Ten point win for Rosenallis seals Division 2 league final place

Rosenallis 1-13 Timahoe 0-6
ACFL Division 2 Semi-final

Rosenallis will face neighbours Mountmellick in the ACFL Division 2 final next week following a comfortable ten point win over Timahoe this evening.

In cold and wet conditions for this time of year, Rosenallis showed their senior class as they simply had too much quality for their intermediate opponents.

Playing against the wind, they made a good start as Joey Shelly kicked them ahead in the opening minute.

Timahoe were competitive though in the first ten minutes of the game as Mark O’Connell levelled the game from a free and then moved the visitors ahead with a brilliant point from a tight angle.

That would be the only time that Timahoe led however as Jack Friel tied the game after six minutes before Colm Poole put Rosenallis in front again moments later.

The game’s only goal arrived in the 11th minute. Timahoe actually had a free around half way but Michael Kennedy’s attempted pass to James O’Connor was intercepted by Ronan Murray who was then fouled.

Rosenallis took the free quickly and a slick move saw Donnagh Callally cut in from the wing to shoot low to the net.

Joe O’Connor and John O’Loughlin then traded points to leave it 1-4 to 0-3 at the water break.

Paddy Keating and Sean Daly swapped scores on the resumption but Rosenallis were firmly on top now as a brace from Colm Poole and a free from Ronan Murray sent them in 1-8 to 0-4 ahead at half time.

The second half was something of a non-event as the game was already over and both sides had accepted that.

Indeed the second quarter passed with just two scores – both for Rosenallis as they came from Fiachra C-Fennell and Colm Poole to leave them 1-10 to 0-4 ahead by the second water break.

Timahoe were better in the time that remained and James Whelehan kicked a lovely point before Colm Lalor almost had a goal but his fisted effort just went over the bar from close range.

But in between that, Ronan Murray landed a brace and Fiachra C-Fennell kicked his second to leave ten points between them at the finish.

SCORERS – Rosenallis: Colm Poole 0-4 (two frees), Ronan Murray 0-3 (two frees), Donnagh Callally 1-0, Fiachra C-Fennell 0-2, Joey Shelly, Jack Friel, John O’Loughlin and Paddy Keating 0-1 each Timahoe: Mark O’Connell 0-2 (one free), Joe O’Connor, Sean Daly, James Whelehan and Colm Lalor 0-1 each

ROSENALLIS: Donal Lalor; John Maher, Marcus Redmond, Adam McDermott; Paul Maher, Ruaidhri C-Fennell, Paddy Keating; Fiachra C-Fennell, John O’Loughlin; Jack Friel, Ronan Murray, Joey Shelly; Colm Poole, Brian Fitzpatrick, Donnagh Callally. Subs: Tommy Keating for McDermott (45), Jack Claffey for Fitzpatrick (50), Alex Marron for Friel (57)

TIMAHOE: Eoin Culleton; James Whelehan, Andy Daly, Graham Devitt; Sean Daly, James O’Connor, Michael Kennedy; Geoff Kennedy, Michael Kerr; Damien O’Connor, Joe O’Connor, Pádraig Kelly; Mark O’Connell, Martin O’Connor, Colm Lalor. Subs Joe Foyle for M O’Connor (HT), Martin Bergin for Kelly (37)

SEE ALSO – In Pictures: Two Laois sisters raise almost €10,000 in memory of beloved late dad

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source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/07/28/ten-point-win-for-rosenallis-seals-division-2-league-final-place/