MID KERRY GAA
Joan McGillicuddy MID KERRY U-16 ‘A’ FC FINAL
Laune Rangers 2-14 Keel/Listry 0-9
LAUNE Rangers have retained the Mid Kerry Under 16 ‘A’ title following a victory in the Final over Keel/Listry on Sunday in JP O’Sullivan Park, Killorglin. The scoreline is somewhat flattering to Rangers, however, as the sides were level early in the second half before the Killorglin side pulled away.
Keel / Listry led in the early stages with points from Aaron O’Shea (2) and Liam Evans following a point in the first minute from Rangers’ Eoghan Hassett. Hassett and Aaron O’Shea exchanged pointed frees before Rangers settled into the game, with two further Hassett points (one free) leaving the sides level at 0-4 apiece after 15 minutes.
Keel / Listry stretched into a strong lead with three unanswered points through Liam Evans, James O’Dowd and Aaron O’Shea (free), but Rangers finished the half strongly and two more Hassett points left his side trailing by the minimum at the break, 0-7 to 0-6 to Keel / Listry.
Hassett levelled matters with the first score of the second half, and an Aaron O’Shea pointed free was cancelled out by a well taken Jack Healy point to maintain the stalemate at the 36th minute.
Hassett’s pointed free – his eighth of the game – put Rangers ahead and they didn’t look back from there, with Marc Clifford kicking a point to put Laune Rangers ahead by 0-10 to 0-8 with 15 minutes to play.
Ciarán O’Sullivan got upfield from wing back in a fantastic passing move that put him through on goal, but his shot flashed over the bar for Rangers point. Darragh O’Grady had been introduced by Rangers in the 45th minute and he was next to to get his name on the scoresheet, before another Marc Clifford point put the Killorglin side five ahead.
A pointed free by Aaron O’Shea was cancelled out by a second long range point by Darragh O’Grady, before Laune Rangers full forward Jack Healy hit the net to put Rangers in a commanding position with minutes to play – Hassett put through by Jack O’Sullivan before forcing a great save from Fionán Griffin only for the rebound to fall to Healy who nearly put a hole in the roof of the net with a rocket of a shot.
However, Keel / Listry were thrown a lifeline when James Byrne’s second yellow card saw the Laune Rangers man dismissed and his team down to 14. This was short-lived though, as Laune Rangers’
Jack O’Sullivan scored his team’s second goal to close the game out.
Darragh Mangan was excellent for Rangers, especially when he moved into midfield. The Rangers defence was outstanding in the second half – holding Keel / Listry to just two points and scoreless from play.
Aona O’Shea and Cathal O’Callaghan stepped up to dominate in their individual match-ups, while Patrick Brennan was the stand-out defender on the field, not giving his marker a chance to score while also driving out from the back when the pressure was on in the second half.
However, the stand-out performance was easily that of Eoghan Hassett. He scored all of Rangers first seven points to keep his side in the game for more than a half, and finished with 0-8 (five from play).
After the game, Mid Kerry Coiste na nÓg Chairman John Clifford presented Laune Rangers captain Jake Reenstierna with the Mid Kerry Under 16 trophy.
LAUNE RANGERS: Jake Reenstierna, Patrick Brennan, Matt Reenstierna, Aona O’Shea, Cathal O’Callaghan, Ryan Diggin, Ciarán O’Sullivan (0-1), Calum Moriarty, James Byrne, Mikey O’Donnell, Eoghan Hassett (0-8, 3f), Darragh Mangan, Jack O’Sullivan (1-0), Jack Healy (1-1), Marc Clifford (0-2) Subs: Darragh O’Grady (0-2) for O’Donnell, Cathal Crowley for O’Shea, James Treacy for Healy, Daniel Evans for O’Callaghan, Ryan O’Sullivan for J O’Sullivan
KEEL/LISTRY: Fionán Griffin, Luke Benson, Oran Hilliard, Aaron O’Donoghue, Daire Murphy, Joe Clifford, Shane Evans, Lachlan Griffin, Tadhg Evans, Aodán Murphy, Keith Evans, Liam Evans (0-2), James O’Dowd (0-1), Aaron O’Shea (0-6, 5f), Dylan
Moriarty Subs: Mason Courtney for A Murphy, Marc Murphy for O’Dowd
MILLTOWN/CASTLEMAINE defeated Beaufort in the U-16 ‘B’ final.
FIXTURES
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9 Minor Championship semi finals
(extra-time playable) Glenbeigh/Glencar/Cromane v Laune Rangers in Glenbeigh 3pm
Miltown/Castlemaine v Beaufort 3pm
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Senior Championship semi-finals
(extra-time playable in both games) Beaufort v Laune Rangers, 3pm
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Senior Championship semi-finals
(extra-time playable in both games) Glenbeigh/Glencar v Miltown/Castlemaine, 2pm