3rd July 2006 - Corcorans Furniture & Carpet South Kerry Minor Football League Division 1 Round 2 13-a-side in Con Keating Park

St. Mary's 5-12 V 0-07 Skellig Rnagers

St. Mary’s Minors opened their South Kerry League campaign in style when they scored a magnificent 20 point victory over Skellig Rangers. In the sides third meeting of the year St. Mary’s were quicker out of the blocks by a mile when Anthony Hutchinson and Conor Moran both goaled inside the first 4 minutes. The goal frenzy continued into the second half again when Sean Cournane added another a minute in, while Conor Moran grabbed his second and Colin Walsh slotted home for the Mary’s before the end.

After winning the throw in it took only 46 seconds for the Mary’s to register their opener when Conor Moran and Sean Cournane combined for Cournane’s first of the evening. Moran assisted again a minute later this time to set up Anthony Hutchinson in front of goal for a simple tap in. Goals were all that were on the forwards minds for the duration of this one when a long ball found Moran and he netted in soccer style to give his side a 7 point advantage after 7 minutes. Some good defending from the home side by Micheal O’Shea and Conor O’Shea produced the Mary’s with a counter attack and Moran raised the second white flag. On 7 and 9 minutes Skellig Rangers added their first scores with Owen Connor leading the charge, the first a close free the second a long range effort from play. Midifelder Bernard Casey and Owen Connor again registered points for the Rangers before a Vinny Moriarty ball found Cournane who duly pointed before Moriarty took his own score with a 48 m free to resotre a 6 point lead. Cournane and Connor exchanged points before the lethal partnership of Moran and Cournane added three more points before the break to leave the half time score St. Mary’s 2-8 Skellig Rangers 0-5.

After taking 46 seconds in the first half it took 58 seconds in the second half for a score this time Cournane getting maximum value for his shot with a goal after receiving a long pass from Colm O’Shea. Cournane and O’Shea added a point each before Brian O’Sullivan got the Rangers first of the second half, but with this came more Mary’s dominance when Micheal O’Shea put Moran through on goal for his second of the night and to bring his tally to 2-3 and double his seasons tally to the value of 18 points. It took only another minute for the Mary’s to launch another attack with the same result again this time coming from Colin Walsh after Vinny Moriarty gave a peach of a pass for the wing forward. With the game in the bag St. Mary’s introduced Paul O’Donoghue and Kieran O’Sullivan to freshen up proceedings. Vinny Moriarty and Bernard Casey exchanged frees from 43 and 25m respectively before Micheal O’Shea added a punched point before the final whistle to leave the final score at Con Keating Park St. Mary’s 5-12 Skellig Rangers 0-07.

No players could be singled out for the home side during the victory as each and every one gave 110 percent and this showed with every player hanging walking off the pitch, while for the visitors Owen Connor and Bernard Casey were the best of a poor Portmagee side. St. Mary’s will travel to Waterville next Monday night in what looks to be a cracker while the Rangers after beating Renard in their opener will have to wait two weeks due to a bye to play Waterville.

Scorers: St. Mary’s – Conor Moran 2-3, Sean Cournane 1-5,1f, Colin Walsh 1-0, Anthony Hutchinson 1-0, Vinny Moriarty 0-2,2f, Colm O’Shea 0-1, Michael O’Shea 0-1. Skellig Rangers – Owen Connor 0-5,2f, Bernard Casey 0-2,1f.