Ramor open campaign with win over Castlerahan

ACFL Division 1

Ramor United 0-18

Castlerahan 2-8

Paul Fitzpatrick at Dolan Park

Defending league champions Ramor United opened their All-County Football League Division 1 campaign with a four-point win over neighbours Castlerahan this afternoon in Virginia.

Played at an earlier throw-in time of 3pm, the game was largely one-sided with the hosts leading 0-17 to 0-7 with 55 minutes played but Castlerahan finished strongly, Stephen Cooney finding the net with an excellent goal and Ciaran Caldwell netting a rebound after his penalty was saved.

Both Castlerahan majors came in injury time in a match which produced just one two-pointer, a free from Liam Brady which opened the scoring.

With Enda Maguire dominating the midfield battle, particularly in the first half, Ramor, playing against the breeze, controlled the first half hour. They led by 0-11 to 0-3 at the break, having hit six wides and struck the upright twice.

That two-point free from goalkeeper Brady opened the scoring before Eoin Somerville fisted over.

Cormac Lynch swung in a well-taken point for Castlerahan but the impressive Karl Farrelly (two) and James Bradley (two, one free) made it 0-7 to 0-1 after 10 minutes.

Ciaran Caldwell and Padraig McGahern replied with frees for Castlerahan before Ramor struck three wides in two minutes, lively wing-back Pauric Morgan eventually raising a white flag.

Farrelly made it 0-9 to 0-3 and a James O’Hara mark and a super effort from Enda Maguire left eight between them at half-time.

Farrelly and Cathal Maguire both registered within 60 seconds of the restart, with Sean Brady teeing Enda Maguire up to make it 0-14 to 0-3 on 35 minutes.

Castlerahan hit back with a super point from Cooney but Ramor stretched their advantage to 12, 0-16 to 0-4, with scores from Liam Brady (45) and Conor Bradley.

With 10 minutes to go, Ciaran Caldwell knocked over a free; Castlerahan won the resulting kick-out and Cooney hooked in his second.

Caldwell and Conor Bradley traded frees as the clock ticked down and a James Bradley free, after a foul on Farrelly, made it 0-18 to 0-7 with 58 minutes played.

Castlerahan, however, finished strongly. Cian McCabe landed a free and after a brilliant move started by Jamie Clarke and involving Enda Flanagan, Cooney smashed to the roof of the net.

With the final play of the game, Liam Brady saved a penalty from Caldwell but the young attacker was quickest to the rebound and made no mistake to leave four in it as the long whistle sounded.

With injuries and quite a few players tied up with county U20 and senior panels, both sides were understrength on the day and ran their benches.

Ramor United: Liam Brady (0-3, 2ptf, 45), Lorcan Lynch, Damien Barkey, Adam O’Connell, Shane Keenan, Conor Bradley (0-2, 1f), Pauric Morgan (0-1), Enda Maguire (0-2), Sean Brady, James Bradley (0-3, 2f), Eoin Somerville (0-1), James O’Hara (0-1m), Karl Farrelly (0-4), Jack Brady, Cathal Maguire (0-1)

Subs: Mark Magee for D Barkey (42), Anthony Monaghan for J Brady (45), Conor Nulty for C Maguire (47), Tomás Lynch for J O’Hara (52), Nathan Fallon for L Lynch (57)

Castlerahan: Kieran Daly, Paul Brady, Jamie Reilly, Eoin McCabe, Conor Farrelly, Fergal Reilly, Stephen Cooney (1-2), Cormac Lynch (0-1), Luke Caldwell, Jamie Clarke, Padraig McGahern (0-1f), Rory Smith, Ciaran Caldwell (1-3, 3f), David Wright, Cian McCabe (0-1f)

Subs: Sean Óg McGearty for C Farrelly (19), Enda Flanagan for L Caldwell (25), John Linnane for P Brady (45), Senan Macken for C Lynch (47), Jamie O’Reilly for P McGahern (52)

Ref: Mickey Lee