Match Report – Rathpeacon Junior Footballers open with a well-earned win
Date: 26/02/2023
Venue: Kilcully
Competition: Seandún City Football League, Division 3
Score: Rathpeacon – 2-07 – 0-08 – Passage
Starting Line-up: Gary Aherne, Finn Kelly, Dermot Hurley, Anthony McMahon, Conor Dalton, Eoin O’Leidhin, Pat O’Connell, Cian Dalton, Ivan O’Leary, Aaron Murphy, Darragh Murphy, Brendan Ahern, Patrick Daly, John Wiseman, Shane O’Rourke.
Subs: Evan Murphy, Dane Murphy, Eoin Leahy, Scott McCarthy, Sean O’Leary, Paul O’Neill.
Scorers: Patrick Daly (0-05, 2 frees), Darragh Murphy (1-1), John Wiseman (1-00), Evan Murphy (0-01).
The Rathpeacon Junior ‘B’ footballers got their league campaign off to a winning start with a confident win over Passage on a typically windy morning in Kilcully.
Playing into the wind in the first half, the home side put in a savage effort to hold onto the ball and retain possession where possible. The midfield pairing of Ivan O’Leary, club captain, and Cian Dalton were dominant in the middle of the park and Rathpeacon were winning the majority of the opposition kick-outs.
An early injury blow dampened the spirits when new recruit Finn Kelly hobbled off after an intense 50-50 ball. Seán O’Leary replaced him, making his first competitive debut for Rathpeacon G.A.A. club, and his first competitive football game in quite some time. He was solid throughout!
Rathpeacon sprung into life around the halfway stage of the first half. A lovely point from Pat Daly was followed by a brilliant goal from John Wiseman who finished off a lovely team move with a low drive into the back of the net.
Coming close to another goal on a number of occasions, the home side were motoring nicely and added another few scores before the half-time break.
The back-line was solid, with Anthony McMahon providing support down the left side from corner back. Conor Dalton had his man under control and regularly got forward with the attack, as did Pat O’Connell on the opposite wing. Last year’s Footballer of the year, Eoin O’Leidhin, had another great game.
The second half took the eventual winners a while to get going. A poor return on kick-outs in the first half was rectified, and although Rathpeacon were still dominating the passage kick-outs, the game was still firmly in the melting pot due to a few poor decisions and running the ball into dead areas.
A sending off for Passage for a second yellow card should have propelled Rathpeacon on but the extra man almost confused the hosts, something that happened once or twice last year too.
Eventually, though, the city men came good and substitutions at half time and during the second half proved crucial.
Patrick Daly continued his great start to the game with a few more points in the second half, the pick of the bunch a shot sailing over the bar off his left leg on the run.
The pressure was piling on the Passage men and a goal looked like it was on the cards. It finally came and it was worth the wait. A solo-run from centre-forward Darragh Murphy bamboozled the opposition defence, the young player rifling the ball into the roof of the net. He came close to the same spot a while later but was denied by the side netting.
Points from Daly and Evan Murphy rounded off a fine win and a great start to the league campaign. There is a fine panel there and they are looking to go far in all competitions this year.
Ráthpéacháin Abú!
Rathpeacon GAA/LGFA 