The Senior Men made their return to Division 1 football for the first time in 6 years on Sunday when they hosted Kinawley at MacNean Park, the O’Rahilly’s produced a solid hour to emerge 2-12 to 0-11 winners.
The victory was borne out of hard work and simple football. While Kinawley got off to a good start hitting the opening two points, Ciaran Flaherty burst through the visiting defence to fire in a great goal. He then kicked a fine point from play to settle his side.
Philip Leonard took a good mark and pointed while Paul McGrath swung over a neat score off his left foot. Kinawley were reliant on Tomas Corrigan free kicks to keep them in touch.
Philip Leonard knocked over a close range free while Paul McGrath kicked a mark from the left wing. Dean McDermott finished a patient move with a well taken point before Belcoo hit their second goal coming to half time. Jack O’Dolan claimed a Kinawley kickout, he fed a good ball into Lawrence McKeown who offloaded to Philip Leonard, and he tucked the ball under the Kinawley keeper. Half Time Belcoo 2-6 v 0-5 Kinawley.
Kinawley closed the deficit to five with the first two points of the half before Ciaran Flaherty hit a well taken point. The visitors were having a decent spell as Belcoo were going through a somewhat scrappy period. With the deficit back to three points Paul McGrath kicked a score from an acute angle while Gary Doherty stroked over a 48metre free kick. Belcoo back into a five-point lead with five minutes to play.
The O’Rahilly’s were defending well and turning over plenty of ball, a breakaway seen Dean McDermott and Paul McGrath combined before McGrath was fouled, he tapped over the free. Philip Leonard then capitalised on a misplaced kickout from the Kinawley netminder to return the ball over the bar.
Kinawley mustered a final point from a free while a goalbound shot was blocked by Ryan McGovern. Belcoo were to land the final score as Paul McGrath kicked a free securing a 7-point success. The O’Rahilly’s will be happy with the opening hour of the new campaign, they don’t play again until Friday 12th May as they have a bye in the Round 2 fixtures.
Team: Gary Doherty (0-1), Ryan McGovern, James McGrath, Gerard McHugh, Dara Flanagan, Josh Killilea, Dean McDermott (0-1), Barry McGovern, Conor McAloon, Eoin Corrigan, Ciaran Flaherty (1-2), Jack O’Dolan, Philip Leonard (1-3, 1 free, 1 mark), Paul McGrath (0-5, 2 free, 1 mark), Lawrence McKeown. Subs Used: Sean Boylan, Daniel O’Connor, James McAloon, Martin Corrigan.
