RANELAGH Gaels’ most successful season ever came to a disappointing end with Sheridan Cup elimination in Oldtown on Sunday afternoon.

However, even losing this semi-final to Wild Geese cannot take away from what was a brilliant campaign, which included the AFL Division 9 title and promotion to the highest level that the club has ever played.

The players haven’t had a break from football in nearly two years and it showed in North County Dublin at the weekend.

After a bright start for the visitors, Wild Geese, who are in the final of the Junior E Championship, came into it strongly and they led by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.

The ten minutes after the start of the second half were vital and the Gaels struggled to get on breaking ball around the middle third.

This allowed Wild Geese to build a strong platform and with ten minutes to go they banged home a goal to leave them nine points up.

Huge credit must go to Ranelagh for the way that they fought back in the closing stages, with David O’Connor getting the goal that moved them to within a score at the end.

Johnny Conlon, who had another brilliant game at corner forward, had a late, late chance with a close in free but his shot blazed just inches wide with the last kick of the game.

The panel, who have been training without a break since January of 2008, now have a few welcome months away from football before they get together at the start of next year for a crack at Division 8 under manager Liam O’Hagan. Pictures by Ronan Murphy.

The Gaels found themselves losing to Thomas Davis in the Sheridan Cup but had more than one reason to feel aggrieved at the result. On what was an excellent pitch and a glorious day for football Ranelagh ended up having to agree to allow a Thomas Davis Ref to officiate, as the scheduled official from St Anne’s failed to turn up.

As is often the case in these situations, even with the best will in the world, as the game progressed the free kick count began to sway dramatically in the favour of the Referee’s own team.

The Gaels began well and with a breeze in their backs quickly took the game to the Tallaght men and before long had amassed a 0 05 to 0 01 lead. Enda and Doc were totally on top and between them contributed all of the opening 5 scores indeed both were unlucky to have efforts graze the crossbar which could have resulted in goals.

As it was the Gaels continued to press forward and another excellent point from Moyners which again was aimed at the crossbar saw them extend their lead before Davis ’s hauled two scores back from a free and a quickly taken short ’50 routine

The Gael’s had wilted slightly and knew they had to get some more scores on the board while the elements were still in their favour. The defence regrouped and thwarted any further Thomas Davis attacks and led brilliantly by Dennis Crehan began to again drive the Gaels forward.

An almighty hit from Tiernan following a long clearance out of defence saw Brian Regan in the clear. As he bore down on goal he showed great composure to slot the ball past the helpless ‘Keeper. The Gaels had now taken a commanding lead and finished the half with another point from a Johnny Conlon Free. Half time Thomas Davis 0 03 Ranelagh Gaels 1 07.

The home team were never going to lie down and so it showed in the second half. Aided by some dubious free kicks and the increasing influence of former All-star Paul Curran, the Kiltipper Road side began to pile the pressure on the Ranelagh defence.

Within 10 minutes they had reduced the deficit to 3 points and this gap was wiped out entirely by a somewhat fortuitous goal. A long punt from 50 yards out fell just below the Ranelagh crossbar where Conor could only help it onto the bar before the inrushing Davis ’s full forward palmed it to the net. This was tough on Ranelagh who had defended these high balls all day and none more so than Conor who had pulled out a number of excellent saves prior to the goal.

Davis ’s then took the lead from another long range effort and it looked as though the game was up for Ranelagh as the home side found their range.

Not so however and led by Dennis Doolin from centre back the Gaels fought back and took the game back to the home side. The teams were attacking and counter attacking and were evenly matched. It was from this point that the refereeing decisions began to enrage the Gael’s manager Liam O’Hagan, who gradually saw a great fighting team performance ruined by petty frees given against and an almost total lack of punishment for opposition fouls.

Frees continued to reign in on the Ranelagh goal, peppered occasionally by long range efforts from Curran or his excellent midfield partner.

The Gaels did manage to respond through Enda and Doc and still had enough chances to win the game. However too often the Gaels showed a lack of composure in the closing moments and recorded several bad wides which would have seen them through.

On a frustrating day for the Gael’s it was the defence which again shone. The two Dennises were excellent at full back and centre half, while John Daly and James Galvin were again faultless at corner back. Further up field Doc and Enda were the obvious source of scores in an attack which was let down by it’s lack of composure in the closing minutes.

Ranelagh Gaels 1-7 Stars of Erin 2-11

RANELAGH Gaels’ unbeaten start to the 2009 season came to a grinding halt at Bushy Park on Sunday.

The home side went into the weekend Sheridan Cup game with Stars of Erin on the back of five straight wins and some impressive performances.

Ranelagh were lucky to still be in this game at halftime, a well taken goal from Pat Koucheravy came against the run of play to leave just six points in it at the break.

Gaels have won several of their matches with strong finishes, but on this occasion the big second half push never came and the visitors ran out comfortable winners.

Stars of Erin are an AFL Division Eight side, playing their football one grade above Ranelagh, but that didn’t account for the gulf in standards on show at the weekend.

Manager Liam O’Hagan wasn’t helped by the fact that he had the bear minimum of 15 players to call upon on the afternoon.

The team that was available all tried hard, but little came off for them and they rarely looked like troubling Stars of Erin.

A win would have seen them qualify for cup semi-finals, though with one game remaining the playoffs remain a realistic possibility.

Stars of Erin Bebo Page – Can’t find an official website

St Mary’s Saggart 1-2 Ranelagh Gaels 4-7

Ranelagh Gaels kept their impressive start to the season alive in bitterly cold conditions in Saggart last weekend. On a pitch that resembled a mud bath, it was the Gaels who adapted better to the soggy conditions to win out convincing winners in this Sheridan Cup tie. This result means that another victory should see the Gaels into the semi finals of this competition and gives them selves a real chance of winning some early season silverware.

However despite a convincing win in the end, there was not much sign of this happening in the opening quarter. The Gaels shorn of a few regulars found it difficult to get going in the opening quarter and were behind by 2 points due a bizarre own goal from full back martin Egan as diverted a high ball passed stranded keeper Kieran Rouse.

Despite this early setback, the Gaels rallied with a great goal to give them a lead they would never relinquish. A move the length of the pitch allowed Ronan Ragsdale to set up Jeremy McCarthy with a goal chance and he calmly sidestepped the keeper to score. Then just before half-time a foul committed by the Saggart goalkeeper on Rasdale allowed Johnny Conlon to stroke home a penalty and a half time the Gaels were leading by four.

In the second half the Gaels put in a strong performance in what were worsening conditions (at one stage there was hail teaming down in the second half). Another penalty early in the second half by Conlon set the Gaels on their way and Ronan Rasdale scored another goal near the end to complete the Gaels scoring. The only real scare the Gaels had at the other end was right at the conclusion of the game was when they conceded a penalty but Kieran Rouse made a double save to divert over the bar. So in the end the Gaels had a comfortable winning margin of 14 points.

Liam O’ Hagan will be happy man after this result as for the fourth week running he was shorn a number of regulars but his team still won. He is going to have to make a lot of difficult decisions when he has a full squad available to him. Overall it was a very convincing performance with a defence that only conceded 1-2 for the second week running. Tiernan McNamara giving a man of the match display in the middle of the park and with a forward line that scored 4 goals, the signs continue to look good for the year ahead.

St Mary’s Saggart Website

The Gaels played their first game in Bushy Park on Sunday and added another win to their good start to the season. With several regular players missing in action it was up to the old realibles with some new faces and some old (lawro is back!) to put in a convincing display.

Goals from Johnny and Jer ensured the victory with some good point taking from J.Kilkenny and Tiernan. With Big Denis and Hard hitting Ross in the full back line, Rouse kept a well earned clean sheet.

Come out and support the Gaels this weekend as they turn their attention to the first round of AFL 9 where they welcome Raheny to Bushy Park.

Ranelagh Gaels v Raheny

Bushy Park, Sunday 1st March @ 3pm

The Gaels commenced 2009 with a well deserved win over Ballyboden St. Endas last Sunday. Conditions were ideal which contributed to a fast free flowing game. The Gaels half back line out classed their counter parts from the start and supplied plenty of quality possession to Enda Marren and Ronan Murphy to capitalise on.

Further frees from Ronan Rasdale left the Gaels leading 1-07 to 4 points at half time. Ballyboden hit back after half time with a number of points to bring them within two points.

However the Gaels superior fitness and hunger saw them pile on the pressure with a fantastic individual display by man of the match Enda Marren who ended the game with six points from play. This was a great result considering the Gaels were down a number players.

In the next round of the cup the Gaels will play Templeogue SS in Bush Park, Sunday at 15:00pm.