Victories for Aherlow and Arravale in West quarter-final clashes

The West Senior Football Championship quarter-finals took place on Thursday

Shane Hennessy Ltd. Agri & Business Consultancy West Senior Football Championship Quarter-Finals

Arravale Rovers: 3-11

Rockwell Rovers: 1-10

Reports by Francis Coughlan & Liam Bergin

Defending champions Arravale Rovers booked their place in the semi-finals of the Shane Hennessy Ltd. Agri & Business Consultancy West Senior Football Championship following a seven-point victory over Rockwell Rovers in a cold but dry New Inn on Wednesday evening.

Arravale appeared to have taken control with an Orrin Jones goal late in the first half however a Rockwell Rovers goal just before the break cut their advantage to two points. The home side battled hard on the resumption but the game eventually rested on second half goals from Eoin Doocey and Shane Quigley.

The first half took a while to get going with scores slow to come by as both teams cancelling each other out while also missing a number of chances. Rockwell Rovers playing into the village end were first on the board when TJ Ryan pointed a free in the third minute. It was five minutes later before his opposite number on the other side Ciaran Kelly levelled from free.

Heading towards the end of the first quarter points from Cian O’Brien and Kevin Cleary saw the home side open a two-point advantage. However, Arravale finished the quarter ahead when a sweeping move up the field resulted in Orrin Jones finding the top of the net.

As the second quarter wore on Arravale appeared to have put themselves in a strong position with points from Orrin Jones and David Ryan while Alex Webster added a two pointer.

This left them five up about two minutes before the break. Just before the half time whistle, Rockwell were awarded a free which saw TJ Ryan’s effort drop short and with Liam Fahy having drifted in he appeared to distract the defender with the ball going to the net off the latter. Arravale leading by two at the break 1-5 to 1-3.

Rockwell Rovers started the second half in a very quick fashion kicking two points in the first three minutes from Cian O’Brien and TJ Ryan to tie up the game for just the second time. Arravale’s response was instant with Johhny Ryan and John Paul Lohan restoring their two-point advantage in the space of a minute. By the ninth minute Arravale appeared to be in control again with their second green flag of the evening.

A patient build saw Matthew Moroney eventually set Eoin Doocey free for a very good finish. Two minutes earlier Rockwell Rovers goalie Eoghan Doyle had denied Orrin Jones from close range. TJ Ryan and Kevin Cleary reduced the deficit to three but it was as close as they would get. Just as the third quarter was drawing to a close Arravale found goal number three. Shane Quigley just on as a substitute drifted in around the goal unmarked to finish from close range.

The game petered out after this, Rockwell did bring the difference back to five points and caused a few uneasy moments for the Arravale defence but failed to make any real inroads. Orrin Jones rounded off the scoring with a two pointer as Arravale Rovers move onto a semi-final with Golden/Kilfeacle.

Scorers: Arravale Rovers: Orrin Jones (1-3, (0-1f), (1 x 2pt)), Eoin Doocey (1-0), Ciaran Kelly (0-3, (0-1f)), Shane Quigley (1-0), Alex Webster (0-2, (1 x 2pt)), Johnny Ryan (0-1), John Paul Lohan (0-1), David Ryan (0-1).

Rockwell Rovers: TJ Ryan (1-3, (0-1f)), Kevin Cleary (0-3, (1 x 45), Cian O’Brien (0-3, (0-2f)), Louis O’Donoghue (0-1).

Arravale Rovers: Marcus Kinane, Alex Webster, Shane Leahy, jack English, Jaye Cilvinas, Johnny Ryan, David Ryan, Matthew Moroney, Noel O’Mahoney, Eoin Doocey, Cormac Maher, John Paul Lohan, Donagh Leahy, Ciaran Kelly.

Subs used: Darragh Bresnan for Donagh Leahy, Shane Quigley for Cormac Maher, Ciaran Lowry for Jack English, Shane Maher for Noel O’Mahoney, Luke Walsh for David Ryan.

Rockwell Rovers: Eoghan Doyle, Ronan O’Carroll, Liam Lonergan, Diarmuid English, Jack McGonigle, Peter Heaney, Louis O’Donoghue, Robbie O’Donnell, Stephen Boland, Will Burke, Liam Fahy, Kevin Cleary, Cian O’Brien, Kieran McGovern, TJ Ryan.

Subs used: John Burke for Will Burke, 24 for Diarmuid English, Diarmuid O’Brien for Stephen Boland.

Referee: David Grogan (Aherlow)

Aherlow 1-18

Galtee Rovers St. Pecauns 2-12

After extra time

After an entertaining 80 minutes of football, it was the hosts, Aherlow, who finally came out on top in the Shane Hennessy Ltd Agri & Business Consultancy West Senior Football Championship quarter-final in Lisvernane on Wednesday evening. Aherlow will now play Éire Óg Annacarty Donohill in one semi-final, while Arravale Rovers will put their West title on the line against Golden/Kilfeacle in the other semi-final.

In slippery conditions, it was Galtee Rovers who were first out of the blocks with a pointed 45 from Robbie McGrath, whose accuracy from dead balls was a feature throughout the game. Liam Carew quickly responded for Aherlow but points from Robbie McGrath (f) and Darren McGrath eased the visitors into the lead, only for Aaron Brazil to announce his presence with two points to level matters after 20 minutes.

The hard-working Bill Quirke tacked on another Galtee point on 22 minutes before Jack Crowe won and converted his own free to put two between the sides.

This lead was soon doubled when Robbie McGrath landed a long-range two pointer free after a foul on Darren McGrath. It was Aherlow, however who finished the half stronger with a free from Aaron Brazil, a fisted point from Liam Carew and a well worked two pointer from Diarmaid Looby to leave the teams level once more at the short whistle, 0-7 apiece.

Aherlow continued to press on in the second half and hit three points without reply in the opening ten minutes. With the Galtee rearguard under pressure following a red card for Darren McGrath, Robbie was called into action once more to point a free which was soon followed by a Dan O’Dwyer point. As the second half developed, both sides had periods of supremacy with both sets of defenders doing trojan work to keep scores to a minimum.

A second yellow for Moss O’Brien restored parity on the field of play but it was Aherlow who responded best to this setback with three fine points through Aaron Brazil, Paraic O’Brien and Micheál Elligott to put 4 between the sides as the clock ticked down to injury time. Galtee Rovers, to their credit stuck to their task and first, Daniel O’Dwyer stepped up to place his penalty into the bottom corner, while Robbie McGrath delivered the final point of the half with a massive 45 to level the scores and send the tie to extra time.

Galtee Rovers started the first period of extra-time in lightning fashion with a long delivery from centre-back, Shane Power, being finished to the net by Bill Quirke. Aherlow were not to be denied however and points from Elligott and Brazil (2f) restored parity once more before half time in extra time.

This time around, it was Aherlow who got the decisive early goal when Sean Bourke pounced to open up a lead which they refused to relinquish despite a valiant effort by Galtee Rovers, who will take many positives from this display.

Aherlow: Shane O’Brien; Adam Lohan, Ray Hennessy, Moss O’Brien; Tadhg Carew, Paddy Chapman, Darragh O’Brien (0-1), Diarmaid Looby (0-2 tp), Gary Quirke, Padraic O’Brien (0-2), Liam Carew (0-2), Jack O’Halloran; Aaron Brazil (0-8, 0-5f)), Micheál Elligott (0-3), Ben Carey

Subs used: Sean Bourke (1-0) for Ben Carey, Laurence Coskeran for Adam Lohan.

Galtee Rovers: Robbie McGrath, (0-6; 0-2,45, 0-2f, 0-2 tpf,) Sean Gubbins, David Harold Barry, John O’Callaghan; Liam Finnane, Shane Power, Eric Grogan; Bill Quirke (1-2, 0-1f), Kevin Power; Joe O’Callaghan, Eamonn Quirke, Daniel Ó Dwyer (1-1, 1-0 pen), Jack Crowe (0-1), Darren McGrath (0-1), Cian Collins (0-1)

Subs used: Cian O’Dwyer for Jack Crowe, Stephen O’Dwyer for Joe O’Callaghan, Jack Crowe for Cian Collins, Joe O’Callaghan for Eric Grogan.

Referee: Donncha Horan (Éire Óg Annacarty)