Rathvilly run riot as favourites tag fits
Grange's John Murphy chases down Rathvilly's Dara Curran.
Cast-iron favourites, Rathvilly took on the reigning Intermediate Champions, Grange on Friday night in Netwatch Cullen Park, as the two got their Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Senior Football Championship campaigns underway.
Rathvilly showed all the credentials to back up the favourites tag that they have around their neck, producing an incredibly well-rounded team performance, with 11 different players chipping in on their 2-19 tally.
Grange defended valiantly for large portions of the game, but simply succumbed to the irresistible pressure put on by Rathvilly's attacking prowess.
Josh Moore and Darragh Burrows traded scores in the early goings, with Henry Hegarty and Padhraig Bolger also going score-for-score moments later.
Rathvilly took the lead in the seventh minute when Liam Gavin found space to the left of the goal and fired his shot into Seamus Hegarty's net.
Conor Nolan hit back for Grange, but Rathvilly landed the next three scores in quick succession - two frees from Gavin and one fisted over by Kevin Murphy.
Peter Burgess made it four in a row, Kevin Murphy, five in a row, and Colin Byrne, six in a row, to leave Rathvilly up 1-8 to 0-3 at the midway water break.
Grange kept things scoreless for the next five minutes before Eric Molloy and John Murphy (free) traded scores.
Kevin Murphy was on target again for Rathvilly and when Burgess hand-passed one over the bar there were ten points in the difference after 27 minutes.
Credit to Grange, they conceded 1-8 in the opening quarter, but reduced Rathvilly to just 0-3 in the second quarter, yet the men in green and gold held a comfortable lead at the interval, up 1-11 to 0-4.
The second half was just 90 seconds old when Darragh Murphy ran into space with the ball before playing it inside to the unmarked Kevin Murphy who steered the ball into the Grange net for a second Rathvilly goal.
A lovely point from Henry Hegarty moved the scoreboard for Grange, but that was quickly wiped out through a close-range free from Liam Gavin.
Rathvilly began emptying the bench, introducing Paraic Deering, Conor Boyle, Diarmuid Gavin and Jake Elliott in the first ten minutes after the restart.
The two number sixes - Hegarty and Dara Curran - kicked long-range beauties at either end, but a scores from Elliott and Gavin off the bench made it a 15-point game. Padhraig Bolger then pointed another to bring Rathvilly up to the water break with an unassailable lead.
John Murphy and Bolger traded scores as the seconds ticked away. Tadhg Walsh came off the Grange bench to kick a wonderful score before an intervention from Rathvilly goalkeeper, Regan Murphy denied the 2025 Intermediate Champions a late goal.
Conor Doyle kept the points ticking over for Rathvilly, before a two-pointer from John Murphy brought Grange into double figures in the 57th minute. Grange's Tom Dillon kicked the final score of the game, with his side finishing 14 points adrift.
Rathvilly are back in action this coming Thursday when they face Bagenalstown, while Grange will take on Fenagh on Friday night, with both games back at Netwatch Cullen Park.
K Murphy and L Gavin (0-3f) 1-3 each, P Burgess 0-3, P Bolger and C Doyle 0-2 each, J Moore, C Byrne, E Molloy, D Curran, J Elliott and D Gavin 0-1 each.
J Murphy 0-4 (1tp, 1f), H Hegarty 0-3, D Burrows, C Nolan, T Walsh and T Dillon 0-1 each.
Regan Murphy; Robbie Ryan, Colin Byrne, Daire Byrne; Eric Molloy, Dara Curran, Padhraig Bolger; Josh Moore, Adam Burgess; Ryan Sibbald, Brandon Kelly, Peter Burdess; Kevin Murphy, Darragh Murphy, Liam Gavin.
Paraic Deering and Conor Boyle for Moore and K Murphy (both 34), Diarmuid Gavin for Burgess (36), Jake Elliott for D Murphy (38), Brian Smith for Kelly (46).
Séamus Hegarty; Matthew Bird, James Hickey, Tom Dillor; Vijay Egharevba, Henry Hegarty, Pat Murphy; Paddy Hickey, Cillian Murphy; Aidan Burrows, Ned Pender, Conor Nolan; Shane Cormican, John Murphy, Darragh Burrows.
Paddy Nolan, Tadhg Walsh and Shane Byrne for D Burrows, P Murphy and J Hickey (all 44), Noah Mulligan for A Burrows (50).
David Hickey
