Rathangan stun Towers

Rathangan 4-9 Round Towers 0-16 AET 

Rathangan are through to the semi final of the Auld Shebeen Athy Intermediate football championship and a meeting with the winners of the Caragh and Sallins quarter final after they overcame favourites Round Towers by five. It took twenty minutes of extra time to separate two evenly matched sides in a hugely entertaining game but four Rathangan goals proved decisive.

Rathangan were two up inside as many minutes as Sam Savage and Ben Murphy were both on target from distance. Towers were struggling to get clean shots away against a tight Rathangan rearguard but once Jay O'Brien opened their account on five they would quickly ad four in a row through Jason O Brien the second of those coming from a mark after Davy O'Neill played through a brilliant pass.

Towers could only ad one more score ,through a Jay O'Brien free, before the break as Rathangan took control. Ross Teehan converted a free on 18 before the games opening goal arrived. A long Ben Murphy ball into the corner was won by Sam Savage and in a flash he was through on goal.He fired low past Colin English. Aran Teehan and Ben Murphy added late points to leave Rathangan 1-5 to 0-6 after 30 minutes.

The second half saw Towers move back in front with three early points. A 48th minute goal from Sean Behan swung it back in Rathangan's favour but as the sides traded points it took a late Ben Ryan point to send us to extra time with the sides level at 0-13 to 2-7.

The first period of added time didn't look like it would separate the sides. Three Towers points from Neil Scanlon, a Jay O'rien free and a leveller from Stephen Comerford. The leveller came after a Ross Teehan free was fumbled by the Towers backs and Sean Behan was on hand for his second goal. Muiris Curtin had time for a late free and with 10 to play Rathangan were 3-8 to 0-16 ahead.

The closing ten minutes saw Rathangan move four ahead and it was their fourth goal from Ben Murphy that sealed a place in the semi final. Towers failed to score in that second period and when Billy Connell sounded the full time whistle it was the Rathangan contingent who were celebrating the 4-9 to 0-16 win.

Earlier in the day, last year's Junior champions Milltown also qualified for the semi-finals with a 2-14 to 2-7 win over St Kevins.

Rathangan: Craig Shannon, Oisin O'Loughlin, Mark Fitzsimons, Shane O'Loughlin, Eoin Curtin, Michael Fitzsimons, Rian Teehan, Ben Murphy 1-2, Conor Jamieson, Sam Savage 1-2 (1 free), Ross Teehan 0-2fs, Muiris Curtin 0-1f, David Murphy, Aran Teehan 0-2. Subs: Daniel Mulpeter for O O'Loughlin, 42; Sean Behan 2-0 for Jamieson, 42; Brandon Maloney for A Teehan, 55; Aaron Mullins for Murphy, 58; Alex Conlan for E Curtin, 72.

Sam Savage for Murphy, 72.

Round Towers: Colin English 0-1f, Jack O'Neill, Michael Joyce, Mikey Kelly, Sean Glennon 0-1, David O'Neill, Michael Murphy, Jamie Flynn, Evan Flynn 0-1, Jay O'Brien 0-6 (2fs), Mark Waters, Mark Byrne, Max Cosgrave, Jason O Brien 0-4 (1m), Max Byrne. Subs: Ben Ryan 0-1 for Byrne, 35; Neil Scanlon 0-1 for Jason O'Brien, 47; Stephen Comerford 0-1 for Cosgrave, 51; Padraig Daly for Murphy, 56; Cathal Daffy for Glennon, 59; Michael Murphy for J Flynn, 70; Sean Glennon for M Byrne, 74.

Referee: Billy Connell