ACFL Division 3
Eire Og 0-6 Rasharkin5-21
When St. Mary’s Rasharkin won the Feis Junior Cup on Thursday night in Cloughmills, their thoughts turned immediately to Sunday’s Division 3 game away to Eire Og where a win would give them the division 3 league title and promotion to division 2 for next season.
The Derriaghy side had provided Rasharkin with a stiff challenge in their corresponding game in Dreen which St. Mary’s were fortunate to win so, on paper this looked like a difficult fixture for the South West side.
It didn’t quite work out that way however as a young and slick moving Rasharkin proved much too good for an Eire Og side who were missing a number of regulars.
Playing against the breeze in the opening half, Rasharkin raced into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after 6 minutes with their goal coming from Colm Kennedy who was set up by James Higgins.
Eamonn McNeill scored the opening point from a free and added a second from play and Oran McMullan added another before Stephen Erskine kicked a great 2 pointer to get the hosts off the mark.
Erskine’s point provided only temporary respite however as Oran McMullan fisted over at the other end but Eire Og were starting to have some success as Conor Dixon raised another Orange flag to bring their total to four.
Back came Rasharkin with Fearghal Kennedy and Tiernan O’Boyle splitting the posts before Brian Og O’Neill finished to the net for their second goal with 15 minutes gone.
Rasharkin continued to dominate with their movement and sharp passing opening up the Eire Og defence and Eamonn McNeill added a point before the visitors were awarded a penalty.
Up stepped McNeill but his spot kick was well saved by Jamie King in the Eire goals but it only served to postpone the inevitable as Fearghal Kennedy, James Higgins 0-2, Oran McMullan, Eamonn McNeill and Colm Kennedy added points to leave the visitors 2-13 to 0-4 ahead at half time.
It didn’t get any better for Eire Og on the restart though, to be fair they never stopped battling but were missing too many players to make a contest of it and it was Rasharkin who continued to find the target.
Thomas Hasson pointed and Oran McMullan climbed to palm the ball to the net and Brian Og O’Neill split the posts again before Eamonn McNeill fired home their fourth goal with only 8 minutes of the new half gone.
Colm Kennedy fires home Rasharkin’s opening goal and is congratulated by Brian Og O’Neill
Conor Dixon finally got the hosts second half off the mark from a free in the 9th minute and St. Mary’s took the opportunity to test their bench but their intensity and drive never dropped and Jamie King in the home goals pulled off an excellent save to deny McNeill.
The Rasharkin driving force, Eamonn McNeill responded with a point and then found the net for his side’s 5th goal and Cormac McMullan and substitute, PJ McMullan added further points with Conor McKenna striking a late consolation point for the Derriaghy side.
There were muted celebration from Rasharkin after the game their management team immediately turned their attention to the Junior Football Championship where Eire Og might well be one of their strongest rivals.
Cathal McMullan, Paddy Kelly, Barney Cowan and F Kennedy have done a brilliant job in rebuilding their side this year with a host of young players replacing the old guard but the experience provided by Eamonn McNeill, Brian Og O’Neill, Pearce Kelly and a few others has been an important factor in their continued development
Eire Og: 1 Jamie King, 2 Adam McKenna, 3 Barry McDaid, 4 Karl McKenna, 5 Conor McKenna, 6 Stephen Erskine, 7 Dermot Burns, 8 Patrick Maxwell, 9 Mark Graham, 10 Ronan McKeown, 23 Conor Dixon, 12 Ciaran Rice, 19 Joe Erskine, 21 Aaron Thompson, 20 Brendan Shannon
Subs: James O’Connell for Erskine, Nathan Crane for Aaron Thompson, Ciaran Cahoon for Conor Dixon
Rasharkin: 1 Ryan Doherty, 2 Peacse Kelly, 3 Fergus Quigg, 4 Daniel McGurk, 5 Pearse McTague, 6 Fearghal Kennedy, 7 Thomas Hasson, 8 Tiernan O’Boyle, 9 Cormac McMullan, 10 Colm Kennedy, 11 Eamonn McNeill, 12 James Higgins, 13 Killian O’Boyle, 14 Oran McMullan, 15 Brian Og O’Neill
Subs: Jason McGregor for Pearce Kelly, Daniel Doherty, PJ O’Mullan for Brian Og O’Neill, Aodhan McTeague for Killian O’Boyle, Oisin Casey for Eamonn McNeill
Referee: Martin Quinn (St. Enda’s)
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