ACFL Division 2
Rasharkin 2-10 St. Teresa’s 1-19
Following their good win over Gort na Mona on day one, St. Teresa’s made the trip to Dreen on Sunday to face St. Mary’s Rasharkin. Never an easy fixture against the South West side in their own back yard but the Glen Road side showed just why they came so close to collecting the title last season.
Last year’s division 2 runners up made the early running, hitting the opening four points through John Mallon (2pt free), Niall McCann, Mark Small and Anton Taylor to lead by five with only 7 minutes gone.
The home side opened their account when Odhran Casey pointed an 8th minute free but two minutes later they were dealt a severe blow when Darren McCann got through for a goal for the visitors.
The home side responded and hit back with a goal of their own when Brian Og O’Neill fired past Philip Maguire in the visitors goal and St. Mary’s were starting to enjoy a wee bit of success.
John Mallon for the Glen Road side and Brian Og exchanged points and Anton Taylor and Odhran Casey traded further minors to leave it 1-6 to 1-2 after 17 minutes and when Casey followed with another the home side seemed to be gaining some traction.
It was the visitors who finished the half the stronger however with Eoghan Hamill and Darren McCann on target and Brian Og O’Neill replying with a late point for Rasharkin to leave it 1-9 to 1-4 for the visitors at the break.
Niall McCann extended the visitors lead with a point on the restart but Rashakin replied through a couple of fine efforts from Casey to leave four between the sides with 6 minutes of the second half gone.
St. Teresa’s were able to respond once more as Niall McCann, Sean Maguire and Anton Taylor split the posts with McMullan replying with a point at the other end but the home side were struggling to stay in touch.
Brian Og O’Neill handed them a lifeline as he fired to the St. Teresa’s net at the end of the third quarter but it failed to bring the required response from his side.
The visitors were now playing with a lot of confidence and they replied with three further points through Conor O’Rawe, Niall McCann and John Mallon and it was as good as over at this stage but to their credit Rasharkin continued to battle.
They would add only two further points however through Brian Og with his opposite number, Mark Small replying with two at the other end to conclude the scoring and move his side joint top of the league with Sarsfield’s and St. Ergnat’s
RASHARKIN
St. Teresa’s: 1 Philip Maguire, 2 Phillip Glennon, 3 Paul Johnston, 4 Eoin Connolly, 5 Conor Mallon, 6 Conor O’Rawe, 7 Ryan Mallon, 8 Darren McCann, 9 Pierce O’Rawe, 10 John Mallon, 11 Sean Maguire, 12 Niall McCann, 13 Mark Small, 14 Anton Taylor, 15 Eoghan Hamill
Subs: 16 Conor McCann, 17 Brendan Bennett,
Referee: Richie Leahy