Ruadhán Ó Curraoin shines as Kilmurry sink Gabriel Rangers in Division 5 FL final
Kilmurry's Rory Duggan tries to get away from Sean Kelleher, Gabriel Rangers during the Division 5 FL Final at Dunmanway. Picture: Denis Boyle
A stunning display from Galway native Ruadhán Ó Curraoin, who contributed 1-11 including four two-pointers, inspired Kilmurry to a commanding win over Gabriel Rangers in the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 5 Football League final in Dunmanway on Sunday.
Just three points separated the sides at half-time, but a rampant restart from Kilmurry saw them seize control, opening up a nine-point lead by the 39th minute.
Gabriel Rangers briefly threatened a response. A two-point free from Mark Cronin was followed by a well-taken score from Keith O’Driscoll, set up by Stephen O’Mahony, to cut the gap to 1-13 to 0-10.
However, a missed goal chance from Rangers was punished at the other end. Lawrence Asling pushed Kilmurry seven clear before the defining passage arrived.
Paddy O’Driscoll rattled the post with a powerful goal effort for Gabriel Rangers – but within a minute, Kilmurry turned defence into attack, Rory Duggan finishing a slick move. Moments later, Denis O’Mullane teed up Ó Curraoin, who drilled the ball low into the far corner.
Had O’Driscoll’s shot off the post gone in, they would have cut the deficit to four. Instead, they now trailed by 11 with 45 minutes elapsed.
The scores kept coming for Kilmurry – first centre back Kyle Kelleher, then Ó Curraoin from a two-point free. With the score at 2-18 to 0-10, both sides turned to their benches.
Rangers would kick 0-3 in the last quarter, including a brilliant orange flag from James O’Regan, but Kilmurry still outscored them by two – sealing a dominant win.
They were simply too strong across the field. Cork U20 Seán O’Leary was excellent, captain William Ronan marshalled the defence superbly, and their aerial dominance from kickouts gave them a strong platform throughout – especially after Ó Curraoin’s first two-pointer in just the fifth minute.
The first major came in the eighth minute, after O’Leary surged down the flank and timed his handpass perfectly to Denis O’Mullane, who made no mistake from close range.
A Cronin free left the goal between them after 10, from there the sides went score-for-score until half-time, where Kilmurry led 1-7 to 0-7.
But the eventual winners were unstoppable in the second half.
R Ó Curraoin 1-11 (3 tpf, 1 tp, 0-1 f), D O’Mullane 1-0, James O’Mullane 0-3, K Kelleher, R Duggan 0-2 each, L Asling, T Collins, C Kelleher, S O’Leary, M O’Leary 0-1 each.
M Cronin 0-6 (1 tpf, 0-2 f), J O’Regan (1 tp, 0-1 f), K O’Driscoll 0-3 each, R Hurley 0-1.
J McDonnell, O Keane, W Ronan (c), B Hinchion; T Collins, K Kelleher, A Asling; James O’Mullane, C Kelleher; R Duggan, R Ó Curraoin, L Asling; S O’Leary, D O’Mullane, Joe O’Mullane.
John O’Mullane for C Kelleher (44), M O’Leary for Collins, A O’Mahony for Hinchion, R Leahy for Asling (all 54), O McDonald for D O’Mullane, D Cahalane for James O’Mullane (both 60).
L Hegarty; C O’Sullivan, D O’Regan, R Roycroft; C Moynihan, K O’Brien, L Bowen; S Kelleher (c), D Green; R Hurley, P O’Driscoll, G O’Callaghan; M Cronin, K O’Driscoll, J O’Regan.
S O’Mahony for Green, E Grogan for Roycroft (both HT), D McSweeney for Bowen, L O’Brien for Moynihan (both 52), D O’Shea for S Kelleher, D Roycroft for O’Sullivan (both 54), E O’Brien for Cronin, R McSweeney for Hegarty (both 56), F Hogan for Regan (60).
Cormac Dineen (Douglas)
App?
