Rathvilly start with convincing win
Liam Gavin scores a fine point for Rathvilly Photo: Pat Ahern
Rathvilly were convincing winners in this Senior Football Championship group 1 round 1 mismatch at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.
Despite conceding an early point from Chris Nolan, Rathvilly dominated the opening half with five of their starting forwards scoring from play. The experienced Ed Finnegan completed a hat-trick of points while Diarmuid Gavin punished Rangers when they failed to retain control a loose ball further out the field. The reigning champions pounced and the full-forward was the beneficiary.
Rathvilly turned the screw and corner-back, Paraic Deering, got in on the act with a punched point. With the half-time whistle looming, Rangers retained possession nicely and Eoin Doyle was on hand to take his three-pointer. At the interval, Rathvilly led 1-11 to 1-3.
It was just a matter of how much Rathvilly would win by. Midway through the half, Rangers lost Chris Nolan to two yellows while Eoin Doyle saw red in the final minutes. It wouldn’t have mattered one way or the other. Rathvilly are a team on a mission. Rangers have parked hurling until the Leinster club championship comes along. They find it difficult to mix the two games. It showed here.
K Murphy 0-7 (1-2p, 1-2pf), L Gavin 0-6, D Gavin 1-2, E Finnegan 0-3, B Kelly, C Doyle 0-2 each, P Deering, D Murphy, A Burgess, B Murphy, P Burgess 0-1 each
E Doyle 1-4 (3fs), C Nolan 0-1
Regan Murphy; Robbie Ryan, Colin Byrne, Paraic Deering; Padhraig Bolger, Josh Moore, Brian Smith; Conor Doyle, Darragh Murphy; Peter Burgess, Brandon Kelly, Ed Finnegan; Liam Gavin, Diarmuid Gavin, Kevin Murphy. Subs: Jake Elliott for Finnegan (h/t), Adam Burgess for Smith (41), Daire Byrne for Ryan (46), Ryan Sibbald for P Burgess (47), Brendan Murphy for Kelly (51).
Dean Grennan; Michael Joyce, Jack Griffith, Jamie Nolan; Richard Coady, Jon Nolan, Sean Joyce; Eddie Byrne, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Ted Joyce, Conaill Fitzpatrick, Evan Kealy; Brad Bolger, Eoin Doyle, Chris Nolan. Subs: Ruairi Murphy for Kealy (38), Robert Stafford for Bolger (38), Joe Dundon for Coady (47), Paul Coady for Joyce (51), Kyle Nolan for F Fitzpatrick (57).
Jonathan Murphy (St Mullins)
