Rathkeale retain Limerick senior football championship status with victory over Oola

RATHKEALE retained their Limerick Senior Football Championship status with a 1-15 to 0-16 victory over Oola in Mungret St Paul's GAA club on Saturday afternoon. 

The victors just did enough to hang on for a two point in the end and Oola did have a two point effort from Josh Ryan in the final play of the game which just tailed wide. 

Oola were without Eddie Stokes and Mikey O'Brien who are both of the Doon side that take on Na Piarsaigh in the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship final next weekend. 

Both sides entered this clash on three points, having recorded one win and one draw and suffered two losses in their four games in Group One of the Limerick Senior Football Championship.

Rathkeale got off to a dream start scoring 1-3 inside the opening six minutes.Andrew Meade opened the scoring, and just four minutes in, Paul White set up Patrick Wilmott, who made no mistake in firing the ball into the back of the net from close range. Mike Morrissey and Meade then pushed last year's intermediate champions into a six point lead and it looked as if Rathkeale were in control. 

However, Oola regrouped and were now just 1-4 to 0-5 behind after 12 minutes after Josh Ryan and Shane O'Grady landed a two pointer each and Jack Downey got in on the scoring to bring the east Limerick thundering back into the contest. 

Limerick goalkeeper Josh Ryan and Michael Ryan leveleed matters 1-4 to 0-7 after the first quarter. Andrew White and Barry Coleman responded to restore Rathkeale’s two-point advantage, but Oola finished the half stronger. The accurate Josh Ryan struck his second two-pointer of the game, and Ciaran Bourke added another to send Kem Downey’s side into the break leading 0-10 to 1-6.

Ryan scored his fourth point of the day straight after the interval but Oola suffered a major setback on 34 minutes when Tom Ryan was dismissed on straight red card for an off the ball incident with Rathkeale's Tommy Dillane. In the next 15 minutes, Mikey Meade's side made advantage of the extra man reeling off seven of the eight points through Barry Coleman, Andrew Meade, Patrick Wilmott, Andrew White and Paul White. 

It appeared that Rathkeale captain Andrew White had given his side some breathing room when he extended their lead to 1-14 to 0-13 with six minutes remaining. However, Oola showed great resilience, with Josh Ryan cutting the deficit to three points before White restored the four-point cushion on 60 minutes. 

Knowing that a draw would be enough to secure their SFC status, Oola pushed hard in the closing stages. Ryan converted a two-point free deep into injury time and had another chance with the final play to level the game, but his effort drifted wide under intense pressure from the Rathkeale defence.

SCORERS: 

RATHKEALE: Andrew Meade 0-4, Patrick Wilmott 1-1, Andrew White (0-4, 0-1 free, Barry Coleman (0-3, 0-1 two point free), Tommy Dillane, Paul White and Mikey Morrissey 0-1 each

OOLA: Josh Ryan (0-8, 0-2 two point frees, 0-1 45, 0-2 frees), Shane O'Grady (0-2, 0-1 two pointer), Michael Ryan, Jack Downey, Ciaran Bourke and Tom Ryan 0-1 each 

RATHKEALE: Darren Jones; Michael Sheahan, Bryan Meade, Paudie Mulcaire; Adam Shanagher, Jack Hennessy, Dean Maune; Tommy Dillane, Barry Coleman; Paul White, Andrew Meade, Eoin O’Donnell; Mikey Morrissey, Patrick Wilmott, Andrew White (capt).

OOLA: Cian McGrath; Fiachra O'Grady, Niall McCormack, Sean Hanley; Paddy Downey , Eoin Fitzgibbon, Colin O'Grady; John O'Callaghan, Darragh Coughlan; Shane O'Grady, Josh Ryan, Michael Ryan; Ciaran Bourke,Tom Ryan, Jack Downey. 

REFEREE: John O'Halloran (Bruree).