Kilrossanty take full advantage against 14-man Rathgormack

Kilrossanty 1-9 Rathgormack 0-8

The favourites had come from two points down early in the second half to ease into a one point lead going into the final quarter.

Inexplicably, Power got involved in an off-the-ball incident that left a Kilrossanty forward flattened on the ground and after consulting with his umpires referee Brian Power brandished the red card.

Within two minutes of Power’s dismissal, Kilrossanty were level through a Seamas Veale point and they totally dominated the closing stages with further minors by Mattie Kiely, Brian Kirwan (2), and Ciaran Keating for a victory as deserved as it was impressively fashioned.

Rathgormack twice led in the early stages only to be rocked by the game’s lone goal in the 19th minute when Seamas Veale rose highest to fist Brian Kirwan’s well flighted “45” to the net.

That score enabled the winners to lead by the minimum, 1-3 to 0-5, at the break and within ten seconds of the restart they built on that with a great Mattie Kiely point.

Rathgormack then took over and a point by Edmund Hogan and a brace from Eoin Clifford edged them back in front. Then came Power’s dismissal, and with it the beginning of the end of Rathgormack’s challenge.

Veale’s point levelled matters, and when Mattie Kiely edged them in front in the 52nd minute the outcome had inevitability written all over it.

Scorers for Kilrossanty: S. Veale (1-1); M. Kiely (0-3); C. Keating (0-2); B. Kirwan (0-2).

Rathgormack; E. Clifford (0-3); E. Hogan (0-2); T. Power (0-2); P. Crotty (0-1).

KILROSSANTY: A.Kirwan; K. Lonergan. R. Power. M. Prendergast; J. Kirwan. S. Prendergast. P. Hayes; D. Kiely. C. Keating; S. Veale. M. Kiely. B. Prendergast; B. Kirwan. J. Kiely. B. Lannon.

Sub: R. Hayes for A. Kirwan(inj).

RATHGORMACK: Fahy; M. Crotty. G. Power. Donie Crotty; Dan Crotty. D. Hassett. N. Murray; R. Power. V. O’Shea; P. Crotty. J. Murray. F. Halpin; E. Hogan. T. Power. E. Clifford.

Subs; T. Bolger for Halpin; Halpin for Bolger; Bolger for J. Murray; M. Power for Halpin.

Referee; Brian Power, Mount Sion.