Adrigole win war of attrition with Gabriel Rangers to secure IAFC semi-final spot

Adrigole 0-10 Gabriel Rangers 1-5 

In a rainy and blustery Kealkill, it was Adrigole who came out on top in their McCarthy Insurance Group Intermediate A Football Championship meeting.

They are also guaranteed a semi-final spot automatically. The result means that the Beara side top Group A but Gabriel Rangers progress to the quarter-finals too.

Kevin Goggin pointed two of Adrigole’s last scores to seal progression to the knockout stage.

This was a scrappy game with both teams providing blood and thunder.

Add to that the weather conditions and you have a tight and tense affair.

Ben O’Sullivan utilised the sizable wind in favour of Adrigole in the first half with a boomer of a point after just 35 seconds.

Gabriels didn’t muster up much in the opening half, only recording six attempts but did hit 1-1 without reply.

After brilliant work from Sean Kelleher, he found Gerard O’Callaghan in an ocean of space before the latter roofed the ball to the net after three minutes.

Keith O’Driscoll pointed just a minute later for Rangers in what proved to be their last score of the half.

After a fast opening, the game went 15 minutes without a score in a half that had four yellow cards.

The barren score spell ended when Adrigole’s Cian O’Shea split the posts.

O’Sullivan bagged another point in what could have been more but for a brilliant fingertip save from Liam Hegarty.

A long-range free from Neil O’Sullivan and a shorter one from O’Shea meant the Beara club led 0-5 to 1-1 at the short whistle.

O’Shea pointed another free three minutes into the second spell, but Sean Kelleher responded for Gabriels, their first score in 38 minutes.

O’Callaghan hit a lovely point on the run to get Gabriels their second on the bounce, but Charlie O’Sullivan cancelled that out almost instantly for Adrigole, 0-7 to 1-3 with 10 minutes left.

O’Shea struck another free to push Adrigole on even more, but Paddy O’Driscoll made it a nervy last few moments with a well-taken point.

Super Sub Goggin hit two clutch scores to drive the Beara side over the line, sending the Adrigole bench wild.

Killian O’Sullivan pointed a late consolation for Gabriels who had David Roycroft dismissed late on.

Scorers for Adrigole: Cian O’Shea 0-4 (0-3 f); B O’Sullivan, K Goggin 0-2 each; C O’Sullivan, N O’Sullivan (f) 0-1 each.

Gabriel Rangers: G O’Callaghan 1-1; K O’Driscoll, P O’Driscoll, S Kelleher (f), K O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

ADRIGOLE: W O’Sullivan; C O’Sullivan, F Carey, L Harrington; Darragh O’Sullivan, C O’Neill, S O’Sullivan; N O’Sullivan, S O’Shea; Cian O’Shea, J Harrington, Charlie O’Sullivan; Connie O’Shea, G O’Shea, B O’Sullivan.

Subs: D Collins for J Harrington (13, inj), Diarmuid O’Sullivan for Darragh O’Sullivan (57), K Goggin for C O’Sullivan (60).

GABRIEL RANGERS: L Hegarty; L Hodnett, D Regan, D Roycroft; K O’Sullivan, K O’Brien, L Bowen; K Roycroft, S Kelleher; L Nolan, G O’Callaghan, P O’Driscoll; M Cronin, J O’Regan, K O’Driscoll.

Subs: S Walden for M Cronin (38), J O’Brien for J O’Regan (56).

Referee: Jimmy O’Sullivan (St Colum's).