Barry and Finlay do the trick again as O’Dempsey’s defeat Rosenallis to reach quarter finals

O’Dempsey’s 0-18 Rosenallis 1-12
Laois Senior Football Championship Round 2 Winner’s Section 

Mark Barry and Matthew Finlay scored 11 points between them as O’Dempsey’s saw off Rosenallis this evening.

Five points separated the sides by half time with O’Dempsey’s in the lead but Rosenallis were left ruing missed goal chances.

They saw three go abegging in the opening period while O’Dempsey’s only missed the one.

O’Dempsey’s keeper Podge Bannon thwarted Brian Fitzpatrick on two separate occasions before being heavily involved in a dramatic sequence in the 21st minute.

Joey Shelly forced a save from Bannon and the ball came to Brian Fitzpatrick who hit the post. It then came back to Fitzpatrick but Bannon stood tall and blocked his shot.

The first quarter was very even with just a point splitting the teams. Mark Byrne, Matthew Finlay and Shane Nerney were on the scoreboard for O’Dempsey’s with Colm Poole and Donnagh Callally also scoring.

O’Dempsey’s led 0-6 to 0-5 at the water break and we were level immediately on the resumption through Eoin Dunne but Rosenallis failed to score again for the remainder of the half.

Instead, O’Dempsey’s pushed up on Rosenallis and suffocated their kick-out – ending the half with five unanswered points.

Barry Kelly, Shane Nerney and Daithi Howlin joined Barry and Finlay on the scoring front to leave it 0-11 to 0-6 at half time.

Mark Barry made it double scores on the resumption before Rosenallis embarked on a dramatic comeback that drew them level by the 40th minute.

A brilliant goal by Donnagh Callally sparked them into life with Colm Poole, Brian Fitzpatrick and Eoin Dunne all pointing too.

O’Dempsey’s went to their bench and got an instant response as Barry Howlin put them ahead before a long range Matthew Finlay free made the gap two.

Eoin Dunne and Fitzpatrick narrowed the deficit to one either side of a Johnny Kelly score – but a Matthew Finlay free left it 0-16 to 1-11 at the second water break.

Rosenallis keeper Donal Lalor pulled off a Gordan Banks like save to claw a ball off his line following a dangerous Ben Coen ball but sub Brian Nugent made it a three point game after 50 minutes.

Eoin Dunne and Barry Howlin traded efforts and O’Dempsey’s were then reduced to 14 men after 57 minutes when Shane Nerney was shown a straight red card for a very tough challenge on John Maher.

But their advantage only lasted three minutes as Ronan Murray was black carded and O’Dempsey’s held on. Rosenallis now head for Round 3.

SCORERS – O’Dempsey’s: Mark Barry 0-6 (four frees), Matthew Finlay 0-5 (two frees), Barry Howlin 0-2, Shane Nerney 0-1, Barry Kelly 0-1, Daithi Howlin 0-1, Johnny Kelly 0-1, Brian Nugent 0-1 Rosenallis: Donnagh Callally 1-2, Eoin Dunne 0-4 (two frees), Colm Poole 0-3 (one free), Brian Fitzpatrick 0-3 (one mark)

O’DEMPSEY’S: Podge Bannon; Stephen Lennon, Cormac O’Hora, Shane Nerney; Robbie Kehoe, Peter O’Leary, Barry Kelly; Fionn Holland, Derek Dunne; Jack Lennon, Matthew Finlay, Johnny Kelly; Ben Coen, Daithi Howlin, Mark Barry. subs: Barry Howlin for Dunne and Brian Nugent for O’Leary (both 38), Liam Whelehan for J Lennon (46)

ROSENALLIS: Donal Lalor; John Maher, Adam McDermott, Fiachra C-Fennell; Paul Maher, Cathal C-Fennell, Paddy Keating; Ruaidhri C-Fennell, John O’Loughlin; Colm Poole, Eoin Dunne, Jack Friel; Joey Shelly, Brian Fitzpatrick, Donnagh Callally. Subs: James Jackson for Poole (36), Ronan Murray for McDermott (46), Charlie Friel for Fitzpatrick (55)

Referee: Tom Kennedy (Killeshin)

SEE ALSO – Champions Portarlington show their strength with 11-point win over Courtwood

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