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You are > Home > Three-goal West march on
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Thursday, July 29, 2010
Three-goal West march on
BY MURT MURPHY
West Kerry 3-10 Laune Rangers 2-08
HOLDERS West Kerry were forced to dig deep before they saw off the gutsy challenge of a wasteful Laune Rangers side in this county under-21 football championship semi-final, played at a wet and windy Strand Road on Wednesday evening.
The old adage that states that goals win matches once again proved to be true because it was West Kerry’s goal-poaching ability that saw them strike for two second half goals, at crucial times, that settled this tight encounter.
It meant that Christopher Riordan’s late goal from the penalty spot for Rangers proved to be purely academic.
West Kerry had a number of very accomplished performers in their line-up and players like Paul Geaney, Alan Fitzgerald and Paudie Murphy were always dangerous when on the ball.
Laune Rangers had the wind the opening half but John Fitzgerald opened the scoring for West Kerry in the opening minute when he collected a quickly taken Alan Fitzgerald free and split the posts.
Ciarán Doona levelled from a free two minute late before the dangerous Paul Geaney was on hand to collect an Alan Fitzgerald high centre to restore West Kerry’s lead.
Then in the sixth minute, Shane McSweeney raced through from midfield to score a superb point as Rangers continued to attack from half back and midfield.
Doona gave Rangers the lead but a surging run from West Kerry centre back Colm Ó Mhuircheartaigh set-up John Fitzgerald for a well-worked equaliser.
Then in the 12th minute, Rangers had another goal chance when Pa Joy was through with the ball at his feet but his goal-bound shot was tipped over the bar by Tomás Mac an tSaoir.
However, while Rangers led 0-4 to 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter, it was West Kerry that struck for a crucial goal.
Corner forward Joe Sheehy was allowed run in along the end-line from the left corner and his low cross evaded the Rangers defence, thus allowing the inrushing Brendan Garvey to volley to the net.
Laune Rangers counter-attacked from the kick-out and a great run from Colm O’Shea set-up Pa Joy, who closed the gap to a point with 12 minutes to go.
Rangers were not to score again for the rest of the half, kicking four bad wides and this in the final analysis proved decisive.
West Kerry by now had switched Colm Ó Mhuircheartaigh to full back to curb the threat of Pa Joy, and points from Paul Geaney and another from Dara O’Sullivan, who was now at centre back, saw West Kerry lead 1-5 to 0-5 at the interval.
Many felt that it was game over, considering the West would have the elements to their backs in the second half.
Everything was going according to the script in the opening three minutes of the second half, when Alan Fitzgerald kicked an early point.
Then in the third minute, a high Paul Geaney free was knocked down into the path of Paudie Murphy, who drilled the ball low to the Rangers net.
It was a sloppy goal to concede and West Kerry were now 2-6 to 0-5 in front and looking good.
But this Laune Rangers side refused to throw in the towel and drove West Kerry backwards despite playing into the strong wind.
Points followed from Ciarán Doona and Shane McSweeney before the game changed again in the 41st minute.
West Kerry attacked and Paul Geaney got through and decided to take a pot on goal. Brown saved brilliantly and the ball was worked up field to Kieran Flynn who threaded the ball through for Morgan O’Sullivan to run onto.
He just got a fist to the ball ahead of keeper Mac an tSaoir to find the West Kerry net.
Rangers now had West Kerry on the rack, and with Ryan Lucey, Peter Crowley and Shane McSweeney driving forward they should have drawn level but they shot two wides and Lucey after a great run saw his final pass, being intercepted.
The game was now in the melting pot as West Kerry had a goal disallowed in the 50th minute, and at the other end Chris Riordan drove forward from centre back and Shane McSweeney scored his third point, to just leave a point between the sides, 2-6 to 1-8.
It was at this point that West Kerry’s stronger bench came good when Padraigh Ó Sé, son of Páidí, was fouled on the way through and Alan Fitzgerald converted.
Then came the killer-blow in the 53rd minute when Paul Geaney floated in a high lob that Paudie Murphy knocked back into the path of Geaney. He wasn’t picked up by the a static Rangers defence and Geaney slipped the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
A quick point from substitute Matthew Griffin settled the contest.
Late points from Alan Fitzgerald and Paudie Murphy gave the scoreboard a false look but when Peter Crowley was taken down as he was about to shoot, Christopher Riordan scored from the spot, as he put the keeper the wrong way.
So West Kerry will now face South Kerry in the final and they will have to up their play a notch or two to retain their title.
West Kerry: T Mac an tSaoir; G Fitzgerald, D O’Sullivan (01), G Curran; J Hickson, C Ó Muircheartaigh, T B Brosnan; E MacGearailt, J B Spillane; J Fitzgerald (0-2), B Garvey (10), A Fitzgerald (0-3); J Sheehy, P Geaney (1-2), P Murphy (1-1). Subs used: G Durrant for J Sheehy; M S Griffin (0-1) for B Garvey; P Ó Sé for C Ó Mhuircheartaigh; C Ó Suilleabháin for D O’Suilleabhain; D O’Carroll for J Hickson.
Laune Rangers: J Browne; O O’Sullivan, J Callaghan, L Clifford; C Johnson, C O’Riordan (1-0 pen), R Lucey; P Crowley, S McSweeney (0-3); C Doona (0-3, 0-2 frees), C O’Shea, M O’Sullivan (1-0); M Lynch, P Joy (0-2), K Flynn.
Referee: Paul Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys).
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