Carbery Rangers 2-9

Ibane Gaels 1-10

TOM LYONS REPORTS

UNEASY lies the head that wears the crown and on Monday evening in sun-splashed Rossmore, reigning U21A champions Ibane Gaels learned to their cost that it’s not easy to defend any title.

Carbery Rangers entered this Clóna Milk Carbery U21A quarter-final as underdogs but despite being at a physical disadvantage and hanging onto Ibane’s coat-tails for three-quarters of the game, they dug deep in the second half to lower the colours of the champions.

A controversial penalty in the 46th minute gave them a lead they were hanging on to for dear life in the closing minutes of the game. They watched as Ibane created half a dozen clear chances of an equalising point but, somehow, managed to fluff them all through poor option-taking and equally poor finishing.

‘We certainly lived dangerously and had the rub of the green,’ admitted Rangers’ manager Johnny Murphy.

‘We were lucky in the end with all their misses but we were delighted with the way the lads battled tonight. They deserved something from the game. We had a very young side on duty, only two up to the age.’

The first quarter saw little between two cagey sides, as Ibane got off to a flying start with points from James Crowley and the lively Olan O’Donovan (2). But, as they did several times during the game, Rangers rallied, with Dylan Scannell, Padraig Tobin, Timmy Cullinane, Ronan Hayes and Dylan O’Neill to the fore. Colm Hayes and Cullinane pointed to leave Ibane a point to the good, 0-3 to 0-2, at the first water break.

When Timmy Cullinane landed a two-point free, Rangers were in front, but Ibane responded with a fine two-pointer from the industrious Luke Murphy. Points from O’Donovan and Murphy had the champions three to the good before the stylish Dylan O’Neill pulled one back for Rangers.

The game was deep into first-half injury time when the first goal arrived. A promising Ibane move seemed to have broken down in front of goal but when the ball hit the ground, Ronan Coakley first-timed a ground shot to the net.

Rangers would have been happy to be only two behind at the break but now the gap was an intimidating five in a low-scoring encounter, 1-7 to 0-5.

Undaunted, the Ross lads came out firing in the second half with quick points from Ronan Hayes and O’Neill. Back came Ibane with two from sub James Collins and Charlie Twomey.

Now it was Rangers’ turn to dominate. Bursting on the scene, Eric Hicks kicked a point and then finished sweetly to the net following a good burst from Colm Hayes on the stroke of the second water break.

Within a minute of the resumption Rangers were in again when Dylan O’Neill was fouled as he soloed through and even though well outside the parallelogram, the referee decided to award a penalty as it was a goal-scoring opportunity.

Up stepped O’Neill to bury the spot kick and it was Rangers in front, 2-8 to 1-9 as the game entered the last quarter.

Realising their crown was slipping, Ibane took control, looking for redeeming scores. Olan O’Donovan, Conrad Murphy, sub Riley O’Donovan, Dermot Dineen and James Crowley were to the fore as they created chance after chance. Riley O’Donovan did cut the lead to one with a point that was almost a two-pointer.

In the dying seconds Rangers finally lifted the siege resulting in a breakaway point from Gerry McCarthy with the final kick of the game.

‘We came in as underdogs tonight with the attitude that we would give it a right go and it worked out for us,’ added Murphy.

OUR STAR: Timmy Cullinane was a good leader for Rangers while Olan O’Donovan gave his all for Ibane but it was the all-round work rate, the class and the scoring threat of Dylan O’Neill of Rangers that really stood out.

Scorers

Carbery Rangers: Dylan O’Neill 1-2 (1-0 pen); Eric Hicks 1-1; Timmy Cullinane (2ptf) 0-3; Gerry McCarthy, Ronan Hayes, Colm Hayes 0-1 each.

Ibane Gaels: Ronan Coakley 1-0; Olan O’Donovan (1f), Luke Murphy (2pt) 0-3 each; James Crowley, Charlie Twomey, Jamie Collins, Riley O’Donovan 0-1 each.

Carbery Rangers: Ciarán Campbell; Seán Cuinnea, Ben Sheehy, Cormac Ó Donnabháin; Ryan Fitzpatrick, Padraig Tobin, Dylan Scannell; Timmy Cullinane, Gerry McCarthy; Ronan Hayes, Cathal Buchanan, Eric Hicks; Colm Hayes, Dylan O’Neill, Ronan Hayes.

Subs: Joe Healy for Seán Cuinnea (15), Michael McCarthy for R. Fitzpatrick (ht).

Ibane Gaels: Anthony Hunt; Kevin Hennessy, Diarmuid McCarthy, Charlie Twomey; Aaron Fleming, Dan Moloney, Conrad Murphy; Dermot Dineen, Ronan Coakley; Luke Murphy, Olan O’Donovan, Dara Walsh; Danny Lawton, James Crowley, Jack Twomey.

Subs: Jamie Collins for D Lawton (ht), Mike Collins for R Coakley (36), Riley O’Donovan for D Walsh (45), Robert Hennessy (56).

Referee: Olan O’Donovan (Clonakilty).