Results:
Senior County League Rathmore 0-10 Castleisland Desmonds 2-05
Minor County semi final Rathmore 2-05 Ballymac 0-06
Junior County League Rathmore 2-10 Listowel 1-08
Rathmore 0-10 Castleisland Desmonds 2-05
Castleisland Desmonds earned a good win against a very disappointing second half performance by Rathmore in Rathbeg. Rathmore opened the scoring through a Damien Casey point in the 3rd minute and Michael O’ Riordan doubled Rathmore’s advantage with another point in the 6th minute. Desmonds got off the mark thanks to a Kieran O’ Sullivan point in the 9th minute. A Damien Casey free in the 11th minute kept Rathmore two ahead. But a Desmonds goal in the 13th minute through full forward Pat Fitzgerald gave them the lead. A good move by Rathmore resulted in a good point by Paul Reen levelling the scores in the 18th minute. Rathmore pushed ahead through frees converted by John Buckley and Damien Casey, and through points by George O’ Keeffe and Daniel O’ Sullivan, to leave Rathmore ahead by four points nearing the half time whistle. A point by Desmonds Martin Horgan finished the scoring for the half Rathmore 0-08 Castleisland 1-02.
Desmonds opened the second half with a point in the 1st minute through the free taking of Steve Bartlett. Rathmore got off the mark when Damien Casey converted a free in the 10th minute. Then in the 11th minute Desmonds were awarded a penalty which Kieran O’ Sullivan excellently converted into the net, leaving the score level Rathmore 0-09 Castleisland 2-03. Rathmore got their last score through a Michael O’ Riordan free in the 15th minute. Desmonds fought hard and leveled the game again in the 17th minute when Steve Bartlett scored a good point. Both sides tried to find a winner but it was Desmonds who got the winning point in the 30th minute through midfielder Maurice O’ Connell and earned his side two more county league points.
Rathmore team and scorers: Denis Reen, Michael J Kelleher, Kieran Cahill, Michael O’ Sullivan, James O’ Sullivan, Ian Kelliher, Mark Nagle, John Buckley (0-01), Daniel O’Sullivan (0-01), Eoin Lawlor, George O’ Keeffe (0-01), Conor O’ Sullivan, Michael O’ Riordan (0-02), Damien Casey (0-04), Paul Reen (0-01). Subs: Stephen Lehane for Mark Nagle, Jerry Murphy for Ian Kelliher.
Rathmore 2-05 Ballymac 0-06
This County semi final was played in desperate conditions on Tuesday 24th June in Rathbeg. Rathmore opted to play with the wind in the first half. Both teams found it very hard to play in the driving rain and gale winds, so it took until the 18th minute of the half for the first score of the game to be registered thanks to Sean O Riordan kicking a good point. Then Rathmore followed up with points in the 19th minute through Mark Reen and in the 20th minute through Paul Murphy. Ballymac opened their account in the 24th minute and added another point deep in injury time, leaving the half time score Rathmore 0-03 Ballymac 0-02.
Rathmore started the second half brightly traveling with the ball against the wind effectively, and Donal Kelleher scored a great point in the 5th minute to push Rathmore two points ahead. But then Ballymac got to grips with playing with the wind and scored three quick points in a five minute purple patch leaving them ahead by a point after 11 minutes of the second half. As the rain drove down both teams found it very hard to get scores and play any kind of good football. The Rathmore defenders battled hard to keep Ballymac out and were awarded for their efforts in the 16th minute when Mark Reen pointed to level the game at five points apiece. Now Rathmore gained the upper hand playing against the stiff wind when in the 23rd minute Donal Kelleher reacted quickly to kick a goal from a John Moynihan effort that hit the bar. A great solo effort by Mark Kelleher ended in another Rathmore goal when he lobbed the keeper in the 27th minute, leaving Rathmore six points clear. Ballymac tried hard to get back into the game but could only manage another point late on in the half. So Rathmore march on to the final thanks to a great battling performance in the second half against the wind.
Final score Rathmore 2-05 Ballymac 0-06.
Rathmore team and Scorers: Patrick Noonan, Christopher Nagle, David McCarthy, Damien Doherty, Brendan O’ Keeffe, Colm Kelly, Eugene O’ Connor, Sean O’ Riordan (0-01), Mark Kelliher (1-00), William O’ Connor, Stephen Murphy, Donal Kelleher (1-01), Mark Reen (0-02), Padraig McCarthy, Paul Murphy. Sub: John Moynihan for Christopher Nagle (injured).
Rathmore 2-10 Listowel 1-08
Rathmore kept their 100% record in the Junior League Division 1, when they defeated Listowel Emmets in Rathbeg on Friday 27th June. Rathmore started the game brightly thanks to two goals from Patrick Reen and a brace of points by Donal Lehane and Jerry Murphy. Listowel came into the game mid way through the half and kept in touch with Rathmore. Half time score Rathmore 2-06 Listowel 1-05.
Listowel made good use of the ball in the early stages of the second half and were within two points of Rathmore at one stage but then Rathmore finished the stronger and tacked on a few points to ensure victory. Final score Rathmore 2-10 Listowel 1-08.
Rathmore team and scorers Sean Noonan, Shane O’ Keeffe, Owen Doherty, Tim Lynch (0-01), Brendan Reen, Dan O’ Sullivan, Philip Kelly, John Hickey, Tim Cronin, Donal Casey (0-01), Michael D Cahill, Patrick Reen (2-00), Donal Lehane (0-03), Jerry Murphy (0-03), Mark Kelleher (0-02). Subs: Louie O’ Keeffe for Donal Casey (injured), Dermie Fitzgerald for Mark Kelleher.
