ACFL Division 3
Rasharkin 4-10 St. Agnes 0-6
The Rasharkin bandwagon keeps on rolling and on Sunday at Dreen it was the turn of St. Agnes to feel the force of the division 3 juggernaut as they made it 11 wins from 11 starts as they continue their relentless journey back to division 2.
The Aggies were just about hanging in there as half time approached as they trailed 1-5 to 0-3 but when youngster, Oisin Casey got in for his side’s second goal as the game went into time added on, they looked in trouble.
It was the men from Dreen who opened the scoring from an Oran McMullan point with Ronan Carroll replying for the visitors from a free to draw level after 6 minutes but St. Mary’s began to settle and hit three on the bounce through Shane Hasson, Ryan Lynch and Oran McMullan.
The Aggies first point from play and their second of the game came from that man Carroll in the 13th minute and at this stage there was only two between the sides but it brought a decisive response from the ‘Hoops’.
Eammon McNeill struck with the game’s opening goal in the 15th minute after Thomas ‘Tucker’ McMullan won possession and sent the number 14 through on goal and he played a sharp 1-2 with Shane Hasson before finishing from close range.
Oisin Casey added a point before Roan Carroll brought his and his side’s total to 0-3 with a point in the 30th minute to close the gap to five and the visitors would probably have settled for that going into the dressing room but there was one more play remaining in the half.
Oisin Casey has emerged in recent weeks as a real find for the home side and he continued to build his reputation when he got through on goal and fired through keeper Colum Carroll’s legs to leave eight between the sides at the change of ends.
Half time score: Rasharkin 2-5(11) St Agnes 0-3(3)
To their credit St. Agnes did better at the start of the second half with Cormac McBride replying to Eammon McNeill’s opening point but when Ryan Lynch fired home the Dreen side’s third goal after 7 minutes it was as good as over.
The city side kept battling away and replied with points from David McGaharan and a great point from Paul McClenaghan in the 11th minute but the league leaders were always able to respond with Shane Hasson splitting the posts in the 14th minute.
Ryan Lynch added two more before St. Agnes best player, Ronan Carroll struck their final point from play with five minutes remaining but again it brought a strong reaction from the home side.
Jack Quinn got his name on the score sheet as he pointed a free and Donagh Quigg was rewarded for his hard work over the hour when he scored his side’s fourth goal of the game in the 29th minute to conclude the scoring.
Another clinical performance from a Rasharkin team who suffered relegation last year but have set about making an immediate return to the higher division and on the evidence of what we have seen to date that project is well on course.
Rasharkin: 1 – Andrew Hasson, 2 – Pearse Kelly, 3 – Emmet McFerran, 4 – Daniel Doherty, 5 – Fearghal Kennedy, 6 – Donagh Quigg, 7 – Fergus Quigg, 8 – Ruairi OBoyle, 9 – Cathal Mooney
10 – Oran McMullan, 11 – Thomas McMullan, 12 – Oisin Casey, 13 – Ryan Lynch, 14 – Eammon McNeill, 15 – Shane Hasson
Subs Used:
Cormac McMullan, Jack Quinn, Killian O’Boyle, Colm Kennedy,Pearse McTague
St. Agnes: 1 Colum Carroll, 2 Patrick Carroll, 3 Mark Caldwell, 4 Killian McCormick, 5 Cormac McCann, 6 Declan Crummey, 7 Paul McClenaghan, 8 David Quigley, 9 James Halleron, 10 David McGaharan, 11 Conal Turley, 12 Cormac McBride, 13 Neil Gillespie, 14 Ronan Carroll, 15 Kevin Grieve.
Subs: 17 Kealan McAllister, 18 Peter McCullough, 19 Mark McLaughlin, 20 Paddy Toner
Referee: Richard Leahy