SENIOR FOOTBALL: Kerins O’Rahillys 1-15; Austin Stacks 0-12.
Round 7 of the Co. League, played in overcast drizzly conditions at Strand Road on the last Saturday in June, went the way of the home side. The result leaves us on 8 points (3 wins, 2 draws, 2 lost) and brings the home side to 7 points (3 wins, one draw and 3 lost).
Missing Fiachna Mangan from the named 15, due to a slight illness, and losing our influential defender, Ronan Shanahan, to an injury just before half time (we wish Ronan a full and speedy recovery) didn’t help our cause.
Action from the county league game against Kerins O’Rahilly’s on Saturday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
But let’s not take away from a very spirited performance by O’Rahillys who officially led by 0-10 to 0-4 at half time, even though we failed to locate the scorer of that 10th point, along, we might add, with at least three other seasoned observers who were at the game.
The error on the score-board no significance to the outcome on this occasion, but it could have on another day.
All our four points came from play and from four individual scorers – Shane Carroll (5th minute), David O’Sullivan (12th), David Mannix (15th) and Mikey Collins (32nd).
The second half was level on the scoreboard (1-5 to 0-8 for us). David Mannix scored five of these (3 frees and one brilliantly taken side line kick). The other three came from play – two by Mikey Collins and the last score of the game by Shane Carroll.
Team: Jonathan Conway, Ronan Shanahan, John Dennis, Ciarán O’Connell, Pa McCarthy, Fearghal MacNamara (Capt), Jack O’Shea, Shane Guthrie, Brían Mangan, William Kirby, David O’Sullivan (0-1), Shane Carroll (0-2), David Mannix (0-6 – 3 frees; one side line), Darragh O’Brien, Michael Collins (0-3).
Subs used: Barry Walsh (28m), Michael O’Donnell (ht), Darragh Long (ht), Colin Griffin (41m).
We must now concentrate on our next outing which is our round 3 clash against Dr. Crokes in this season’s Co. Championship.
The game goes ahead as the second part of a double header in Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday 12th July at 3.30pm, preceded by the Legion .v. Feale Rangers encounter at 2pm. All this, of course, depends on a positive outcome to the Kerry .v. Cork game next Sunday.
GOOD LUCK: to all three Kerry Football Teams as they seek Munster Championship glory this week. Our Juniors are first into battle as they travel to Páirc Uí Rinn on this Wednesday evening to play Cork at 7.30.
Then on Sunday next (5th July) it’s back to Fitzgerald Stadium for our Minor game at 12 noon versus Tipperary and then at 2pm Cork is again the opposition for our Seniors who will be led out by Kieran Donaghy, playing in his 9th Munster Final, seeking his 7th title. Best of luck to Kieran and to Jack Morgan and Seán Ryan with the Minors.
CO. LEAGUE DIV 5: Tuosist 4-10; Austin Stacks 2-12.
On an historic day for the Club yesterday (congratulation to our U14s on winning the All Ireland Féile in the Sunny South East of Carlow and Wexford) our B team just came up short in a high-scoring round 7 Co. League game in the Sunny South West (of Kerry) – well Lauragh to be precise – going down by four points to a good Tuosist side, who like ourselves are now on four points, albeit with a game in hand.
The home side took full advantage of the very strong wind in that first half and that, coupled with some slack defending by us, saw them clock up 4-4 by half time to our four points, all coming from some excellent point-taking by Paddy Fitzgibbon (three from frees) – showing what a versatile player Paddy can be.
Whatever team Mentors Colm Mangan and John O’Sullivan (our 3rd Mentor Tim McMahon was in Carlow with the Féile boys) said to our lads at half time paid dividends as they really played well in that second half, outscoring the opposition by 2-8 to 0-5.
We whittled away at that big Tuosist lead with some excellent points from Seán Fitzmaurice, Seán Dukes, and three superb frees by Paddy Fitzgibbon, but it was team captain Seamus Bastible who really took the game to the opposition with some excellent runs through their defence which yielded two great goals, and two points from play and a last minute point from a free which shaved the crossbar with goal on his mind. All 16 players who lined out played exceptionally well, especially in that second half.
One man who really caught the eye was playing his first football game with the Club. Since joining the Club back in April 2010 Andrew Morrissey has played 82 competitive games with the Hurlers, rarely if ever missing a game.
But today was his first outing with the Footballers and he showed the same level of skills as he has shown with the Hurlers in his six seasons so far – fetching superbly, excellent distribution and brilliant positional play. And still wearing his customary number seven jersey that he has made his own with the Hurlers.
Seán Purcell was with the U14 Féile boys in Carlow but opted to travel from there to Lauragh early on Sunday morning to line out in goals. Seán was in no way at fault for any of the four first half goals.
Not even Stephen Cluxton would have saved those shots. In fact Seán made a series of excellent saves in both halves and it was his very last save close to full time, pushing the ball around the post for a 45, where he picked up a nasty finger injury which required medical attention. We wish Seán a full and speedy recovery.
Team: Seán Purcell, Eoin Galvin, Paul Galvin, Seán Hurley, Dylan Harnett, Denis O’Neill, Andrew Morrissey, Eoghan McKivergan, Seamus Bastible (Capt) (2-3 – one free), Seán Fitzmaurice (0-1), Breandán Caball, James Galvin, Craig Corcoran, Seán Dukes (0-1), Patrick Fitzgibbon (0-7 – 6 frees).
Sub: Alan Griffin (48m).
We now have four games remaining in the Co. League – a round 5 back game away to Reenard and the remaining three games, all at home, against Moyvane, Ballylongford and Valentia. In the meantime we have games to play in the Town League and of course the Co. Championship (Molyneaux Cup) which normally starts in mid August.
SENIOR HURLING: We have a home game scheduled for this Wednesday evening (1st July) against Duagh in round 4 (game 3) of the Co. League. Throw in 7.30pm. Check Website in case of changes.
The 5th and final round is away to Causeway on Wednesday week (8th July).
U21 FOOTBAL: St. Brendans 2-5; Austin Stacks 1-9.
Played in brilliant mid-summer sunshine in Blennerville’s excellent pitch on last Wednesday evening (24th June) this low scoring, evenly contested game could have gone either way in the first round of this season’s County Championship.
In a game in which both sets of defences excelled we led by 0-2 to 0-1 after nine minutes with one from an Alan Duggan free following a foul on Louis Ryle and the second from play by Seán Dukes. But then in a four minute spell (12m to 16m) we were rocked by two Brendans goals which left us adrift by five at that stage. That was still the margin as the game entered the last ten minutes after both sides had a point each – ours coming again from Seán Dukes. But our boys dug deep and by half time had reduced the deficit to two after two brilliant points from play by Calvin Foley and another pointed free by Alan Duggan. (2-2 to 0-6 at half time).
Seven minutes after the resumption the home side had extended their lead to three with two more points to one for us, and that came from a excellently taken forty five by goalkeeper Patrick Fitzgibbon in the 35th minute.
Two minutes later Calvin Foley was brought down in the square and Alan Duggan converted the resultant penalty in brilliant fashion to level the game for the second time. In the next ten minutes both sides had just one point each – with ours coming from another Alan Duggan free. Another ten minutes elapsed without a score and then as the 60th minute approached Jack O’Shea put over what was to be the winner.
In the three minutes of added time anything could have happened but we just held out for that narrow one point win to advance to the quarter final.
Team: Patrick Fitzgibbon (0-1 – forty five), Paul Galvin, Eoghan McKivergan, Colin Griffin, Cathal O’Reilly, Barry Walsh, Joseph O’Kelly, Ciarán O’Connell, Alan Duggan (Capt) (1-3 – one penalty, 3 frees), Louis Ryle, Jack O’Shea (0-1), Seán Dukes (0-2), Kyle Fitzgibbon, Calvin Foley (0-2), Breandán Caball.
Subs used: Michael O’Donnell (18m), Danny Carroll (ht), Ferdia O’Brien (42m), Dylan Harnett (49m), Shane Greensmyth (54m), Tommy Nicholson (58m).
MINOR FOOTBALL; Our Minors played Kerins O’Rahillys in round 2 of the Central League on Monday evening (29th June) and emerged winners by 1-11 to 1-8. Check Club Website for Report.
After this we have a home game against Feale Rangers in the 1st round of the County Championship on next Wednesday week ( 8th July) also at 7pm.
BINGO: continues on this and every Saturday night commencing at 8.30pm.
CLUBHOUSE: As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties. For Bookings phone 066 7126942 after 7pm any evening.
CARDS: The 45 Card Sessions continue in the Clubhouse every Monday and Thursday Nights, commencing at 9.30pm each night.
LOTTO: Last Monday’s (22nd June) Jackpot worth €5,000 was not won. The numbers drawn were 7, 19, 26 and 27.
The €20 Prizes went to Jim O’Connor, c/o Club Rockies; Noreen McMahon, c/o Carmel Quilter; May Lyons, c/o The Bingo; and Pádraig Lynch and Laura Somers, both c/o The Club.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Martin Nolan, Mounthawk Manor, Clogherbrien and late of Galway; Kathleen Murphy (nee Doyle), Hawley Park; and Eileen O’Grady, Manor Drive and late of Upper Clonmore, Ballymullen.
