Division 2 FL: Carbery Rangers maintain perfect start with comfortable win over Kanturk

Carbery Rangers: 1-20 (1-1-18) 

Kanturk: 1-10 (1-1-8) 

Carbery Rangers have made it six wins from the first six games in the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 2 Football League following a 10-point win over Kanturk at Rosscarbery on Saturday evening.

Seamus Hayes’ team are well-placed to make an immediate return to the top-tier of the league with just three games remaining.

This was another eye-catching display from Carbery Rangers albeit against a Kanturk team hampered by injuries. The winners were in control for the majority. They led by 11 points at the break and never looked like being reeled in.

Kanturk remain on two points and are firmly in a relegation fight. They will take positives from this one though. They won the second 30 minutes by a point, but it was their flat first-half showing that they will be disappointed with. 

Kanturk got the first score after two minutes through a Gavin Kenehan point, but that would be as good as it would get for them. It would be the only time they would lead. 

Carbery Rangers have definitely benefited from the new rules with plenty of pace up front. They put together five unanswered points with Timmy Cullinane’s effort the pick of those scores.

Grantas Bucinskas did reduce the deficit to three points, but the home side put clear daylight between the teams with a fantastic team goal after 18 minutes.

Ciarán Santry, recently back from a long-term injury, with a powerful finish into the roof of the net after a great pass by Sam Linehan.

Two Cullinane efforts and a John O’Rourke point gave Carbery Rangers a 1-8 to 0-2 lead after 24 minutes.

Kanturk were struggling to get the balance right between defence and attack with many promising moves breaking down. They did register their third point when James Fitzpatrick drilled over when a goal could have been on.

The home side landed the last three points of the half with Daragh Hayes scoring two and a John O’Rourke free, 1-11 to 0-3 at half-time.

Kanturk were competitive throughout as they always are. The Duhallow side started the new half with a Colin Walsh point and a two-pointer from Ian Walsh.

Carbery Rangers then put together three unanswered points to lead by 11 points and it looked like it would be a stroll for the remainder of the game for them, 1-14 to 0-6 after 39 minutes.

The team in green and white showed character with 1-2 without reply in a four-minute period. Lorcán McLoughlin with the goal after being set up beautifully by Colin Walsh, 1-14 to 1-8 with 12 minutes remaining.

The sides traded points before Carbery Rangers landed three of the next four points. The winners then got the last score through a Daragh Hayes two-point free.

Six wins from six for the West Cork team.

Scorers for Carbery Rangers: C Santry 1-2, J O’Rourke (0-3 f), D Hayes (1 2pt f) 0-5 each, T Cullinane 0-3, J O’Riordan, B Hodnett, P O’Rourke, M Hodnett, J Kevane 0-1 each.

Kanturk: I Walsh 0-3 (1 2pt), L McLoughlin 1-0, G Bucinskas (0-1 f), G Kenehan, C Walsh 0-2 each, J Fitzpatrick 0-1.

CARBERY RANGERS: A O’Brien; P Óg Hill, T O’Rourke, C Hayes; S Linehan, C Daly, J O’Riordan; B Hodnett, J O’Brien; C Twomey, P O'Rourke, J O’Rourke; T Cullinane, C Santry, D Hayes.

Subs: K Eady for C Hayes (h-t), J Fitzpatrick for B Hodnett (35), M Hodnett for J O’Brien (41), J Kevane for J O’Riordan (47, inj), C Hayes for T Cullinane (49), E Hayes for J O’Rourke (57), A O’Rourke for P Óg Hill (60).

KANTURK: J Fullerton; P Leahy, M Healy, C Mullane; B O’Sullivan, D O’Connell, L McLoughlin; J Fitzpatrick, A Walsh; G Kenehan, C Walsh, B Healy; R Cashman, G Bucinskas, I Walsh.

Subs: P O’Keeffe for B Healy (45), A Murphy for R Cashman (49), R Cashman for J Fullerton (61, inj).

Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas).