SENIOR FOOTBALL: Kerins O’Rahillys 2-16; Austin Stacks 0-18.
On a damp Sunday afternoon (23rd July) in Austin Stack Park we just came up short in this Co. League Relegation play-off after the game went to extra-time. A tight first half saw Rahillys ahead by a point (0-6 to 0-5) at half-time. Michael O’Donnell scored our first two from frees inside the 7thminute. Our remaining three came from play by Donagh McKivergan (15th minute), David Mannix (23rd mn), who had just come on as a sub, and a long-ranged one in the 26th minute from Fiachna Mangan.
We had a very good opening 18 minutes of the second half, scoring a further six points to just one for the opposition. Donagh McKivergan was on target with two (one from a free), with the other four coming from four different players, all from play – Greg Horan, David Mannix, Seán Quilter and Jack Morgan. Then in the space of two minutes Rahillys we back level with a goal and a point. And in the remaining minutes of the half both sides scored three points each to bring the game to extra time (0-14 to 1-11).
Two early points to one for Rahillys put us ahead again four minutes into added time, those two coming from Jordan Kissane and Paul O Sullivan. But from the kick-out came what turned out to be the game-changer – a second goal for the opposition. This was followed by a point each before the second break.
Rahillys extended their lead during the second half of extra time with three more points, while we just had one more from Seán Quilter and even though Kieran Donaghy had made an appearance at that stage..
Team: Michael Tansley, Colm Browne, Armin Heinrich, Niall Fitzmaurice, Paul O’Sullivan (0-1), Ronan Shanahan, Eoghan Carroll, Jack Morgan (0-1), Greg Horan (0-1), Michael O’Donnell (0-4 free), Fiachna Mangan (0-2), Jordan Kissane (0-1), Cillian Litchfield, Donagh McKivergan (0-3– one free), Shane O’Callaghan.
Subs used: David Mannix (21m) (0-2), Seán Quilter (43m) (0-3), Brendan O’Sullivan (46m), Gearóid Fitzgerald (56m), Wayne Guthrie (59m).
Subs used in added time: Colin Griffin (65m), Luke Casey (67m), Kieran Donaghy (76m).
We will now be in Div. 2 for the fourth occasion in Co. League history. After spending the first 28 seasons (1971-1998) in Div. 1 we were in Div. 2 for two seasons (1999-2000) before going back up again for seven seasons (2001-2007). We then spent another three seasons in Div. 2 (2008-2010) before going back up again for a further seven seasons (2011-2017). The third occasion we were in Div. 2 it was just for one season (2018) before spending the last five seasons in Div. 1 again (2019-2023). So we will be making every effort to repeat the 2018 season and get back up to Div. 1 again for the 2025 season.
 |
Virus-free.www.avg.com |