Russell’s late point snatches victory from Gaeltacht grasp

An Ghaeltacht 0-10 Laune Rangers 0-10

All-Ireland medals may be two a penny in West Kerry, but An Ghaeltacht only have their 2001 county medals to polish - they should have doubled their haul in Tralee yesterday.

Credit Laune Rangers with a spirited last 10 minutes, four Michael F. Russell points rescuing a dramatic draw, but it's hard to avoid the conclusion that at 0-10 to 0-6 in front after 51 minutes, the Gaeltacht players subconsciously thought their day's work was done.

“We feel desperate,” admitted An Ghaeltacht manager and wing back, Fergal Ó Sé. “When you are four points up in a county final with ten minutes to go, it's outrageous if you don't win. We're still in there, but if we don't win this county championship, we only have ourselves to blame.”

Hard to believe, then, that for much of the first half, An Ghaeltacht, played second fiddle to a smarter, more driven Laune Rangers side, with centre forward, Billy O'Shea especially prominent around the midfield scraps.

With midfielders John Lynch and Adrian Hassett bettering Darragh Ó Sé and Pol Ó Cuinn, Rangers deserved better than a 0-5 to 0-3 half time advantage.

The 8,000 crowd at Austin Stack Park deserved better too. With so many Kerry players and imaginative attackers on display, the opening 30 minutes was dismally tentative and pedestrian. It took 17 minutes to energise the crowd, two goal chances in a minute foiled by the respective keepers.

First Dara Ó Cinnéide's drilled half volley was smothered by Rangers keeper, Tony Lyons, before a quick Pa O'Sullivan though-ball put Michael F Russell in the clear at the other end.

At a stage in the game when Rangers led 0-4 to 0-2, and were dominating, a goal was the vehicle to drive home their edge. However, Gaeltacht keeper Pat Healy denied the Kerry ace with an excellent block.

“Our heads were down at half time,” admitted Rangers coach, John Evans. “We left a lot of scores after us.”

Russell added Rangers' fifth point a minute after, but once No 6 Tomás Ó Sé went back to corner back in a swap with his brother Marc, Russell's influence waned.

Indeed, that trend was replicated all over the field early in the second period.

Darragh Ó Sé powered into the game, as did the excellent Aodhan MacGearailt, Conal Ó Cruadhlaoich and Dara Ó Cinnéide.

Gaeltacht were level within two minutes of the restart with points from Riobaird MacGearailt and Cruadhlaoich, and though Pa O'Sullivan responded, Killorglin would wait another eighteen minutes for their next score.

Three An Ghaeltacht points followed, the last an excellent effort off his left side from O'Cinnéide.

Within 60 seconds, they had the chance to put the issue to rest.

A sweeping move initiated by Darragh O Sé, and given shape by Aodhan MacGearailt and Dara Ó Cinnéide, found substitute Breandán Breathnach in on goals, but the bravery of Killorglin keeper Lyons ensured that a point was the extent of the damage - the ball ricocheting over off the crossbar.

When the rampant MacGearailt teed up Cruadhlaoich for a 0-10 to 0-6 advantage, there was good cause to presume that Rangers were done for. With Russell now outfield, drifting aimlessly in the desperate search for possession, and Billy O'Shea (injured) and Brian Gannon both replaced, where would scores come from?

It has been a tormented season for Russell. Shorn of confidence with Kerry, he looked nothing like his old self in the green and gold, but a few weeks of care and attention from coach John Evans back with his club has refreshed his appetite.

“He's enjoying his football again. Maybe he was under pressure with Kerry, but he wasn't playing well,” Evans explained.

“When he came back, it gave us a chance to build him up again.”

Sensing that his season could go from bad to depressing, Russell got to work. First a free, then a marvellous 45m dead ball to reduce the leeway to two points with seven minutes remaining.

However, the most reliable barometer of his returning confidence came with 90 seconds remaining. Caught in a pocket of players, Russell swivelled onto his left foot with his back to goal. Only a few gifted forwards have the sense to guess where the posts are, and Russell's 'blind' effort split the uprights.

The first minute of injury time had elapsed when corner back Brendan Fitzgerald surged deep into Gaeltacht territory. Having lost their shape and composure, Gaeltacht needlessly committed the foul which gave Russell the equalising point, via his fifth free of the day.

The replay will be on Sunday, October 26th.

Scorers: An Ghaeltacht - D. O Cinnéide (0-4, 3 frees), A. MacGearailt (0-2), C. Cruadhlaoich (0-2), R. MacGearailt, B. Breathnach (0-1 each). Laune Rangers - M. F. Russell (0-7, 5 frees), P. O'Sullivan (0-2), B. Gannon (0-1)

AN GHAELTACHT: P. Ó hEalaithe, F. Ó Sé, M. Ó Sé, S. MacSithigh; D. MacGearailt, T. Ó Sé, M. MacGearailt; D. Ó Sé, P. Ó Cuinn; T. O'Conchúir, R. MacGearailt, A. MacGearailt; C. Cruaidhlaoich, D. Ó Cinnéide, C. Ó Dubhda. Subs: B. Breathnach for M. MacGearailt (42 mins); J.J. Cordubh for C. O Dúbhda (44), C. Ó Dubhda for C. Ó Cruadhlaoidh (57).

LAUNE RANGERS: T. Lyons; N. Lynch, E. Ferris, B. Fitzgerald; P. Costello, J. Sheehan, J. Coffey; J. Lynch, A. Hassett; S. Foley, B. O'Shea, L. Hassett; B. Gannon, P. O'Sullivan, M. F. Russell. Subs: C. O'Connor for B. Gannon (53); J. Murphy for B. O'Shea (56).

Referee: T. Lynch (Kerins O'Rahillys).