Delaney's to the fore as Park-Ratheniska qualify for Intermediate football final

LAOIS SHOPPING CENTRE INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI FINAL

PARK-RATHENISKA 1-14

ARLES-KILCRUISE 0-13

Park-Ratheniska were powered on by the Delaney brothers at either end of the field as they edged out Arles-Kilcruise to qualify for an Intermediate football final meeting with Mountmellick.

With Mark Delaney lording it at full back and Kieran pulling the strings at centre forward, Park were deserving winners meaning their will be no instant return to the senior ranks for Arles-Kilcruise.

Kilcruise started extremely well and in truth Park-Ratheniska struggled to deal with them in the early stages. PJ Lawlor opened the scoring for Kilcruise while their lead was doubled in the sixth minute when David Conway kicked over the first of his five points from a free.

Park-Ratheniska got a badly needed score to open their account on seven minutes through full forward Sean Tynan. That score settled the m down but didn't stop Kilcruise continuing their good start and further scores from Conway had them 0-4 to 0-1 in front after 10 minutes.

With 12 minutes on the clock, P/R got a crucial score. Sean Tynan got out in front and beat his man before squaring to Kieran Delaney who found the net to bring the game level. They got momentum from this and from being 0-4 to 0-1 behind, they went in leading 1-3 to 0-4 at the water break with points from Podge Dunne and Mark G Delaney, both excellent solo efforts.

Delaney clipped over his second after the water break to make it a three point game and the tide had turned. The impressive Brian Dunne kicked over on 22 minutes to make it a four point game but Kilcruise are a seasoned outfit and wouldn't be rolling over easily.

David Conway and Ross Dermot Nolan converted chances to get the arrears back to two points before James Connolly and Ross Munnelly trade scores late in the half to leave Park-Ratheniska leading 1-6 to 0-7 at half time.

It was a compelling game with plenty of good football on show. Simon Fingleton came into the game in the middle of the field as the game wore on and two early second half points from James Connolly and Brian Dunne had the eventual winners back into a four point cushion.

Kilcruise were playing catch up but kept on their tails as points from Caomhan Brennan and Ross Munnelly kept them in with a fighters chance.

With three points separating the teams with just over 20 minutes to play, Brennan then found himself picking up a black card which did look harsh but it didn't faze the Kilcruise men.

Park-Ratheniska led by four at the water break but Kilcruise outscored them 0-4 to 0-1 in the next ten minutes to leave it at just a one point game with five minutes to play. Caomhan Brennan got the pick up those four scores after returning to the field of play after his stint in the sin bin.

With the game finely poised, who would kick on? The answer was Park-Ratheniska as they kicked the last three points of the game, all off the boot of centre forward Kieran Delaney who led them down the final straight.

Kilcruise mounted a couple of attacks in the hunt for goals but they didn't come off and Park-Ratheniska deserved to advance to the final with a four point margin in the end.

 PARK RATHENISKA
SCORERS: Kieran Delaney 1-5 (0-2 frees), James Connolly 0-3 (one free, one mark), Brian Dunne 0-2, Mark G Delaney 0-2, Sean Tynan 0-1, Podge Dunne 0-1

TEAM: Jamie Downey; Brian Fingleton, Mark Delaney, Benny Greene; Richie Hitchcock, Colm Brennan, Jimmy Langton; Podge Dunne, Simon Fingleton; Bryan Flanagan, Kieran Delaney, Mark G Delaney; James Connolly, Sean Tynan, Brian Dunne. Subs: Benny Dowling for B Fingleton (injured – 16), Marc Ramsbottom for Dowling (45)

ARLES-KILCRUISE
SCORERS: David Conway 0-5 (three frees), Ross Munnelly 0-3 (one free), Caomhan Brennan 0-2, PJ Lawlor 0-1, Dermot Nolan 0-1 (mark), Fran Egan 0-1

TEAM: Jamie Coogan; Sean Meaney, Mark Wall, Cialann Mulhall; Shane Creed, Colm Munnelly, Conal Brennan; Alan McLoughlin, Kevin Meaney; Caomhan Brennan, Fran Egan, PJ Lawlor; Ross Munnelly, David Conway, Diarmuid Nolan. Subs: Patrick Feeney for McLoughlin (35), Ciaran Lawlor for Nolan (45), Kevin O’Neill for Creed (54)

Referee: Thomas Kennedy (Killeshin)

County champions Portarlington comfortably book their place back in the last four

LAOIS SENIOR FOOTBALL QUARTER FINAL

Injured hero Walsh kicks late winner as Ballylinan survive while The Heath drop to Intermediate

LAOIS SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP RELEGATION FINAL