Laune Rangers Defeat Rathmore

Laune Rangers vs Rathmore – Rhyno Quality Feeds Senior County League, Division 1

Laune Rangers: 5-11
Rathmore: 1-04

The Rhyno Quality Feeds Senior County League got underway on Sunday last and saw Laune Rangers travel to Rathmore for their first round encounter.

The newly promoted home side were hoping to start their season on a winning note while the experienced Laune Rangers outfit were looking to put a disappointing 2014 season behind them and start the new season afresh.

It was to be the visitors who would take the points winning on a score line of 5-11 to 1-04.

Rathmore started the game the quicker with two points in quick succession. The first from Norma O’Mahony after a quick free from midfielder Aislinn Desmond. This was followed soon after by another point this time from the boot of corner forward, Aoife O’Callaghan.

Laune Rangers began to settle and worked a good play from goalkeeper, Cliona Coffey right up the field through Johanna O’Callaghan then Meadhbh Johnston who found Sarah Houlihan. Houlihan made no mistake and slotted the ball to the back of the Rathmore net for the game’s first goal to let the score 1-00 to 0-02 in the visitors favour.

Sarah Houlihan extended her tally shortly after with a well taken point. Anna Maria O’Donoghue showed her experience with a point of her own in the minutes that followed to put the goal between the sides, 1-02 to 0-02.

Another one of the visitor’s Kerry stars made the scoresheet with 12 minutes played as Patrice Dennehy slotted over another point after some good work from the Laune Rangers defender Amanda Long who secured possession despite being under pressure from the Rathmore forwards.

Sarah Houlihan further extended Laune Rangers’ lead with two more points in the 15th and 17th minutes of the first half.

Rathmore, who continued to apply pressure and were dangerous on the break, made a good break down the field and when an initial shot rebounded off the upright, Caroline Reen was on hand to ensure the ball hit the back of the Rangers’ net to let the score 1-05 to 1-02 in the visitors favour with approx. 7 minutes of the opening half remaining.

Laune Rangers answered in style in the 19th minute with a goal of their own from Anna Maria O’Donoghue. Patrice Dennehy was on the receiving end of a long pass from Sarah Houlihan and quickly spotted O’Donoghue. A quick toe pass to O’Donoghue who found the net giving Rangers’ breathing room once more; 2-05 to 1-02.

Laune Rangers hit a purple patch in the final 5 minutes of the half. Patrice Dennehy blasted to the back of the net in the 20th minute, followed by another goal from Houlihan in the 24th minute and the final score of the half, another Houlihan goal in the 26th minute to let the score 5-05 to 1-02 in favour of the Launesiders at the short whistle.

As with the first half, it was Rathmore who opened the second half scoring with a well taken point from Aoife O’Callaghan who was being put under serious pressure from Laune Rangers’ defender Meadhbh Johnston.

Sarah Houlihan showed her speed in the 3rd minute tapping over Laune Rangers’ first score of the second half, 5-06 to 1-03.

Laune Rangers went on to score 3 further points in the minutes that followed, the pick of these being a well taken effort from Sinéad O’Connor to give Laune Rangers a 5-09 to 1-03 advantage with 8minutes of the second half played.

A quite period followed with both sides notching up a number of wides as well as introducing a number of substitutes.

The sides swapped points in the closing minutes of the game with Caroline Reen pointing from the home side in the 22nd minute and Laune Rangers’ Sinéad O’Connor closing the scoring with her second point of the afternoon in the 24th minute.

Referee Paddy White blew the full time whistle shortly after to let the score 5-11 to 1-04 in Laune Rangers’ favour.

Meadhbh Johnston and Amy Foley stood out for Laune Rangers in a game where all Kerry players played well for the visitors – a good all round team performance for the opening round of the league.