February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The Cork senior had four of the Kingdom’s first seven points, most from long range, and threw some fine fielding and passing in along with it.
Rangers entered this match needing a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive but the odds were against them with key players like Mike Bishop and Tomas Maher unavailable.
60-day sanction Ronan Caffrey was doing a lot of running in the early going from his midfield position, despite Sunday’s extreme heat. Caffrey scored Rangers’ first point and when Rangers’ wing forward Eammon Walsh struck from a goal it was suddenly a game again. Ranger full forward Darragh O’Donovan followed with a top notch point and Kerry, for all their dominance now only led by 0-2, 0-7 to 1-2.
A late penalty was neatly tucked away by Kerry full forward Dermot Sullivan after he was fouled in a collision with the goalkeeper and the Kingdom led 1-8 to 1-3 at intermission.
Again Kerry started well, stretching their advantage to 1-12 to 1-6. Then Sean Healy took a heavy but fair tackle and had to be stretchered off the field, with what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury.
Rangers immediately launched a comeback led by a revived Caffrey, who seemed to get his second wind. Caffery pointed and then fed O’Donovan whose goal cut the Ranger deficit to 1-12 to 2-7, or 15 to 13.
O’Donovan was just wide with another goal try and then Rangers pulled within one,from a Joe Walsh point. Six minutes remained but Rangers would get no closer.
Man of the Match: Sean Healy.
Kerry: Eoghan O’Loughlan, Paul Dillon, Anthony Glacken, Dan Cronin, Garry Galvin (0-1), Colum Cronin, Kieran Granfield (0-1), Gary Kelly, Sean Healy (0-4), Willie O’Donnell (0-1), Darren Horan (0-1), Paudie Mulvihill (0-2), Mike Carmody (0-1), Dermot Sullivan (1-2, 1 peno), Kieran O’Shea Subs: Darren Halpin, Gerry Carroll, Louis Holland.
Rangers: John Williams, Shane Toner, Malachy McHugh, Mike Sheridan, Billy Hearn, Paul Quinlan, Steven Cassells, Tom Cooper (0-1), Ronan Caffery (0-4), Derek Courtney, Joe Walsh (0-1), Eammon Walsh (1-0), Peter Cassells (0-1), Darragh O’Donovan (1-1), Cormac Murray.
Referee: Conor Healy.