AUL: Rathcoole beat Grangevale 5-3 in a League 1 thriller

Rathcoole 5 Grangevale 3

RATHCOOLE Rovers beat Grangevale 5-3 in their League 1 encounter at Rathcoole.

The hosts piled on the pressure from the off and, after Evan Murphy fired narrowly wide, they nosed in front when Anthony Dennehy blasted home from the edge of the box. Rathcoole continued to press and it took a big block from Aaron Baldwin to stop a goal-bound effort from Murphy.

Brian O’Keeffe then won good possession in midfield, before picking out Anthony Dennehy, who drilled an effort narrowly over. And after Evan Murphy fired inches over from a free, Grangevale’s Brian O’Leary cut inside, before rifling straight at John Healy.

But it was honours even again when Timmy Hayes gathered on the left, before looping a lovely effort over Healy on 33.

Five minutes later, Rathcoole were back in the driving seat. From an Evan Murphy free, Mark Dennehy scored with an over-head kick: 2-1 to Rathcoole at the break.

What a start to the second half: Grangevale’s Martin O’Sullivan found Gregg Barry with his delivery and when Barry threaded a neat one on for Brian O’Leary, he cut inside on his right, before blazing home via the inside of the far post.

After defending from a corner, Grangevale broke, with Gregg Barry picking out the run of Brian O’Leary, who stepped inside his marker before firing under Healy, for 3-2 to Grangevale. Rathcoole responded when, after a delivery from a corner, Evan Twomey levelled, 3-3 in the 54th minute.

Rathcoole took control and found themselves in front when a sumptuous strike from a free by Brian O’Keeffe soared into the top corner on the hour.

Martin O’Sullivan then had to stretch every sinew to keep out a rasping effort by Evan Murphy to concede a corner. From the resultant corner, Murphy drilled inches wide from the edge of the box.

Neat play followed, which saw Evan Murphy flick on for Brian O’Keeffe, who was unlucky to see his effort sail narrowly over.

Grangevale had a chance to even things up when Brian O’Leary broke with pace and, after getting in behind the Rathcoole rearguard, he failed to beast the advancing Healy.

But, the game was truly over when Murphy set Anthony Dennehy up to slot neatly past Martin O’Sullivan: 5-3.

RATHCOOLE: John Healy, Anthony Dennehy, Blkin Kapps, Aidan Downey, Brian O’Keeffe, Even Murphy, Jamie Carroll, Jack Murphy, Jack Hannover, Mark Dennehy and Simon Murphy.

Subs: Sean Long for Mark Dennehy (70), Ardit Bushtaj for Jack Murphy (78), Leon Dooley for Anthony Dennehy (88).

GRANGEVALE: Martin O’Sullivan, James Kelleher, Aaron Baldwin, Ben Jenkins, Alan Buckley, Mikey Hennessy, Gregg Barry, Dan Harvey, Brian O’Leary, Dave Barrett and Timmy Hayes.

Subs: Mark O’Connor for Timmy Hayes (54), Shane Flannery for James Kelleher (60), Colin McKeon for Dan Harvey (78), Shane Murray for Aaron Baldwin (88).

Referee: Brendan O’Regan.