Round 1 – Co. Championship – Laune Rangers vs Shannon Rangers – 16/06/12
Laune Rangers: 2-16
Shannon Rangers: 0-12
Laune Rangers got a much needed boost when they overcame Shannon Rangers in the opening round of the Senior Football Championship on Saturday last in Killorglin. The home side got off to a dream start, netting two early goals to put them 2-02 to 0-01 ahead inside the opening 10 minutes.
It was the home side that opened the scoring, with the ever reliable, Mike Frank Russell pointing in the third minute from a free. Shannon Rangers levelled things at 1 point a-piece in the 5th minute when corner forward Eddie Mangan opened the visitors account. Laune Rangers went back in front in the 7th minute, a lead they were never to relinquish, when Russell slotted over a second free. Rangers struck for the game’s opening goal in the minutes that followed when wing forward, Jack O’Connor found the net. This was followed by Rangers’ second from Geoffrey Mahony following some lovely link play from the Rangers players. Shannon Rangers replied with full forward, Mikey Boyle pointing from a free. Rangers’ Russell cancelled this score with another point in the 14th minute of the half.
Shannon Rangers had a chance to close Rangers’ lead some more in the 18th minute of the half when wing forward Ger O’Sullivan ran through the Rangers defence. O’Sullivan settled for a point to let the goals between the sides; 2-03 to 0-03. Shannon Rangers continued to attack the Laune Rangers goal and were rewarded with two further points from Ger O’Sullivan, who was causing all sorts of problems in the Laune Rangers backline. Laune Rangers answered with two more Russell frees before Jack O’Connor extended his personal tally for the day with a well taken point. The closing action of the half came from the visitors with Jeremy King and Tommy Joy making the most of their possession. Referee Paul O’Sullivan brought the half to a close soon after leaving the score 2-06 to 0-07 in the home side’s favour at the short whistle.
Shannon Rangers opened the second half scoring when Mikey Boyle pointed from a free after Tommy Joy intercepted a Laune Rangers pass. The Launesiders were dealt a blow in the 5th minute of the half when Peter Crowley had to leave the field of play through injury. Rangers seemed to up a gear at this point and put the game beyond Shannon Rangers reach scoring 8 point in-a-row, from Russell(4f), substitute Colm O’Shea(2), Chris Riordan and Jack O’Connor to let the score 2-14 to 0-08 with 10 minutes left to play.
In fairness to Shannon Rangers they didn’t give up and continued to attack the Laune Rangers goal and were unlucky not to find the net on a couple of occasions, only for Tony Lyons in the Laune Rangers goal pulling off a couple of nice saves. Shannon Rangers did slot over three further points from Ger O’Sullivan(f), Jeremy King and Mikey Boyle(f) to narrow the home sides lead slightly. Jack O’Connor added his third point of the evening in the 27th minute before Mikey Boyle (S.R.) and Pa Sheehan (L.R.) swapped two long distance points to leave the final score 2-16 to 0-12 in Laune Rangers favour at the full-time whistle.
Teams and Scorers:
Laune Rangers: Tony Lyons, Johnny Carey, Jeremy O’Callaghan, Kieran Crowley, Michael O’Sullivan, Peter Crowley, Chris Riordan (0-01), Tom McGillycuddy, John Sheehan, Jack O’Connor (1-03), Mike Frank Russell (0-09, 8f), Geoffrey Mahony (1-00), Pa Joy, Liam Hassett, Pa Sheehan (0-01). SUBS USED: Johnny Lynch, Colm O’Shea (0-02), Cormac Johnston, Paudie Murphy, Ryan Lucey.
Shannon Rangers: Sean Dee, Paul Collins, Kevin Wren, John Griffin, Danny Wren, Shane Enright, Jeremy King (0-02), Evan Doyle, Martin O’Mahony, Padraig Boyle, Ambrose Lanigan, Ger O’Sullivan (0-04, 2f), Tommy Joy (0-01), Mikey Boyle (0-04, 3f), Eddie Mangan (0-01). SUBS USED: Diarmuid Behan, John Paul Leahy, Michael McEllistrim, Declan Bambury.
Referee: Paul O’Sullivan (Piarsaigh na Dromoda)
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