CROMANE

COUNTY LEAGUE: Division 4 results: Cromane 0-11, Renard 0-11

A great comeback from our lads, coming back from four points down with 15 left to lead by one in injury time, wasn’t enough to take the two points from Renard in Cahersiveen this afternoon. That’s because Renard corner-forward Mark Sugrue was able to point a =9145’ with the last kick of the game. It could have been worse for us though as it was Sugrue’s goal-bound shot that was magnificently blocked by Cromane’s Stephen Foley that led to the =9145’ in the first place.

A draw, in the end, was probably a fair result. We played well in the first and last quarters of the game while Renard dominated the middle period.

We were three points to the good after five minutes thanks to two Darren Houlihan efforts and another from play courtesy of Emmet Casey. A special word must be made for the displays of Emmet and his brother Finbar, both togging out in difficult circumstances.

Credit also to our minor contingent (Ethan Griffin, Conor Sugrue, Cathal Crosby, and Brice Dourieu) who were all playing their second game in 24 hours. Good effort lads.

Renard got back on track with Mark Sugrue proving to be a thorn in our side, he ended the day with six points to his name. The scoring rate until Sean O’Sullivan popped over our 4th point of the afternoon after 22 minutes to push us out to 0-4 to 0-2 lead. We weren’t as dominant now though and Renard got level just before half time when they hit the last two scores of the half. Just prior to that Paul Patrick O’Sullivan hit a breakaway point for ourselves. This left the score at the break: Cromane 0-5, Renard 0-5.

Only one team started the third quarter of the game as Renard completely took over around the middle. They went on to hit the opening four points of the half, meaning they had hit six unanswered points in a row, to lead us: 0-5 to 0-9 with 15 minutes left.

We finally righted the ship when Sean O’Sullivan pointed our first placed ball in the 45th minute to leave three in it. This score re-energised our lads and, despite Dara Fitzgerald pointing a free at the other end, we hit a purple patch. From the 51st minute until a minute into injury time we knocked over five unanswered scores courtesy of three from Sean O’Sullivan (one from a free), Mikey Houlihan, and fine score from Donnchadh Walsh with the outside of the right to put us one up with time at the referee’s discretion. Renard managed to work one last attack and it looked like Sugrue was in for a goal but his rasping shot was blocked for a 45 by a stunning, diving block from Stephen Foley. Outstanding defending. Sugrue dusted himself down and, to his credit, split the posts with the =9145’ with the last kick of the game.

A point in our first game back in Division 4 after a three-year absence is no bad thing. It could have been better, it could have been worse.

Good comeback from our lads, next up is Gneeveguilla at home on Sunday, March 25.

Cromane scorers: Seán O’Sullivan 0-5 (0-2f), Darren Houlihan 0-2, Donnchadh Walsh, Mikey Houlihan, Emmet Casey and Paul Patrick O’Sullivan 0-1 each. Cromane: Paudie McMahon; Liam Teahan, Sean Teahan, Finbar Casey; Conor Sugrue, John Michael Foley, Ethan Griffin; Donnchadh Walsh, Shane O’Neill; Cathal Crosby, Mikey Houlihan, Seán O’Sullivan; Emmet Casey, Darren Houlihan, Paul Patrick O’Sullivan. Replacements: Micheál Shaughnessy for PP O’Sullivan 35m, Shane Ahern for Emmet Casey 45m, Stephen Foley for Cathal Crosby 45m, Brice Dourieu for Ethan Griffin 55m, Ian Costello for Shane O’Neill 60m. COUNTY MINOR LEAGUE: County Minor Football League Division 3B result: Glenbeigh-Glencar/Cromane 2-13, Gneeveguilla 1-8

Next up is a home game against Glenflesk on Monday, March 19 (throw-in 4pm). Team: Daniel Kelly; Pa Griffin, Jack O’Sullivan, Brice Dourieu; Seán T Sheehan, Ethan Griffin, Conor Sugrue; Oisín O’Connor, Liam Smith; Liam Roche, Cathal Crosby, Tommy Quirke; Rian O’Donovan; Darragh McKeefry, Gearoid Griffin. Replacements: Dylan Falvey and Jason Clifford.

MID KERRY U21 FINAL: The final of this year’s Mid Kerry Under-21 championship between Glenbeigh-Glencar/Cromane (GGC) and Milltown-Castlemaine has been refixed for Beaufort on St Patrick’s Day, Saturday, March 17, with a 1.15pm throw-in.

The GGC lads qualified for the final with a 0-12 to 1-5 win over Beaufort back in early February while Milltown-Castlemaine accounted for Laune Rangers in the other last four game.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP 2018: The deadline for club membership is approaching. Deadline is Saturday, March 31.

If you have yet to pay, then please get in touch with our club registrars Paul Patrick O’Sullivan, Patrick Casey, Sinead Lavin, and/or Theresa O’Sullivan to pay your membership for 2018.

The Cromane GAA Membership rates for 2018 are as follows: Senior player: €60 Family: €60 Couple: €50 Adult: €30 Students: €30 Underage: €20 Membership must be paid to one of our club registrars Paul Patrick O’Sullivan, Patrick Casey, Sinead Lavin, and Theresa O’Sullivan.

FIXTURES: Saturday, March 17–Mid Kerry Under-21 final: GGC v Milltown-Castlemaine in Beaufort at 1.15pm. Sunday, March 18–Mid Kerry League (round 4): Cromane v Beaufort in Cromane at 2pm.

Monday, March 19–County Minor League Div 3B (round 4): GGC v Glenflesk in Cromane at 4pm.

Sunday, March 25–County League Division 4 (round 2): Cromane v Gneeveguilla in Cromane at 1pm.

Monday, March 26–Central Region Under-16 Division 2 (round 1): GGC v Kerins O’Rahillys in Strand Road, Tralee, at 6.15pm.