Jack's the lad as Raheens dominate Carbury
Jack Taafe scored three goals as Raheens comfortably won their first group game
Raheens 3-9
Carbury 2-4
Raheens recorded their expected win over Carbury in Group C of the Joe Mallon Motors opening round at Manguard Park in the first of a three game senior programme on Saturday afternoon.
Eight points separated the sides with the star of the show being Raheens full forward, Jack Taaffe, who hit an impressive 3-1.
Carbury's problems were without doubt up front with only corner forward Eoin Cully causing Raheens any problems, Cully got his side's opening score of the game, a goal and overall had a fine game throughout.
Once Raheens got into their stride after the opening quarter they dominated and were never really put under any great pressure and while they led at the break, playing with the aid of the breeze, 1-5 to 1-1 and Carbury began the second half with a bit of a spurt that soon fizzled out with the Caragh boys in control.
It was Raheens who dominated the early play but unfortunately for them they did not translate that dominance on to the score board, not initially anyway as their first three attempts at scoring, in the opening two minutes ended in wides. However a minute later it was county man, Paddy Woodgate who opened with a fine point.
Carbury hit back immediately when a lovely ball into the left corner forward position saw Eoin Cully gain possession, left his marker for dead with his electrifying pace before burying the ball past David MacPartlin leaving the score 1-0 to 0-1 with just four minutes on the clock.
Jack Smith, with a lovely effort from the outside of his right boot added to Carbury's tally with a point.
Slowly but surely Raheens worked their way into the game and it was corner back, Shane McSweeney who got forward to split the posts; Gavin Thompson added another on 21 minutes and three minutes later great work by Raheens full forward Jack Taaffe, who dispossed a Carbury defender and using his strength made ground before burying the ball past Declan Conroy in the Carbury net to make it 1-4 to 1-1 with 24 minutes on the clock.
JP Gill made a decisive run through the heart of the Raheens defence but his pointed effort went well wide of the target.
Into time added on and it was Raheens' Conor Earley who set up Fionn Tully who made no mistake to leave the half-time score reading Raheens 1-5 Carbury 1-1.
On the resumption it was Eoin Tully who gave his side some hope with the two opening points, the first saw his immediate marker, Niall Cramer pick up a yellow.
A David MacPartlan free dropped short, Gavin Thompson had two goal attempts blocked before being cleared.
Niall Cramer left his defensive duties to stretch his side's lead as Raheens again took control and the Carbury effort fell away.
A disputed point, one umpire waved wide and the other waved a point was eventually given as a wide after the referee consulted with his umpires.
Shane Crowley, just on, fired over and his fellow substitute Conor Kelly made it 1-8 to 1-3 on 46 minutes.
Goal no 2 arrived soon after, a ball crossed by Conor Kelly saw Jack Taaffe on hand to toe poke over the line.
James Kelly got one back but the final nail in the coffin arrived when Dara Crowley set up Jack Taaffe who made no mistake bringing up his hat-trick of goals.
Carbury replied when Oisin Milmoe, soccer-style, found the Raheens net but it was all in vain as Raheens ran out comfortable winners 3-9 to 2-4.
Scorers: Raheens, Jack Taaffe 3-1, Paddy Woodgate 0-2 (1 free), Fionn Tully 0-1, Gavin Thompson 0-1, Shane McSweeney 0-1, Niall Cramer 0-1, Shane Crowley 0-1, Conor Kelly 0-1.
Carbury, Eoin Cully 1-2, Oisin Milmoe 1-0, Smith 0-1, James Kelly 0-1.
RAHEENS: David MacPartlin; Niall Cramer, Tom Early, Shane McSweeney; Conor Earley, Jack Hamill, Graham Waters; Matthew Bett-Symonds, Dara Crowley; Daniel Hamill, Paddy Woodgate, Luke O'Donovan. Subs: Niall Dolan for Fionn Tully (half-time); Conor Kelly for Shane McSweeney (half-time); Shane Crowley for Daniel Hamill (43 minutes); Colm Power for Gavin Thompson (44 minutes); Killian Thompson for Conor Earley (55 minutes).
CARBURY: Declan Conroy; Jimmy Dunne, Paul Fleming, Brian Milmoe; Ciaran McKeon, Conor Gallagher, Tommy Gill; Alan Kearney, David Kelly; Jack Smith, JP Gill, Jack Cully; Eoin Cully, Stephen McKeon, Brian O'Flaherty. Subs: Justin Reilly for Paul Fleming (bs 2-25); Justin Reilly for Stephen McKeon (29 minutes); Oisin Milmoe for JP Gill (40 minutes); James Carey for Paul Fleming (43 minutes); James Kelly for Jimmy Dunne (55 minutes); Dale Redmond for Ciaran McKeon (55 minutes).
REFEREE: Ray Kelly.