Carbery Rangers 1-11

Randal Óg 0-14

TOM LYONS REPORTS

SOME draws satisfy both teams, some satisfy one team and some satisfy nobody. This draw in the Bandon Co-Op junior A football championship in Drimoleague on Sunday evening probably fell into the last category.

Randals will rue a last-gasp breach of the three-man rule that handed Rangers an equalising point in the 62nd minute, having clung to a narrow lead all through the last quarter, while Rangers were left pondering how they could monopolise possession for much of the hour without turning it into scores on the board.

While the standard was nothing to write home about as Rangers sought their second win and Randals their first, the closeness in the scoring kept the entertainment at a good pitch all through, especially in the vital last quarter.

But on this form, it is doubtful if either will be involved in the concluding stages of the championship. Still, with Randals’ renowned battling spirit alive and well, and Rangers undoubted footballing talent, neither can be written off in a wide-open junior A championship.

The opening score didn’t arrive until the seventh minute – a goal for Rangers, Alan Jennings touching home a Ciarán Santry cross. Many eyes were on the talented Santry, who just returned from the USA.

It was all Ross, full of running, as Ronan Hayes added a point but they lacked a real cutting edge up front. Barry O’Driscoll pointed to open Randals’ account but a score of 1-1 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter was not indicative of Rangers’ superiority, and showed both defences in good light.

The standard picked up in the second quarter as improving Randals, spurred on by the mercurial Seán Daly at midfield, came more into the game, kicking five points from Conor O’Neill (two frees and a two-point free) and Daly.

Rangers managed only two points in the second quarter, from influential midfielder James Fitzpatrick, and Brian Shanahan (45) after Randals’ Ian Crowley had brought off a courageous block on Eoghan Hayes. It was all square at the break, 1-3 to 0-6.

The third quarter was just as tight and began with Eoghan Hayes having another shot cleared off the goal-line. Rangers went two in front through the hard-working Alan Jennings and Conor Twomey, but Randals came fighting back.

Points from O’Driscoll (play and free) sandwiched a Brian Shanahan point to leave  Rangers in front by a point, 1-6 to 0-8, entering the final quarter. And what a last quarter it was, more than compensating for the mundane affair earlier.

It began with two superb two-pointers for the Castle men, from Peter Collins and Conor O’Neill, to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, three points in front.

Brian Shanahan at full forward for Rangers was to emerge as the central character in the hectic closing stages as he closed the gap to one with points from play and a free. He then answered Peter Collins’s point with his fifth point as Randals clung tenaciously to the lead with five minutes remaining.

When Seán Daly doubled that lead, it seemed Randal’s had done enough, but back came Rangers with a Conor Twomey white flag.

When all seemed lost, deep in injury time, they were thrown a lifeline as Randals were adjudged to have breached the three-man back rule and Shanahan had the easy task of tapping over the resulting free to level proceedings.

As we said, a draw that really didn’t satisfy anybody but that keeps both in the championship as they face the concluding third round, Carbery Rangers against Kilbrittain and Randals against neighbours Kilmeen in three weeks’ time.

OUR STAR: Peter Collins and Conor O’Neill of Randal Óg impressed as did Brian Shanahan and James Fitzpatrick of Rangers, but the stand-out figure was dual star Seán Daly at midfield for Randals with his non-stop, fearless running and great leadership all through.

Scorers

Carbery Rangers: Brian Shanahan 0-6 (2f, 1 45); Alan Jennings 1-1; Conor Twomey 0-2; James Fitzpatrick, Ronan Hayes 0-1 each.

Randal Óg: Conor O’Neill 0-6 (1 2pt, 1 2ptf, 2f); Peter Collins 0-3 (2pt); Barry O’Driscoll 0-3 (1f); Seán Daly 0-2.

Carbery Rangers: Ciarán Campbell; Alan O’Rourke, Killian Eady, Cathal Buchanan; Paudie Tobin, Caolan Hayes, Ciarán McCarthy; John O’Brien, James Fitzpatrick; Alan Jennings, Ciarán Santry, Eoghan Hayes; Conor Twomey, Brian Shanahan, Ronan Hayes.

Subs: Seán Cuinnea for K Eady (38), Niall Keane for E Hayes (50), John P Eady for A Jennings (61).

Randal Óg: Daniel Walsh; Padraig Duggan, Cal Nyhan, Niall Murphy; Peter Collins, Ian Crowley, Séamus Crowley; Seán Daly, Conor O’Neill; Séadhna Crowley, Jack Hennigan, Donncha Collins; Patrick Collins, Barry O’Driscoll, Cathal Duggan.

Subs: Ryan Collins for Patrick Collins (38), Padraig O’Sullivan for C Duggan (38).

Referee: Niall O’Regan (Clann na nGael).