No separating old rivals
Éire Óg's Ross Dunphy protects the ball from Rathvilly's Dara Curran Photo: Pat Ahern
Two old rivals played out an exciting draw in this third-round group 2 game on Saturday in Netwatch Cullen Park.
Rathvilly looked set to dominate in the opening stages when Kevin Murphy took a pass from Eric Molloy and found the net. A few minutes later, Molloy threatened again but he opted to pass when he could well have opted to shoot himself. Conor Doyle was also denied by Éire Óg keeper, Johnny Furey, when the intercounty goalkeeper blocked his fellow intercounty player.
Out of nothing Éire Óg hit back and when Murtough Ware latched onto a high delivery he did just about enough to force the ball over the line.
After all that excitement the intensity of the game died a little but Rathvilly still looked the more likely. Thanks to points from Conor O’Neill, Adam Burgess, Padhraig Bolger, Molloy and Murphy the Wicklow border side led 1-6 to 1-4 at the interval. Ross Dunphy accounted for two of the Éire Óg points while Paul McElligott landed a lovely score and Ware converted a 45.
The second half was cagey. Points from Ware and Dunphy levelled and from there to the end, both sides probed, attacked and defended well in what was an intriguing tussle. Brandon Kelly scored two points but he could well have scored two goals as the game inched along. Saves from Johnny Furey kept the holder’s hopes alive as a goal concession would surely have seen a Rathvilly victory.
In the end, Liam Gavin’s monster free which he took off the ground sailed over the YI crossbar to put Rathvilly ahead but Darragh O’Brien levelled with another long range free which he took from his hands. Rathvilly created the better chances as the game drew to a close but the Éire Óg defended manfully during the three minutes of extra time and go through in second place where they will play Mount Leinster Rangers in the quarter-final.
K Murphy 1-1, L Gavin 0-3 (fs), B Kelly 0-2, E Molloy, P Bolger, A Burgess, C O’Neill
M Ware 1-2 (1-45), R Dunphy 0-4 (1f), D O’Brien 0-3 (fs), P McElligott 0-1
Robbie Molloy; Colin Byrne, Eric Molloy, Keith Curran; Padhraig Bolger, Josh Moore, Dara Curran; Brendan Murphy, Adam Burgess; Brandon Kelly, Liam Gavin, Robbie Ryan; Kevin Murphy, Conor O’Neill, Conor Doyle. Subs: Ed Finnegan for Doyle (39), Ryan Sibbald for Ryan (39), Darragh Murphy for K Murphy (39).
Johnny Furey; Cathal Kelly, Shane Buggy, Eoghan Byrne; Alex Delaney, Mark Furey, Paul McElligott; Sean Gannon, Kyle O’Byrne; Lee Moore, Darragh O’Brien, Kieran Nolan; Ross Dunphy, Murtough Ware, Colm Hulton. Subs: Kyle Nolan for O’Byrne (36), Kelvin Chatten for Gannon (37), Benny Kavanagh for Byrne (50), Diarmaid Ruth for Ware (57).
Patrick Murphy (Ballinkillen).
