Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin come back strongly to book South Leinster final spot
Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin goalscoer Sean Wyer takes on Portlaoise CBS midfielder Joe Larkin
Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin eventually pulled away from Portlaoise to secure their place in the South Leinster ‘B’ Senior Football final but it was only in the last ten minutes that there was any daylight between these two very well matched teams.
With a strong wind blowing down the field behind Portlaoise in the first half it was the cliched game of two halves and the home side held a six point lead at half time but it wasn’t enough in the end.
Although it was Pauric Carty who led the way for Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin with seven second half points, they were also thankful to goalkeeper Max Kruger who made a couple of crucial saves, and to full back Oisin Kenny who made a second half goal line clearance at a vital juncture in the game.
The win for Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin was all the more impressive given they were without Kildare U20 inter-county player Austin Donegan and they will now go forward to take on St Peters of Wexford in the final.
Although playing into the wind, the Kildare side started on the front foot and had plenty of the ball before eventually Aaron Moylan opened the scoring in the seventh minute.
Portlaoise hit back to move into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead but one of the best moments in the first half came when Luke Mullally struck the upright for Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin after 17 minutes after he kept Ollie Deller’s wayward shot in play.
The sides were level going into the last ten minutes of the half before Portlaoise, whose shooing had left a lot to desired up to that point, suddenly clicked into gear in front of the posts.
Oran Darcy and Eoghan Deegan scored from inside the arc before Darcy, from play, and Darren Brennan, from a free, landed two pointers and suddenly Portlaoise held a decent lead going into the break, 0-9 to 0-3.
However, it took Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin less than a minute of the second half to make significant inroads to that lead. After a great burst of pace on the left, Carty fisted the ball across the face of the goal and although Mullally’s initial effort was blocked, Sean Wyer cleverly curled the ball home without picking it off the ground.
A couple of points by Carty and then a two point free gave Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin the lead for the first time since the early stages but even into the conditions, Portlaoise battled their way back into the game.
Brennan pointed and then Conor O’Callaghan tapped over a close range free after Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin were penalised for not leaving three men in the opposing half. When a quick counter attack in the 42nd minute ended with a delightful effort from the right by David Timmons it looked like Portlaoise were decisively turning the game in their favour.
They may very well have gone on to win the game had they found the net from a promising 44th minute attack. Brennan cut in from the left and as Kruger came out to challenge and close the angle, the big midfielder slipped the ball into Darcy and with the goalkeeper out of the game he shot towards the net but Kenny had taken up a superb position to save on the line.
That gave Ardscoil Rath Iomagháin fresh impetus and by the time Carty landed a 52nd minute two point free they were back in front and never looked back.
They added the last three points of the game and John Joyce’s side can be pleased to be heading to a final after coming through such a thorough examination of their credentials.
Max Kruger (Gracefield); Charlie Cullen (Ellistown), Oisin Kenny (Rathangan), Tadhg Weldon (St Broughans), Niall Finnegan (Milltown) , Cathal Weldon (St Broughans), Noah Maher (Rathangan); Sean Wyer (Bracknagh, 1-1), Ollie Deller (Round Towers, 0-2); Aaron Moylan (Rathangan, 0-2), Paidí Ryan (Rathangan, 0-1), Diarmuid Conlan (Rathangan), Pauric Carty (Rathangan, 0-7, 2tpfs, 1f), Ruairi Broughan (Rathangan, 0-1), Luke Mullally (Rathangan). Subs: Paddy Murphy (Rathangan) for Cullen, h/t; Niall McConnon (Rathangan) for Mullally, 54; Aaron Walsh (Ballyteague) for Moylan, 57.
Conor Dunne(Portlaoise); Denis Browne (The Heath), Sean Powders (Portlaoise), Davy Delaney (Portlaoise), Eoghan Deegan (Annanough, 0-1), Dan Downey (Park-Ratheniska), Cormac Deegan (Annanough); Joe Larkin (Stradbally), Darren Brennan (Portlaoise, 0-4, 1tpf); Sean Tuohy (Annanough), Tadhg Slattery (Courtwood), David Timmons (Portlaoise, 0-1), Oran Darcy (Annanough 0-3, 1tp), Conor O’Callaghan (Portlaoise, 0-3, 2fs), Ethan Neilon (O’Dempseys). Subs: Conor McCaul (Annanough) for Neilon, 53; Barry Connolly (Park-Ratheniska) for Tuohy, 57.
Niall Colgan
