ACFL Division 2
Gort na Mona 1-8 Rasharkin 0-13
Rasharkin travelled to Enright Park on Wednesday night and recorded their first win in division 2 as they overcame the challenge of a dogged Gort na Mona.
In a hard fought encounter the visitors got off to a fast start and led 0- 3 to 0-1 after 10 minutes, Conor McFerran with all 3 scores.
Veteran Ryan Lynch, making his first start of the season added a good presence up front but Gort na Mona had the majority of possession but missed a load of chances from play and frees.
It was substitute Eamonn McNeill who became the St. Mary’s hero however when his point from play with 8 minutes remaining proved to be the final score of the game and gave the visitors their first win of the season.
Manus McMullan pulled one back for the home side but the returning Lynch quickly moved the visitors back two ahead and Oran McMullan added another before Tim Scannell reduced the gap again with a point in the 20th minute.
Darron ‘Diesel’ Boyd pointed a free with five minutes remaining to the break and it would prove to be the final score of the opening half as Rasharkin carried a narrow one point advantage into the second half.
Rasharkin introduced Eamonn McNeill and Fearghal Kennedy at half time while Tarlach Enright came on for Gort na Mona and had an immediate impact.
It was Ryan Lynch who recorded the first point of the second half before Enright replied for his first score to close the gap to one once more.
It was end to end stuff at this stage as both sides battled to gain the upper hand with Michael Savage and Fearghal Enright for the ‘Gorts’ and Conor McFerran and Shane Hasson for St. Mary’s exchanging further scores.
The game appeared to swing decisively in favour of the boys from the Mona Bye Pass when Kristin Walsh fired to the net in the 9th minute but the men from Dreen found an immediate and decisive response.
They came back with a bang as Shane Hasson, Eamon McNeill and two from |Daniel Doherty moved them ahead once more and it set the scene for a grandstand finish with the result in doubt right to the final whistle.
Fearghal Enright had certainly made his prescence felt since his introduction at the break as he levelled the game once more with a point in the 17th minute and amazingly the scores dried up at this stage.
Both defences dominated during the final quarter though both sides had chances but were wasteful in the extreme and it looked like it might end all square but Eamonn McNeill became the Rasharkin hero when he swung over the winner with 8 minutes remaining.
Gort na Mona: Matthew Park, Darren Cahill, James Connolly, Padraig Cournane, Sean Campbell, Dessie McClean, Ciaran Donnelly, Michael Savage, Gavin McKenna, Kristin Walsh, Darron Boyd, Jack Ireland, Caoimhin Beck, Padraig McHugh, Manus McMullan.
Subs: Fearghal Enright
Rasharkin: 1 Cathair Henderson, 2 Pearce Kelly, 3 Emmet McFerran, 4 Liam Quigg, 5 Colm Kennedy, 6 Fergus Quigg, 7 Pearse McTague, 8 Ruairi O’Boyle, 9 Shane Hasson (0-2), 10 Oisin Casey, 11 Ryan Lynch (0-2), 12 Oran, McMullan (0-1), 13 Daniel Doherty (0-2), 14 Conor McFerran (0-4), 15 Killian O’Boyle
Subs
Eamonn McNeill (0-2) for Killian O’Boyle ht
Fearghal Kennedy for Oisin Casey ht
Seamus Ellis for Pearse McTague 41mins
Conor Doherty for Seamus Ellis 45mins
Jack Quinn for Oran McMullan 58 mins
Referee: Martin Quinn