Carbery Rangers 2-7   

Gabriel Rangers 0-11 

TOM LYONS REPORTS

IT was the Rangers from Rosscarbery who came out on top in this battle of the Rangers in Ballydehob on Sunday in the second round of the Clona Milk U21A football championship. 

Leading by eight points as the game entered the closing stages, the Ross side were in total control, feeling secure enough to introduce a number of subs. However, that decision seemed to break their momentum and Gabriels thundered into the game. 

Point by point they reduced the lead and as the game drifted deep into injury time, the gap was down to a dangerous two points and Ross were hanging on. They had reason to be grateful to goalkeeper Aaron O’Brien, who brought off a terrific save from Paddy O’Driscoll in the dying minutes as Gabriels’ brave rally fell just short. 

‘We kind of stopped playing there with ten minutes to go. We made some changes on the line that didn’t seem to work and we lost momentum,’ explained John Hayes, the Carbery Rangers manager. 

‘Gabriels came back and threw everything at us and we were lucky we had the cushion we had. Our first goal was lucky and the second was a shot to nothing but Caolan (Hayes) was alive to it and tucked it away. The lads don’t have games under their belt, last week was our first as we didn’t have any before the championship started. We have two played now so we should be improving and we’re into the semi-final next week. Work to do definitely but we’re still in it.’

Carbery Rangers' Caolan Hayes is tackled by Gabriel Rangers' Killian O'Brien during the Clona Milk U21 A FC round two at Ballydehob on Sunday.

While Gabriels bow out, Carbery Rangers advance to a semi-final meeting with Ibane Gaels this weekend.

There was nothing between the sides in the opening quarter, splitting six points – Ciarán Santry (free), Evan Browne (mark) and Barry Kerr hitting the target for Ross, while the lively Keith O’Driscoll kicked two for Gabriels and James O’Regan converted a mark. 

With Michael Maguire and Barry Kerr gaining control at midfield, Ross got on top in the second quarter. Points by Conor Twomey, Santry (free) and Peadar O’Rourke put them three in front before Santry’s fortunate goal (a mishit shot the goalkeeper seemed to have covered but somehow slipped from his grasp) doubled the lead, 1-6 to 0-3 at half time. 

Although O’Regan (free) closed the gap on the resumption, Gabriels were dealt another blow with Hayes’s opportunist goal in the 33rd minute. It seemed all over, eight points the gap. Lorcan O’Brien’s point for Gabriels was answered by Ross sub Colm Hayes as the game entered a lull. Amazingly, Ross weren’t to score again as Gabriels threw caution to the wind in the last quarter and had a right cut, with Keith and Paddy O’Driscoll, David O’Regan, Luka Bowen, Killian O’Brien, Lorcan O’Brien and James O’Regan showing the way. 

Slowly the gap closed with points from Killian O’Brien (2), O’Regan, Keith O’Driscoll and Lorcan O’Brien until only two separated the sides in injury time. It was really backs to the wall as Ross closed ranks and goalkeeper O’Brien came to their rescue, with Gabriels’ sub goalkeeper Darragh O’Driscoll also making a great save from sub Ronan Hayes. 

Carbery Rangers' Barry Kerr and Gabriel Rangers' Paddy O'Driscoll in a battle for a high ball during the Clona Milk U21 A FC round two game at Ballydehob on Sunday.

Scorers - Carbery Rangers: Ciarán Santry 1-2 (2f); Caolan Hayes 1-0; Peadar O’Rourke, Barry Kirby, Colm Hayes, Conor Twomey, Evan Browne (m) 0-1 each.  Gabriel Rangers: Keith O’Driscoll, James O’Regan (2f, 1 mark) 0-3 each; Lorcan O’Brien, Killian O’Brien 0-2 each; Ciarán McCarthy (1f) 0-1. 

Carbery Rangers: Aaron O’Brien; Sam Linehan, Killian Eady, Daniel O’Dwyer; Eamonn Hodnett, Kelan Scannell, Niall Keane; Barry Kerr, Michael Maguire; Caolan Hayes, Peadar O’Rourke, Conor Twomey; Ben Linehan, Ciarán Santry, Evan Browne. 

Subs: Jack Kevane for M Maguire (34), Colm Hayes for B Linehan (38), Séamus O’Mahony for B Kerr (42), Ronan Hayes for K Hayes (55), Seán Hayes for E Browne (55).   

Gabriel Rangers: Ryan McSweeney; James O’Brien, David O’Regan, Liam Hodnett; Luka Bowen, Killian O’Brien, Darragh O’Shea; Paddy O’Driscoll, Dylan Green; James McKnight, Lorcan O’Brien, Keith O’Driscoll; Luke Nolan, James O’Regan, Donncha O’Regan. 

Subs: Ciarán McCarthy for Donncha O’Regan (ht), M Vearncombe for L Nolan (45), Darragh O’Driscoll for R McSweeney (55).

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