'We got goals at the right times': Rathmore stun Austin Stacks with comeback
Rathmore's Andrew Moynihan gave a masterclass in shackling Austin Stacks' Joe O'Connor. Pic: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD.
Rathmore manager David McCarthy was full of praise for his side’s character after they came from four points down with ten minutes to go to pip Austin Stacks in an eventually absorbing Kerry club senior FC quarter-final at Austin Stack Park on Saturday evening.
The Rockies had weathered the storm after Brian Friel’s excellent 45th minute goal for the East Kerry outfit and, with Paddy Lane and Cian Purcell sparkling in attack all evening, the Tralee men looked set for victory heading towards the finish.
However, given a reprieve by Ciaran Collins’ expertly converted penalty, and by the impact of Mark Reen and Mark Ryan off the substitutes’ bench, Rathmore never threw in the towel, with Kerry stars Paul Murphy and Shane Ryan firing over the late game-winning points.
The herculean Andrew Moynihan at midfield (his shackling of Kingdom hero Joe O’Connor was a master-class) was always well to the fore and, despite 1-11 from the Stacks’ dynamic duo of Lane and Purcell, Darragh Long’s charges just came up short at the death.
“We got the goals at the right times. It wasn’t a pretty game to watch, as conditions were obviously pretty difficult. We had an awful lot of injuries during the county league, but the big boost we have gotten this year is the amount of players that we’ve used,” said McCarthy.
“You could see that there in the second half when the game was in the melting pot. You knew, that playing Austin Stacks in Austin Stack Park, was going to be a battle, and it’s the character to get yourself in those positions to get those goals.
“We didn’t play fantastic football by any means tonight, but it was about winning a championship game and, luckily, that’s what we did. The penalty made all the difference. It’s definitely relief that is the big word. We only had a six-day turnaround, which is very tough on the bodies,” he added.
Austin Stacks had the strong wind at their backs in the first period and, even though Purcell netted in the 17th minute, three late points in the half allowed Rathmore to retire at the interval trailing by five points, 1-5 to 0-3, which gave them encouragement for the resumption.
Greg Horan kept firing the bullets for Purcell and the superb Lane in the second half, but Rathmore refused to wilt and, ultimately, it was the penalty, awarded for a foul on Mark Ryan, which turned the momentum. Then, of course, Murphy and Shane Ryan had the final say.
C Collins 1-1 (1-0p), B Friel 1-1, S Ryan 0-3 (1tpf, 0-1 ’45), B O’Keeffe 0-2 (tp), J Moynihan, A Dineen, M Ryan, M Reen, P Murphy 0-1 each.
P Lane 0-9 (1tpf, 0-2fs), C Purcell 1-2, G Horan, D Kirby 0-1 each.
S Ryan; T O’Doherty, D Murphy, B O’Keeffe; A Dineen, C Dineen, F Holohan; A Moynihan, C Ryan; B Friel, P Murphy, D Rahilly; J Moynihan, C Collins, P Moynihan.
F Murphy for P Moynihan (27), M Reen for J Moynihan (45), M Ryan for Rahilly (45), C O’Connor for Holohan (49), T Holohan for O’Doherty (56).
M Tansley; C Griffin, J O’Shea, N Fitzmaurice; A Heinrich, D Casey, R Shanahan; J O’Connor, D Fitzmaurice; D O’Brien, C Horan, G Horan; S Quilter, C Purcell, P Lane.
D Kirby for C Horan (ht), F Mangan for Quilter (ht), C Browne for D Fitzmaurice (40), L Casey for O’Brien (49), F O’Brien for N Fitzmaurice (60).
B Griffin (Clounmacon).
