The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Rangers show quality as Rathmore look ring rusty
COUNTY IFC GROUP 3 ROUND 1 Laune Rangers 1-11 Rathmore 1-11
THE opening game in this year’s Intermediate Championship served notice that the world might be a slightly different place right now, but football is as dramatic and unpredictable as ever.
Rathmore were red-hot favourites here, but that’s always much more of a burden than a blessing in games like these. In fact, although they did look comfortably home and dry early in the second half, it was Rathmore who had to pull out all the stops to snatch a draw in the finish.
That scenario certainly didn’t look likely early on. Darragh Rahilly picked off an impressive opening score. Gearóid Hassett, very impressive on his senior championship debut, set up Fiachra Clifford for an equaliser and added another himself. Chrissy Spiers neatly picked off a score after good work by MJ Kelliher to square matters but Clifford pointed a free to leave Rangers in front.
That lead didn’t last long. Rathmore lorded midfield and the pressure began to tell. Aidan O’Mahony and Eoin Lawlor combined to set up Mark Reen for a point and he soon added a second. Lawlor, whose darting runs caused a somewhat ring-rusty Peter Crowley endless problems, made it 0-5 to 0-3.
Mark Reen doubled the lead. Rathmore rubber-stamped it when George O’Keeffe and Eoin Lawlor combined (a perfectly weighted pass by O’Keeffe) to set up Chrissy Spiers for a great goal. O’Keeffe followed that up with a point before John Tyther pulled one back from a free. They were in trouble here and they knew it. So did everybody else.
Half-time: Rathmore 1-7 Laune Rangers 0-4.
It got worse for Rangers before it got better. Darragh Rahilly enhanced his growing reputation with another well-taken point and Dean Fitzgerald fed Chrissy Spiers for another. Aidan O’Mahony, as classy an operator as ever, came off with his team 8 points in front. Laune Rangers had to switch something, and did.
Half-time substitute Daire Cleary added a cutting edge up front, but it was the switch of John Tyther to midfield that really made the difference. Brendan O’Keeffe had been absolutely imperious with Paul Murphy’s assistance, but Tyther gave Laune Rangers a solid footing.
Furthermore, Peter Crowley’s move to wing-back gave him a bigger influence on proceedings. Given an adequate supply, Laune Rangers suddenly looked a lot more dangerous. Daire Cleary won frees converted by Fiachra Clifford and John Tyther, who added another from long range shortly after.
Brendan O’Keeffe put six points between them again. Laune Rangers responded immediately, Daire Cleary fouled and John Tyther extracting the inevitable price. Shane Ryan’s kick-outs had been impeccable all night but communications must have gone awry, because Seán Cleary plucked it out of the sky comfortably and Daire Cleary was left with just the keeper to beat. All of the Clearys were great footballers, and none of them ever looked a gift horse like this in the mouth – Daire gave Shane Ryan no chance.
Just before the water break (it isn’t necessary in conditions like these, with quarters and marks, it makes gaelic football far too much like an Aussie Rules hybrid for me)
Patrick Daly closed the gap to one.
John Tyther nailed another long range free. Peter Crowley showed his class with a powerful drive that had to be illegally ended. It was a very long and awkward kick, but a nerveless Fiachra Clifford made it look easy.
It looked like Rangers would hold out, but Rathmore showed impressive composure, patiently rotating possession until they worked a gap. Not much of one, but plenty for a forward like Eoin Lawlor to nail a great equaliser.
Honours even, and literally everything still to play for.
LAUNE RANGERS: Jason Browne, Jonathan Carey, Peter Crowley, Evan Madden, Eoin Clifford, David Mangan, Seán Cleary, Jack O’Connor, Shane McSweeney, Mark O’Connor, Fiachra Clifford 0-3, 2f, John Tyther 0-6, 5f, Gearóid Hassett 0-1, Shane Daly, David Costello Subs: Dáire Cleary 1-0 for S McSweeney, half-time, Patrick Daly 0-1 for S Daly, 42
RATHMORE: Shane Ryan, Dan Murphy, Alan Dineen, Colm, Kelly, Tadhg O’Mahony, Aidan O’Mahony, MJ Kelliher, Paul Murphy, Brendan O’Keeffe 0-1, George O’Keeffe 0-1, Dean Fitzgerald, Darragh Rahilly 0-2, Chrissy Spiers 1-2, Eoin Lawlor 0-2, John Moynihan Subs: Mark Reen 0-3, 1f for John Moynihan, 8, Cillian O’Connor for Tadhg O’Mahony, 44, TJ Friel for Aidan O’Mahony, 37, Paul Reen for Dean Fitzgerald, 49, Anthony Darmody for Darragh O’Rahilly, 55
REFEREE: Cathal Ó Dubhda (An Ghaeltacht)