Impressive Rathangan march past Suncroft

Rathangan 2-21

Suncroft 0-17

Rathangan booked their place in this season's Auld Shebeen Athy IFC quarter-final following a comphrehensive win over a game Suncroft at Manguard Park on Saturday afternoon.

In the end there was all of ten point separating the sides, a late goal putting an extra gloss on the win but having said that there was no disputing the best side won and they now take on Round Towers for a place in the last four on Friday night at the same venue.

Some top class displays with Sam Savage having an excellent game for the winners while Fionn Dowling rolled back the years with a vintage display that saw him hit no less than a dozen points.

Playing into the Milltown end and with a strong breeze on their backs, it was the men from Suncroft who took an early grip led by the experienced Fionn Dowling operating on the edge of the square.

The game was hardly on a minute before the former county man opened and two minutes later a brilliant fetch from Dowling saw him convert the resultant mark and just a minute later the big man made it three for himself and for The Croft, and when Jack Doyle added another Suncroft led 0-4 to 0-0.

Six minutes in and Muiris Curtin opened for Rathangan, Sam Savage converted a free to reduce the lead to two.

A fine move involving Jack Setright, Tom Martin and Fionn Dowling saw the latter split the posts. It was certainly a free-flowing game with scores coming thick and fast.

Conor Jamieson after showing a lovely bit of skill, set up Sam Savage; and it was Savage who tied the game up at 0-5 apiece with a free on 13minutes.

Back came Suncroft, and Fionn Dowling, who edged his side back in front but Savage soon had them level again with another free.

End-to-end stuff and midfielder Conn Kehoe had The Croft one head, Eoghan Lawless pushed that out to two.
The next four points were shared equally before Sam Savage was put through and the corner forward made no mistake finding the net from close range to make it 1-8 to 0-10, the first time Rathangan were in the lead.

Before the break Ross Teahan pushed the lead out to two with a fine effort and as the players made their way to the dressing room Rathangan leading 1-9 to 0-10.

Suncroft needed a quick start in the second half, playing against the breeze and while they did raise two early white flats from

Fionn Dowling and Sennan Brannock, there was no stopping Rathangan as they hit four points to counteract those early scores.

Fionn Dowling added two frees for the losers but Rathangan took control, should have scored a goal when Sam Savage put Ben Murphy in but the wing back blasted wide.

However seven points without reply between the 47 and 53 minute saw the score board read Rathangan 1-19 Suncroft 0-14.
And while Suncroft did added another three points, two from Dowling and one from Conor Smith, Rathangan replied with points from Aran Teahan (2) and that late goal from Brendon Maloney to advance on a final score line of Rathangan 2-21 Suncroft 0-17.

Scorers: Rathangan, Sam Savage 1-7 (five frees), Muiris Curtin 0-4, Brandon Maloney 1-0, David Murphy 0-2, Ross Teahan 0-2 (1 free), Conor Jamieson 0-2, Aran Teahan 0-2, Rian Teahan 0-1, Sean Behan 0-1.

Suncroft, Fionn Dowling 0-12 (1 mark, 4 frees), Conn Kehoe 0-1, Jack Doyle 0-1, Eoghan Lawless 0-1, Sennan Brannock 0-1, Conor Smyth 0-1.

RATHANGAN: Craig Shannon; Oisin O'Loughlin, Michael Fitzsimons, Shane O'Loughlin; Eoin Curtin, David Vaughan, Ben Murphy; Rian Teahan, Mark Fitzsimons; Conor Jameson, Muiris Curtin, Ross Teahan; Sam Savage, Stefan Lawler, David Murphy. Subs: Aran Teahan for Stefan Lawler (12 minutes); Aran Teahan for Stefan Lawler (12 minutes); Sean Behan for David Vaughan (36 minutes); Aaron Mullins for Conor Jamieson (48 minutes); Brandon Maloney for David Murphy (52 minutes);

SUNCROFT: David Sutton; Jack Setright, Sean Browne, Tom Martin; Mikey Troy, Conor Smyth, Diarmuid Enright; Conn Kehoe, Jack Doyle; Darragh Malone, Eoghan Lawless, Sennan Brannock; Chris Philips, Fionn Dowling, Mark Browne. Subs: Mark Brown for Diarmuid Enright (16 minutes); Ciaran Troy for Darragh Malone (48 minutes):

REFEREE: Fergus Devereux.