Rangers 2-16 Galway 0-9
This competition is labelled the Junior A Knockout and judging by the very impressive display against Galway, Rangers will be difficult to knock out. This all American-born squad and products of the Minor Board I think will be delivering the knockouts. Twomey’s troops were like a well-tuned auto, firing on all cylinders. They tackled tenaciously and then transitioned into attack with pace and precision.
Keeper Joey Grace illustrated how shot-stoppers have evolved into score-getters when he landed a two-pointer for the opening score. He followed up with another duo before Galway threatened the Rangers’ goal. Target man Johnny Glynn set up Hugh McDonagh for a goal-bound effort but Keeper Grace was on his line to save brilliantly.
At the other end, Chris Kennedy curled over a beauty from an acute angle. Approaching midway referee McCormack applied the advantage after a foul occurred and Chris Mulvihill goaled in the ensuing play. Galway were improving in the possession stakes but their play was bedeviled by wayward passes and poor shooting. Finally they found the target as Peter Bannon pointed after Johnny Glynn did the approach work. Glynn was also involved in the next attack as he drew a foul, leaving Kevin McKenna to point the resultant free. Galway’s cause got a good boost when Michael Cronin landed a fine long-range effort to earn two points. Now the game had become considerably more competitive, and both keepers, Joey Grace and Ray Coyle, executed brilliant saves.
However for the last 10 minutes the Rangers ran rampant to hit over six consecutive points. PJ King led the way, culminating a three-player movement, and Emmett Loughlin added another. Rangers were almost camped in Galway territory as Chris Mulvihill struck their third two-pointer. Joey Grace then hit over a “45” for his fifth point and Mulvihill finished the period with another beauty to leave his team comfortably ahead by 1-11 to 0-4 at the intermission. On resumption, Johnny Glynn sparked a mini revival. Straight from the throw-in he pointed. Two minutes later, he supplied a good pass to Tom Conway to score. Galway looked to be on target for a third consecutive point but keeper Grace pulled down a Dave Hansberry free as it was set to cross the bar.
That was as good as it got for Galway, and it was a return to the Rangers’ scoring script. Corner man McElligiot started the scoring spree and midfielder Melly followed with another. Emmett Loughlin and Tom Melly added two more before Galway got back to the scoring charts. The first effort was a close in free after a player failed to hand the ball to an opposing player. Johnny Glynn pointed the handy free. Galway would add two more to enhance the score board, with Glynn and Tom Conway being the scorers. Chris Kennedy looked to have last score, a point, but a last attack as the hooter was sounding, ended with the ball being deflected off a defender, the keeper and goal post before rolling into the corner of the net. Emmett Loughlin modestly claimed credit for the major score.
From start to finish the Rangers, a fast, fit, and cohesive unit were always comfortably in control despite the best efforts of Galway’s Glynns, Conway, Coyle, Cronin and company.
Rangers: Joey Grace; Eoin McCaffrey, Don Burke, Daithi O’Connor; Cathal Egan, Kevin Loane, Tom Kelly; Ronan Melly, Niall McStay; Emmett Loughlin, Chris Mulvihill, Lorcan Kennedy; Shay McElligiot, PJ King, Chris Kennedy. Subs John Power.
Galway: Ray Coyle; Iarla Keating, James Kilgarriff, Alan Cummings; Peter Bannon, Michael Cronin, Jamie Cox; Kevin McKenna, Tom Conway; Michael Glynn, Pa Glynn, Hugh McDonagh; Dave Hansberry, Johnny Glynn, Michael Greed. Subs Joey Fox, James Henry, Cody Murphy, Jake Glynn, Kenny Hansberry, Sean Moynihan, Jack Twoey, Conal Kerr, Dylan Grunning. Man of Match Chris Mulvihill, Referee Peter McCormack.
CELTS EDGE IT
Celtics 2-10 Manhattan Gaels 1-10
This Junior A Knockout game was a lively contest with some fine fetches by both sets of strapping midfielders. However it was penalties that ultimately delivered the knockout blow. There were three in the game, two to Celtics, one to Manhattan Gaels. Meanwhile Manhattan started strongly but squandered a few chances before Stephen O’Quigley set up James Mackey for the opening score.
Celtics were dominant for the next quarter and would put six unanswered points on the board. The first was gifted, when Tiernan McLoughlin pointed a close in free. They say talk is cheap, not these days in Gaelic football if you voice your displeasure or disapproval with the referee’s decision. Strapping Shane Smith followed with a two pointer. The busy and strong-running Ryan Scanlan tipped over another as he was the beneficiary of a defense-splitting run by the speedy Aaron Traynor.
Celtics continued to attack as Sean Carty forced a fine save from keeper Nolan but Shane Smith punched over the rebound. Sean Og O’Neill added his name to the scoring sheet. Then when it looked as if Celtics were about to run away with the game, Manhattan hit a golden spell for the last five minutes, they struck for five points, plus they were unlucky not to goal as the ball was cleared off the line. Lorcan Slattery began the scoring spree with a point and Ben Gilbert followed with another after keeper Rory Naughton parried a pile-driver of a shot. Late points from Aidan Harmon, Ben Gilbert and Sean Ryan left in all square at the interval 0-6 each.
Manhattan got a great start to the second half, first they were awarded a penalty, which Lorcan Slattery scored. The referee O’Flynn also brandished a black card, which left Celtics short-handed for the next 10 minutes. Three minutes later the sides were level again as Tiernan McLoughlin goaled from the penalty spot. Manhattan edged ahead spurred on by some fine fielding by James Cassidy and Lorcan Slattery on the front lines. They hit three straight points courtesy of Aidan Harmon, James Cassidy and Lorcan Slattery. However, it was soon all square after another excursion through defense by Aaron Traynor ended with another penalty after he was upended, which Ryan Hillard planted in the corner of the net. This major strike spurred on the Celtics. Ryan Scanlan and Daniel Sheehan became more dominant in the middle of the field, opening up the supply lines for the inside players. They would add four points, courtesy of James Smith(2), William Brady and Ryan Scanlan while limiting their opponents, Aidan Harmon, to just one. The late scores saw Celtics safely over the line in what was a tight and tense contest.
Celtics: Rory Naughton, Sean Carty, Conor Cronin, Sean Tierney; Jack Mahoney, Aaron Traynor, Jack Muldoon; Ryan Scanlan, Daniel Sheehan; Ryan Hillard, Shane Smith, Ryan Lang; Tiernan McLoughlin, James Smith, Sean Og O’Neill. Subs Michael Buckley, Brian Mitchell, William Brady.
Manhattan Gaels: Sean Nolan; Rob Reynolds, Kevin McDonnell, Liam Petit; Fergal Donnellan, Stephen O’Quigley, Ruairi O’Donnell; Sean Ryan, Mark O’Hara; James Mackey, James Cassidy, Ben Gilbert; Lorcan Slattery, Aidan Harmon, Sean Saul. Subs Jimmy Allerton, Tony Maguire, James Barcoe. Man of Match Aaron Traynor, Referee Jimmy O’Flynn.
MUCH TOO EASY
Westmeath 5-41 Shannon Gaels 0-5
This was a game in the Senior Hurling League. Shannon Gaels stepped up from junior ranks. Evidently the disparity between the two divisions is too great, for any meaningful contest, especially when one of the teams such as Westmeath is a powerhouse on the Big Apple hurling landscape. Granted I understand the logic of playing against better teams with the purposes of improving match play, skills and strategy. That rationale was totally improbable in this instance. Every Westmeath player scored, some multiple times, while they also opted for points in the second half. In fairness to Shannon Gaels they kept battling despite the continually increasing deficit. Their scorers were Shane Keane, Sean Roche, Dylan Gunning and George Sckavik.
Westmeath: Dan Mottram, Pauric Doolin, Brian McPartland, Alan Sherlock; Conal Kerr, Sean O’Leary, Cian Murray; Conor O’Shea, Adam Loughlin-Stones; Hugh McDonagh, David Mangan, Gary Corless; Tom Blackburn, Mark Dowds.
Shannon Gaels: Anthony Fitzgerald, Ronan O’Leary, Shane Kenny, Michael Fay; Michael Dermody, Sean Roche, Thomas Kelly; George Sckavik, Brendan Rooney; Keelan Kenny, Dylan Gunning, Danny Robin, Shane Keane. Referee Noelle Comyn
