Gavin O’Connor reports on the Garvey’s Super Valu Senior Football Championship Round One match at Austin Stack Park last night (action photos below)…
Kerins O’Rahilly’s Kieran O’Mahony in a bit of trouble during Saturday’s match. Photo by Dermot Crean
Rathmore 2-8
Kerins O’Rahilly’s 2-5
A LATE Rathmore goal put Kerins O’Rahilly’s into the ‘losers round’ of the senior county championship last night.
Minutes after David Moran brought the game level from the penalty spot, Rathmore’s John Moynihan dashed the hopes of the blues of getting something at the death.
The match was at times tempestuous as Aidan O’Mahony saw red after picking up two yellows, but probably should have seen a straight red for striking Con Barrett.
Story continued below…
Rathmore’s George O’Keeffe does his best to stop Con Barrett laying off a pass to a Blues team-mate. Photo by Dermot Crean
Rathmore got off to a whirlwind start, leading by five points after just four minutes, scoring 1-2, with the goal coming from Donal O’Sullivan.
But Strand Road answered back with 1-2 of their own; John Ferguson bagging the goal after linking up well with Kieran O’Mahony to palm the ball to the net on 15 minute mark to bring the sides level.
Tommy Walsh was operating around the middle of the park for the first half as O’Rahilly’s had the share of possession, but did not make use of the breeze. Rathmore led at the break 1-4 to 1-3.
The East Kerry side started the second half much the better, increasing their lead to four on the 12 minute, when George O’Keeffe – who was a real handful – scored two excellent back to back points.
O’Rahilly’s had a hell of a lot to do and Tommy Walsh was now firmly camped inside the square, closely marshalled by the old warhorse, Tom O’Sullivan.
After Jack Savage pointed his second free of the match to bring the Blues to within three points, a lifeline came.
Barry John Keane, gave in a perfect ball from 40 yards to Tommy Walsh, who rose and caught it. On his way down, Tom O’Sullivan grappled with Walsh and pulled him to the ground.
The referee, Peter Lyons, rightly adjudged it a penalty and David Moran made no mistake converting it past former Kerry minor goalkeeper, Shane Ryan.
Game on it seemed, but Rathmore rallied. With three minutes left, Paul Murphy drove in a quality ball to John Moynihan, who finished the ball to the net, putting O’Rahilly’s in the hat for the ‘losers round’ of the county championship, to be played next weekend.
Scorers
Rathmore: John Moynihan 1-3, Brendan O’Keeffe 0-3 (2f), George O’Keeffe 0-2, Donal O’Sullivan 1-0
Kerins O’Rahilly’s: David Moran 1-1 (1 penalty 1f,) John Ferguson 1-0, Jack Savage 0-2 (2f), Barry John Keane 0-2
Rathmore: Shane Ryan, James O’Sullivan, Tom O’Sullivan, Conor Jenkins, Paul Murphy, Aidan O’Mahony, Daniel O’Sullivan, Donal O’Sullivan, Brendan O’Keefe, George O’Keefe, Cathal Murphy, Conor O’Sullivan, T.J Freil, Eoin Lawlor, John Moynihan
Substitutes: Patrick Reen for Daniel O’Sullivan, Michael O’Riordan for T.J Friel
Kerins O’Rahilly’s: Gary Kissane, Danny O’Sullivan, Martin Tierney, Tommy Begley, Cormac Coffey, Gavin Duffy, John Ferguson, David Moran, Con Barrett, Kevin Walsh, Jack Savage, David McGloughlin, Kieran O’Mahony, Tommy Walsh, Barry John Keane
Substitutes: John O’Connor for David McLoughlin, Shane Brosnan for Gavin Duffy, Ross O’Callaghan for Kevin Walshe, Michael O’Mahony for Kieran O’Mahony, Dean Fitzgerald for John O’Connor.
John Ferguson celebrates his first half goal. Photo by Dermot Crean
Tommy Walsh puts in a tackle during the match on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Kerins O’Rahilly’s John O’Connor fails to see the funny side, unlike Rathmore’s Aidan O’Mahony, as Martin Tierney and Danny O’Sullivan look on. Photo by Dermot Crean
Kerins O’Rahilly’s line up for the national anthem. Photo by Dermot Crean
Rathmore’s Donal O’Sullivan fails to stop John Ferguson punching the ball to the net as his teammate Kieran O’Mahony looks on. Photo by Dermot Crean
Barry Joh Keane punches the ball over the bar while Rathmore’s Paul Murphy and Tom O’Sullivan look on. Photo by Dermot Crean
Tommy Walsh advances on goal. Photo by Dermot Crean
Action in midfield during Saturday’s match. Photo by Dermot Crean
Battle for possession during Saturday’s match. Photo by Dermot Crean
