Buckley stars as Rathmore shake off Legion

Rathmore 1-12 Killarney Legion 2-5

A goal from full forward John Buckley in the 51st minute put paid to a determined second-half fightback by the local side that ultimately came up short.

Accurate free-taking also helped the winner’s cause — Michael O’Riordan converted five placed balls over the hour while goalscorer Buckley chipped in with three.

O’Riordan pointed a free inside two minutes and they had built up a 0-5 to no score lead after 12 minutes. Rathmore’s early dominance was helped by a tight defence, marshalled by Tom O’Sullivan from full back, a dominant midfield where Aidan O’Mahony was prominent and a mobile attack which Legion found difficult to come to terms with.

Rathmore’s scores came courtesy of O’Riordan (3), Mark Reen and a wonderful George O’Keeffe solo effort.

Legion worked their way into the game, for the most part inspired by the lively Conor Keane and James O’Donoghue. Keane got Legion on the scoreboard in the 15th minute which settled his side. This confidence was underlined by Thomas Moriarty’s 19th-minute goal, which left the bare minimum between the sides. Moriarty, though he finished his goal expertly, had Shaun Keane to thank for a pinpoint 50-yard pass into his grateful arms. The corner-forward simply had to turn before finishing past Padraic McCarthy.

Rathmore did manage to put a halt to Legion’s gallop by adding three points to leave the half-time score 0-8 to 1-1 in favour of Rathmore.

Despite John Buckley stretching Rathmore’s lead with a point three minutes after the resumption, it was Legion that took over and within five minutes, they had levelled the game. Firstly, James O’Donoghue pointed from a free; then Conor Keane goaled following good work by Padraig Lucey, David O’Sullivan and James O’Donoghue, and Keane had the sides on level terms when he successfully converted a 38th-minute free. Rathmore sensed danger, moved through the gears and outscored their opponents by 1-3 to 0-2 in the remaining 22 minutes. John Buckley was the star of the show for Rathmore in this period of the game. He steadied the ship with a free before punching the ball to the Legion net for a 51st-minute goal. That goal saw Rathmore leading 1-10 to 2-4. Michael O’Riordan pointed two late frees to a reply from Kieran Slattery to see Rathmore through.

RATHMORE: P McCarthy; J O’Sullivan, T O’Sullivan, B O’Leary; C O’Sullivan, P Murphy, S Reen; A O’Mahony, J Buckley (1-3, 0-3 frees); D O’Sullivan, G O’Keeffe (0-1), B O’Keeffe (0-1); E Lawlor, M O’Riordan (0-6, 0-5 frees), M Reen (0-1).

Subs: Patrick Reen for G O’Keeffe (62), Colm Kelly for B O’Leary (63).

LEGION: B Kelly; C Davies, J Lyne, D Sheehan; S McCarthy, S Keane, P O’Connor; B Maguire (capt), D Sheahan; M O’Sullivan, J O’Donoghue (0-1 free), K Slattery (0-1); T Moriarty (1-0), C Keane (1-3, 0-2 frees), D O’Sullivan.

Subs: David McCarthy for D O’Sullivan (ht), Padraig Lucey for D Sheahan (ht), Derek Twomey for C Keane (52 to 56 blood).

Referee: S Mulvihill (St Senan’s).