Garveys SuperValu County Senior Football Championship, Round 1.
Templenoe 0-11, Feale Rangers 0-10.
A strong second half display by Templenoe saw them edge out Feale Rangers by the minimum at Templenoe GAA Grounds on Sunday in round 1 of the county championship.
The game was played in ideal conditions with little or no breeze on a lovely September afternoon. The hosts were fast out the traps with two points on the board inside the first minute courtesy of Colin Crowley and Killian Spillane. Feale Rangers then started to get on top and countered with the in-form Cormac Dillon firing over two frees and one mark before Killian Spillane tied the scores again at the end of the first quarter with a free to make the score 0-03 apiece.
Templenoe found it difficult to penetrate a well organised Feale Rangers defence in the second quarter with three wides from three attempts. Feale Rangers meanwhile did manage to keep the scoreboard ticking over with Cormac Dillon (2) and Cormac Mulvihill putting the visitors three points to the goods before the break. Indeed, they could have had more only for their shooting to let them down a bit and they were also denied a goal when Templenoe keeper Mark Looney made a crucial save in the 17th minute.
Half Time Score: Templenoe 0-03, Feale Rangers 0-06.
Whatever got said in the Templenoe dressing room at half time had the desired effect with a much-improved display from the hosts in the second half. Killian Spillane made no mistake with two frees before adding a third from play between the 32nd and the 38th minute. However, Feale Rangers kept their noses in front with Cormac Dillon continuing his scoring spree with two more frees. Soon after Templenoe were awarded a penalty when Tadhg Morley made a great burst forward, before he was taken down inside the box. Up stepped Brian Crowley and he did strike his penalty well, but Feale Rangers keeper Jack Enright spread himself brilliantly to deflect his shot out for a 45. Aidan Crowley subsequently converted the 45 to make the score 0-07 to 0-08 approaching the end of the third quarter and it was all to play for.
Both sides made a number of substitutions in the final quarter, among them was John Spillane who make a welcome return to competitive action for Templenoe for the first time in three years. Templenoe kept up their intensity and made it count with four unanswered points between the 47th minute and the 55th minute with their scorer in chief Killian Spillane doing the business from both frees and play before Gavin Crowley scored their last point with a well executed effort. This put Templenoe three points ahead coming into the home stretch. A late surge from Feale Rangers saw them earn two more points through Jack McEilligott and Cormac Dillon, but the hosts held on to maintain their proud unbeaten first round record in the county senior championship since their debut season at this level in 2020.
Final Score: Templenoe 0-11, Feale Rangers 0-10.
Scorers:
Templenoe: Killian Spillane 0-08 (5f), Aidan Crowley 0-01 (1 ’45), Colin Crowley 0-01, Gavin Crowley 0-01.
Feale Rangers: Cormac Dillon 0-08 (5f) (2m), Cormac Mulvihill 0-01, Jack McElligott 0-01.
Wides:
Templenoe: 7
Feale Rangers: 8
Teams:
Templenoe: Mark Looney, Michael Hallissey, Kieran O’Neill, John Rice, Mark Casey, Tadhg Morley, Kieran McCarthy, Sean Sheehan, Gavin Crowley, Colin Crowley, Josh Crowley Holland, Adrian Spillane, Killian Spillane, Brian Crowley, Aidan Crowley.
Subs Used: John Spillane, Cian Hallissey.
Feale Rangers: Jack Enright, Aaron O’Connor, Conor O’Keeffe, Jack McElligott, Darragh Behan, Shane Stack, David Foran, Cillian Trant, Eddie Healy, Ted Moloney, Cormac Mulvihill, Aaron Kennelly, Cormac Dillon, Martin Stack, David Keane.
Subs used: Darragh Lynch, Rian Quinn, Thomas Dillon, Aaron Carey.
