Understrength Nire advance to Semi Finals

The Nire became the first team to reach the semi-final stages of this year’s County Senior Football Championship on Friday evening last when they proved to be too strong for neighbours Rathgormack at Fraher Field.

Nobody will need telling The Nire team that they could have played much better than they did here and will know that had their cross Comeragh Mountain rivals struck for a goal then this game could have had much different outcome, especially as they were going to find it difficult to get one of their own against a very defensive Rathgormack side.

But a seasoned side like The Nire will be quick to tell you knockout games are all about winning and not always how you win them, and this they achieved here even starting without key players like Conor Gleeson who was suspended and Shane Walsh who was not fully match fit after a recent injury.

Jason Curry got the scoreboard ticking over when he put over a free in the first minute.

It was a short lived lead however.

Brian Wall levelled matters before Jamie Barron gave them the lead and Brian Wall extended the lead with a free on eleven minutes.

Jason Curry pulled a point back for Rathgormack only for Darren Guiry to make it a two point game with a converted free at the other end.

Dylan Guiry put his side three in front but Rathgormack soon took control of the game.

Jason Curry put over a brace of points, both from place balls to leave the minimum between the sides which was followed with a first Rathgormack score from play through Robbie Flynn to level matters for the second time in the game.

Rathgormack took the lead for the second time on 27 minutes when Jason Curry put over his fifth of the game.

Darren Guiry had a goal ruled out just before time had a goal ruled out for an infringement in the square but the sides would go to the dressing  rooms locked at six points each when Brian Wall put over a late free.

The Nire regained the lead at the start of the second half when Darren Guiry put over a brace of scores.

Conor Murray pulled a point back on 39 minutes but it was followed by a brace from Liam Lawlor to put his side three points in front.

Conor Murray was found by Jason Curry and he made it a two point game. Dylan Guiry put daylight between the sides once more at the end of the third quarter of this game, but there was still plenty of time for both sides to secure their passage to the semi-finals.

Conor Murray cut the lead to two once more but points from Jamie Barron and Keith Guiry followed to ensure that their name would be inside the Conway Cup for the drawing of the semi-final pairings on Sunday evening.

The Nire: Thomas Wall; Dermot Ryan, Thomas O’Gorman, Justin Walsh; Seamus Lawlor, Martin Walsh, James McGrath; Craig Guiry, Dylan Guiry; Jamie Barron, Brian Wall, Shane Ryan; Liam Lawlor, Darren Guiry, Maurice O’Gorman. Subs: Shane Walsh for Craig Guiry, Keith Guiry for Dermot Ryan, Jake Mulcahy for Seamus Lawlor.

Scorers: Brian Wall (2f), Darren Guiry (2f) 0-3 each, Dylan Guiry, Jamie Barron, Liam Lawlor 0-2 each, Keith Guiry 0-1.

Rathgormack: Padraig Hunt, Michael Crotty, Padraig Larkin, Ciaran Fogarty, Brendan Behan, Conor Walsh, Robbie Flynn(0-1), Brian Fogarty, Ronan Cahill, Ronan Crotty, Jason Curry(0-5, 3fs, 1 45), Liam Mulligan, Paul Drohan, Jamie Kirwan, Conor Murray(0-3). Sub: Daniel Crotty for Brian Fogarty.

Scorers: Jason Curry 0-5 (3f, 1 ’45), Conor Murray 0-3, Robbie Flynn 0-1.

Referee: John Condon