Shane Brosnan for R Carroll), JC O’Connor for C Barrett), Gearoid Savage (0-1 free) for C Sayers, Tom Hoare for G O’Brien, Aidan Mangan for T Walsh, David Murphy for D O’Sullivan (B/C)
REFEREE: Eddie Walsh (Rathmore)