Ringmahon Rangers seal  FAI Intermediate Cup final place after win over Rockmount

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Ringmahon Rangers 2

RINGMAHON RANGERS ended Rockmount’s two-year reign as FAI Intermediate Cup champions with a deserved 2-0 semi-final win over the holders in front of a large crowd at Carrig Park in Fermoy on Friday.

Goals in each half from Jack Cairns and Jamie O’Sullivan sent the Mahon outfit through to a final clash with Glebe North who defeated Wayside Celtic 2-1 after extra-time in the other semi-final on Friday.

Rockmount Park failed a pitch inspection earlier in the day and the game was moved to Fermoy’s astro pitch, which had been on standby.

There is little doubt that Ringmahon were worthy winners of a cracking contest; they used the ball better and had the better chances, though Rockmount were not without their goalscoring opportunities, with both keepers seeing action.

Rockmount stopper Brendan O’Connell was first into action, after two minutes, when Cairns forced a fine save out of the netminder who batted away the striker’s well-struck shot from the right just outside the penalty area.

Two minutes later, at the other end, Eric Grimes had to get down low to save Luke Casey's free.

Rockmount had the ball in the net three minutes later, but Cian Leonard’s effort was ruled offside, while shortly afterwards the striker forced Grimes to tip over for a corner following a Murphy delivery from the left.

Shortly afterwards, Ringmahon’s Anthony McAleavey fed Cairns who showed well for his pass 30 yards from goal; after a good turn, the striker took a few steps towards goal before unleashing a shot that forced O’Connell to save for a corner.

Rockmount had an excellent chance to break the deadlock four minutes later. A loose pass across the middle by McAleavey was intercepted by an alert Casey who burst forward with only Grimes to beat, but he pushed his shot wide, passing up a great opportunity to break the deadlock.

Ringmahon began to impose their game on their rivals; Evan Galvin and Issa Kargbo were lively on the flanks while the trio of McAleavy, O’Sullivan, and Roy Kenny were on top in midfield.

Cairns tested O’Connell again just before the half-hour mark with a good strike from the left side of the penalty area which the keeper blocked, but the loose ball trickled towards the far post where the in-rushing Kargbo got a touch, but his effort went inches wide at the opposite post.

Cairns was proving a handful for the Rockmount defence which lost Kenneth Hoey to injury on 32 minutes, replaced by Alex Hill, and the striker got his reward 10 minutes before half-time.

After good play on the right flank by Ringmahon, the ball was played into Kargbo; he turned it into Cairns who drove it home from just inside the penalty area.

Rockmount had a couple of half chances to equalise late in the half, but Ringmahon were worth their half-time lead.

The holders needed to up their game in the second half and a minute in they went close to an equaliser when an Eoin Murphy corner, driven low towards the near post, was met by Danny Aherne who turned the ball narrowly wide.

Five minutes Leonard fired over Grimes’ goal while just after the hour mark a Murphy free was met by Adam Crowley whose header forced the Ringmahon keeper to tip over for a corner.

Aidan Foley’s men weathered that early second-half storm and got a grip on the game again. Rockmount threw everything they had at their opponents in the final 20 minutes, pushing bodies up and delivering high balls into the danger area, but Ringmahon’s defence dealt with everything that came their way.

With Rockmount pressing hard, Ringmahon capitalised with five minutes remaining when, after a break out of defence, Cairns skipped away on the right before crossing towards the far post where O’Sullivan smashed the ball home with a first-time strike.

The goal killed off any potential Rockmount comeback and ended their hopes of a three-in-a-row. For Ringmahon it’s a chance to make history with a first Intermediate Cup win, with Glebe North standing in their way in the decider on April 28 at a Dublin venue.

ROCKMOUNT: Brendan O’Connell, Cian Murphy, Kenneth Hoey, Adam Crowley, James O’Connell, Jonathan Hannafin, Eoin Murphy, Danny Aherne, Cian Leonard, Nathan Broderick, Luke Casey.

Subs: Alex Hill for Hoey (32), Jake Courtney for Leonard (58), Martin Connolly for Broderick (73) Hughie O’Donovan for James O’Connell (85), Dean Smith for Cian Murphy (89).

RINGMAHON RANGERS: Eric Grimes, Philip Keane, Adam Delurey, Christopher McCarthy, Anthony Whitehead, Roy Kenny, Issa Kargbo, Jamie O’Sullivan, Jack Cairns, Anthony McAleavey, Evan Galvin.

Subs: Aaron Aherne for Keane (h/t), Adam O’Callaghan for Kargbo (74), Cameron Harlson for Kenny (78).

Referee: Vinny Coonan, assistants, Tom McCarthy, Finn O’Sullivan, Daniel Daunt.