2nd September 2006 - Credit Union County Senior Football League Division 1 Round 9 in Gallarus

St. Mary's 2-06 V 5-12 An Ghealtacht

Four goals in the opening 9 minutes had this tie setup for a great battle in a wet and windy Gallarus on Saturday afternoon last. The home side were first off the mark after 20 seconds when Riobeard MacGearailt picked up the first of his two first half goals, while another two from Conal O’Cruadhlaoich and Cathal MacGearailt had the Ghealtacht poised for victory although St. Mary’s made it as hard as they could for the mid-table side with first half goals from Sean Cournane and Niall O’Driscoll. The visitors stuck with An Ghealtacht for three quarters of the game but the home sides fire power and stamina paid diffidence with all 6 forwards getting on the score sheet and running out victors by 15 points.

No longer had referee Richie Williams, Dingle, set his watch and An Ghealtacht midfielder Riobeard MacGearailt had ran through the Mary’s fragile defence and rifled the ball to the back of the net after 20 seconds, the West Kerry’s sides great fortunes continued 3 minutes later when a high ball was knocked down by former Kerry star Dara O’Cinneide to corner forward Conal O’Cruadhlaoich and he side footed past Cormac O’Shea in the Mary’s net. With goals being much easier to come by due to the wind, St. Mary’s pulled them selves back into the game after 5 minutes when Sean Cournane’s 35m point effort dropped into the net over stand-in goalkeeper PJ MacGearailt, St. Mary’s took influence from this and 2 minutes later after a foul on Fergal O’Connell, Darren Corcoran slipped over a close free and cut the margin to 2 points. But just as the Mary’s were getting a grasp of the tie Riobeard MacGearailt won a mid field tussle with Niall O’Driscoll and Brian Curran and once again went on a solo run and netted his second goal in 9 minutes to give his side a 3-0 v 1-1 lead. Niall O’Driscoll added a 45m free to the scoreboard for the Mary’s, while the Ghealtacht were punished for a missed chance in a goal mouth scramble when Niall O’Driscoll dropped in a high ball and it decieved goalkeeper and defenders alike and nestle into the back of the net. After a foul on Riobeard MacGearailt, Dara O’Cinneide got his side’s first point of the game from a 21m free. Cathal O’Dubhda hit the crossbar on 26 minutes before Cathal MacGearailt covered this miss opportunity with a goal two minutes later after assists from O’Dubhda and the impressive attacking corner back Dara O’Flatharta for their side’s fourth goal, Ronan O’Flatharta and Sean Cournane exchanged points before the break to leave the score at the short whistle An Ghealtacht 4-2 St. Mary’s 2-3.

A Dara O’Cinneide 45 opened the second half scoring, while the home side played advantage from a possible penalty and Conal O’Cruadhlaoich opted for a point. St. Mary’s finally got a chance to play their own style of football when a lengthy short passing movement including Mike T O’Connor and Ray Keane lead to a Daniel O’Sullivan point after 37 minutes. The tie was wrapped up soon after when An Ghealtacht added 6 unanswered and well taken points to extend their advantage to 12 as a result of Conal O’Cruadhlaoich, Dara O’Cinneide from another close free, Cathal O’Dubhda, Ronan O’Flatharta, Tomas O’Conchuir and when O’Dubhda flicked the ball onto substitute Sean O’Flatharta he became the 9th An Ghealtacht player to get his name on the score sheet. St. Mary’s did have a chance to cut the lead when Sean Cournane found himself one on one, Padraig O hEalaithe pulled off a magnificent save to keep his sides huge lead in tact. Tomas O’Muircheartaigh and Darren Corcoran exchanged points for their sides before Cathal MacGearailt grabbed his second and the Ghealtachts fifth goal of the evening from a 25m effort. Darren Corcoran pulled one back for the Mary’s but the points were wrapped up when the tireless Ronan O’Flatharta pointed to leave the final score in Gallarus, An Ghealtacht 5-12 St. Mary’s 2-06.

Best on the evening for the victors were Ronan O’Flatharta and Colm O’Ciabhain in the backs, Pol O’Cuinn in midfield, and all forwards were very impressive and all scoring. The best from the Mary’s management’s point of view were John M Clifford who kept Dara O’Cinneide scoreless from play, Paudie O’Shea, Niall O’Driscoll, Darren Corcoran’s placed ball kicking and Sean Cournane. Meanwhile Man of the Match would have to be the outstanding Riobeard MacGearailt. The West Kerry side move to 8 points and keep a County League Final chances alive with games in hand over teams above them, while St. Mary’s faith is sealed and they have been relegated to Division 2 next year despite five years in the top flight. An Ghealtacht take on Listowel Emmett’s next weekend at home while all their County League games will be working towards the all important County Championship Round 3 Replay with Dingle on the 24th of September once again in Gallarus. While the Mary’s travel to Milltown/Castlemaine with the home side desperate for points to make sure they avoid the drop.

Scorers
An Ghealtacht – Riobeard MacGearailt, Cathal MacGearailt (2-0) each, Conal O’Cruadhlaoich (1-2), Ronan O’Flatharta (0-3), Dara O’Cinneide (0-3,3f), Tomas O’Conchuir, Tomas O’Muircheartaigh, Cathal O’Dubhda, Sean O’Flatharta (0-1) each.
St. Mary’s – Sean Cournane (1-1), Niall O’Driscoll (1-1,1f ), Darren Corcoran (0-3,2f), Daniel O’Sullivan (0-1).

Teams
An Ghealtacht – PJ MacGearailt, Dara O’Flatharta, Muiris MacGearailt, Mici O’Conchuir, Colm O’Ciabhain, Ronan O’Flatharta, Donal O’Conchuir, Pól O’Cuinn, Riobeard MacGearailt, Tomas O’Conchuir, Cathal MacGearailt, Tomas O’Muircheartaigh, Cathal O’Dubhda, Dara O’Cinneide, Conal O’Cruadhlaoich. Subs: Padraigh O hEalaithe, Sean O’Flatharta, Eoin O’Beaglaoich and Brian O’Morain.
St. Mary’s – Cormac O’Shea, Paudie O’Shea, John M Clifford, Diarmuid Walsh, Adam Quirke, Aidan O’Sullivan, Ray Keane, Niall O’Driscoll, Brian Curran, Daniel O’Sullivan, Michael T O’Connor, Declan O’Sullivan, Sean Cournane, Fergal O’Connell, Darren Corcoran. Sub: Conor Moran.

Referee: Richie Williams (Dingle)