Raheen get away in second half for sweet win over Tullamore

IT was very much a game of two halves as Raheen rallied powerfully in the second half to deny Tullamore in an eagerly fought Division 5 Football League final at Daingean on Saturday evening.

Division 5 Football League Final

Raheen 1-12

Tullamore 1-9

Remarkably Raheen held Tullamore scoreless in the second half, getting seven points themselves for a win that was hard earned but deserved.

The sides were still level with twenty minutes left but Raheen's dominance increased as the second half wore on. With the wind on their backs, they were able to convert their possession into scores for a very pleasing win.

It is a win that will mean more to Raheen than Tullamore and they were the better side overall. Tullamore didn't field their second team in the Division 3 Football League this year and while that drew questioning comments in some circles, they couldn't be accused of loading up this team and chasing silverware.

While they fielded players who have played at a higher level, this was a Division 5 team and Tullamore contributed well to an enjoyable game, fighting very hard as they chased an equalising goal late on.

With the wind on their back, Tullamore were the better team in the first half and led by 1-9 to 1-5 at the break. A super goal from former senior player Pa Cosgrove got them going as they led by 1-3 to 0-2 after seven minutes – another former senior player Shane Kelly getting a two pointer.

A Danny Gorman goal kept Raheen alive and was probably the most important score of the half. Tullamore led by just 1-5 to 1-4 at the quarter-way mark but got four of the final five points for that four point half time lead.

The suspicion that the lead wouldn't be big enough proved well founded, though it took Raheen time to make inroads. Paddy Arnold levelled it up at 1-9 each after 40 minutes and Cein Gorman gave them the lead for the first time four minutes later.

Raheen could only manage two more points courtesy of Lee Mulpeter and Danny Gorman but it proved sufficient as Tullamore just couldn't create or convert chances – Raheen did finish with fourteen when the veteran Padraig Bracken got a black card two minutes from time but they still held on with a degree of comfort.

THE SCORERS

Raheen: Cein Gorman 0-3 (0-2 Frees), Danny Gorman 1-1, Lee Mulpeter 0-2 (Frees), Paddy Arnold 0-2 (TP), Shane Hyland 0-2 (0-1 ’45), Scott Bolton 0-1, Paddy Rigney 0-1.

Tullamore: Shane Kelly 0-6 (0-2 TPF, 0-2 TP, 0-1 Free), Pa Cosgrove 1-0, Dean McDonagh 0-2 (TP), Alex Rooney 0-1.

THE TEAMS

RAHEEN: Keith Kirwan; Finn McCormack, Brian Corcoran (Capt.), Shane Corcoran; Scott Bolton, Rory Grehan, Shane O’Rourke; Shane Hyland, Danny Gorman; Stephen Pierce, Padraig Bracken, Paddy Arnold; Paddy Rigney, Cein Gorman, Lee Mulpeter. Subs: Dylan Cahill for Shane O’Rourke (inj. 49 mins), Jack O’Brien for Paddy Rigney (60 mins).

TULLAMORE: Brendan Deering; Aaron Pierce, Eoghan Geoghegan, Mark Bannon; Jack Carroll, Owen Power, Brian Finn; Dean Carroll (Capt.), Dean McDonagh; Cody Hensey, Evan Fitzpatrick, Shane Martin; Pa Cosgrove, Shane Kelly, Alex Rooney. Subs: Michael Feely for Brian Finn (Half Time), Donnchadh Corcoran for Dean McDonagh (inj. 41 mins), Kevin Leavy for Cody Hensey (44 mins), Mark Conlon for Evan Fitzpatrick (47 mins), Paul Kelly for Alex Rooney (57 mins).

Referee: Bill Glennon (Rhode).