Shannon: We didn’t take our chances

THE end of a long week for Laune Rangers both on and off the field failed to produce some silverware for the Killorglin side, but while Joe Shannon said he couldn’t say for certain if the players were distracted by the events that had taken place earlier in the week, he did feel the game hinged on the two goalscoring chances near the end.

“We didn’t take ours, but they took their chance. That was the difference in the end. I don’t think what happened during the week should take anything away from Glenbeigh, they stuck to their task brilliantly today and I felt it was a good advertisement for Mid Kerry football the way both teams played today,” the Laune Rangers boss said.

Critics will say that six years is way too long for a club of Rangers’ tradition to be without their title (which they won 16 times in 19 years at one stage), but Shannon feels the club’s recent form has to be taken in context.

“The wheel always turns in football; maybe the expectations of the club are a bit too high when you consider you are always measured against the success of the 90s. I don’t think the club will ever achieve a period of success like that for some time, but I would be happy with the year from the point of view of making and contesting three finals (Mid Kerry League and Championship as well as the Senior Club Final),” he said.

It looks like getting a bit tougher for the club with the impending departures of both Maurice Foley and Colin O’dwyer to Australia while Seamie Foley continues to commute from London. Shannon is confident however that Liam Hassett and Mike Frank Russell will put on the club colours once more in the new season.

“Liam has just come back after a fairly lengthy injury and still has the hunger to compete; Mike Frank still lives for football as well so I would be confident both will keep going for the time being.

“As for myself I’ll take a couple of days and consider whether or not I’ll stay on.”