Longford SFC: Rathcline in full flight with a speedy success against Fr Manning Gaels

Oran Kenny led the charge with a fantastic 1-9 as the surprise packets Rathcline remain unbeaten in the Senior Football Championship after overcoming a brave Fr Manning Gaels challenge in Dunbeggan last Saturday evening.

Rathcline . . . 4-17   Fr Manning Gaels . . . 0-19 

Through to the quarter-finals with a couple of games to spare, Rathcline’s fast running game came up trumps as they scored four goals in a blazing first half display. 

Iarla O’Sullivan was fantastic once again for the Shannonsiders before having to retire early just before the break. The county star set the tone of the game when he burst through after collecting the break from the throw-in and fired an unstoppable effort into the corner.

Dean Cosgrove replied with a fine score but Rathcline were only beginning to turn the screw with Oisin and Oran Kenny pointing before the latter coolly finished the second goal of the game. 

O’Sullivan raced through again for his second while Shane Kenny was pulled down to allow David Rooney to step up and slot a penalty into the net 

Kian Gilmore and Garth O’Reilly notched their first championship scores as well as the goals from Rooney plus O’Sullivan.

The firepower of Rathcline can be showcased in the fact that the Gaels hit three two pointers in the first half which would be a promising total for any team but still found themselves 11 points in arrears at the break.

Cian Cassidy raised a couple of white flags in their early response to Rathcline’s goals with Mark Hughes knocking over his second championship two pointer. Paddy Collum also kicked a two pointer as did  Darren Farrelly who shot over excellently with the outside of his boot.

Shane Kenny did have the ball in the back of the net for a 5th green flag but it was cancelled out due to a breach leaving the half-time tally at 4-8 to 0-11.

The scoreline would suggest that this game petered out of contention by half time but the Drumlish/Ballinamuck side put in a determined second half display.

Cian Cassidy was leading from the front and when they began to get a purple patch on the breaks their centre forward Pauric Gill was causing problems with his direct running. 

Long serving county goalkeeper Collum struck a two pointer free and centre back Jamie Nertney joined in on the scoring with Cassidy as they reduced the gap to 7 with Rathcline points coming from singles from the 3 Kenny brothers.

The Gaels probably began to imagine the impossible when Rathcline were reduced to 13 men in the final quarter when David Rooney received a black card for pulling down Gill and moments later Blaine Fallon got a second yellow for a late challenge. 

In fact, it was Rathcline who struck first after the loss of the two players with Oran Kenny terrifically pointed with the outside of his boot from a free touching the sideline. He then followed up with his first two pointer from play to put the game beyond all doubt.

Cian Cassidy and Mark Hughes did add to their tally before the finish with Oran wrapping up proceedings with the final score. 

RATHCLINE: David Mulvihill, Blaine Fallon, Jakub Kajan, Kevin Tansey, Harvey Myhill, Iarla O’Sullivan (2-0), Seadhna Ryan, Michael Morrissey, Bryn Peters (0-1), Oisin Kenny (0-3, 1 two pointer), David Rooney (1-0, pen), Kian Gilmore (0-1), Garth O’Reilly (0-1), Shane Kenny (0-2), Oran Kenny (1-9, 1f, 1 two pointer free, 1 two pointer from play).

 Subs:- Shane Donohoe for Iarla O’Sullivan (28 mins, inj), Ben Murphy for S Kenny (36 mins, inj), Aaron Kenny for S Ryan (40 mins).

FR MANNING GAELS: Paddy Collum (0-4, 2 two pointer frees), Paul McGee, Aaron Quinn, Kaelum McGee, Nigel Kiernan, Jamie Nertney (0-1), Darren Farrelly (0-2, two pointer), Mark Breslin, Kevin Whelan, Mark Hughes (0-4, 1 two pointer), Pauric Gill, Oisin Kane, Dean Cosgrove (0-1), Cian Cassidy (0-7, 5f), JP Farrelly. 

Sub:- Tom McGee for N Kiernan (9 mins, inj).

Referee: Donal Kane (Grattan Óg).