Ramsbottom rues missed opportunities as Loughmore Castleiney bow out to Nemo Rangers
The Loughmore manager felt his side were the better team in the first half but failed to make their dominance count, while two unsuccessful penalty appeals added to his frustration
Greg Ramsbottom felt Loughmore Castleiney’s failure to translate their first-half dominance onto the scoreboard proved costly in their eight-point defeat to Nemo Rangers.
“Really disappointed,” said the manager. “We certainly won the kick-out battle. Just efficiency across the two halves cost us.
“The first four or five attacks, we had shots away and were probably unlucky not to get a goal and a couple of points. Not getting on the scoresheet at the start when we were on top of them in many aspects of the play went against us.
“I felt we were four or five points a better team in the first half, but we just weren't showing it on the scoreboard. That's the most disappointing part of it.
“We probably needed to get those few scores at the start to lead them and create that element of doubt rather than try to chase the game.”
A couple of penalty appeals for Ed Connolly and Liam McGrath also went against his side when leading by two points.
“Liam McGrath certainly fell. It seemed like he was pulled down by Micheál Martin,” said Ramsbottom. “But look, to be honest, I’d have to look back on the video and see it.
“Certainly, the feeling from the bench and the camp was that they were two penalty calls we didn't get. Sometimes they go for you, sometimes they don't.”
Ramsbottom commended his troops for not getting overawed by the occasion against the 17-time Munster champions.
“They really got stuck in. They were so strong and brave around the breaking ball in the middle of the field,” he said.
“John McGrath, in particular, and Noel and Brian and the Connollys really took the game to them.
“We had Micheál Martin in trouble on kick-outs, and we just didn't get enough shots away in the second half to maximise the benefit from that.”