Hyland red carded as St Rynagh's run out of steam and Raheen grind out chaotic, costly win

RAHEEN showed great character to turn things around in the closing quarter and qualify for the semi-finals of the Intermediate Football Championship in Durrow on Sunday afternoon but it all came at a very high cost as their star man Dylan Hyland was red carded in the first half of a chaotic, gripping game.

Tullamore Court Hotel Intermediate Football Championship quarter-final

Raheen 2-7

St Rynagh's 0-10

Hyland was sent off in the 25^th minute for what looked a clear stamp on Niall Flannery and unless Raheen can somehow produce video evidence to prove that the referee made a mistake, he will be suspended for the semi-final in two weeks time.

On real-time viewing, it is doubtful if Raheen will be able to manage that and the absence of their star player means that they are now the championship outsiders. Hyland, struggling with a groin injury all season, hadn't been in the game much, but he represents Raheen's greatest chance of glory. Hyland's discipline had improved in the past year plus and he reacted instinctively in a tussle for the ball down near the Rynagh's goal with an umpire immediately summoning the referee – the minute the hand went up, even the Raheen supporters in the stand knew that a red was coming.

Raheen did very well to win it considering that but won primarily because a mediocre St Rynagh's outfit ran out of legs and ideas late on, not managing or really threatening a score from the time an emerging county hurler Shane Rigney kicked their last point in the 44^th minute.

That put St Rynagh's 0-10 to 1-4 up and in a great position but they struggled woefully from here to the final whistle as Raheen got 1-3 without reply. When sub Paddy Rigney sent two very scoreable frees wide in the 17^th and 18^th minute, it looked like it would end up an awful day for Raheen but they found a way to win it, mainly thanks to their bench.

They pulled a surprise by introducing former county defender James Lalor in the 48^th minute. While Lalor's fitness was way short of his past levels, he shored up the midfield for them, winning ball and stopping St Rynagh's breaking forward. It all got a lot tougher out there with Lalor on while another sub Lee Mulpeter scored a decisive 1-1. His 48^th minute point was followed by the all important goal in the 53^rd minute when he got his fist to a high Rigney ball – the St Rynagh's goalkeeper Odhran McIntyre and full back line had been living on their wits and ran out of road here, though it was very close to a square ball and Raheen couldn't have complained if it had been awarded.

Raheen were only a point up but St Rynagh's had nothing left to offer, Mikey Buckley put two points in it and Rigney finally found the range with a free in injury time – the veteran Rigney also showed his experience when introduced, giving Raheen a ball winning focus in their full forward line.

It has been a crazy year for Raheen and the dice is loaded against them going further. Another former county player, Conor Carroll is gone with a cruciate injury and he found himself at the centre of a big second half call. Named as a sub but outside the fence, Carroll was wearing a Raheen top and was shown a yellow card after linesman Sean Donoghue drew the attention of referee Bill Glennon for something that was said six minutes into the second half. Not only that but Glennon awarded St Rynagh's a 14 metre free, which was absolutely correct under rule and that turned the tide back for the losers, who were struggling badly at that stage.

St Rynagh's were trailing by 1-4 to 0-6 at that stage and Eanna Mulhare tapped over the free. That sparked Sean Finneran to life and he got two nice points, followed by that final one from Shane Rigney. With a swirling wind blowing all over the place and the football very much of junior standard, a three point lead was a huge one but Raheen became increasingly dominant as it wore on, looking like they would sneak the win – it was a very good win for them, though a considerable amount of it was down to their opponents just not being good enough when it had to be won in the closing quarter. At times, Raheen seemed hell-bent on losing it, kicking some dreadful wides in both halves.

Dylan Hyland's sending off was the big talking point of a really poor first half. The sides had been tied at 0-2 each and 0-3 each when Dylan Cahill got a 22^nd minute goal for Raheen after a great break forward by Rory Grehan. Hyland was sent off five minutes later and the impact on his shell shocked team mates was instant as Eanna Mulhare got three points from late frees, one of them a two point one, to level it up at 0-6 to 1-3 at the break.

Harry Grant provided a very solid bulwark at the heart of the St Rynagh's defence and was also in contention.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Rory Grehan (Raheen): On a tough day for football in a poor game, it was all about heart and character here. Both sides had that and Rory Grehan is my selection. He was superb for Raheen's first half goal, carried other ball forward very well, foraged in for breaks and created other chances, going off late on after sustaining a knock.

THE SCORERS

Raheen: Lee Mulpeter 1-1, Dylan Cahill 1-0, Dylan Hyland 0-2 (1f), Mikey Buckley, Danny Gorman, Paddy Arnold, Paddy Rigney (f) 0-1 each.

St Rynagh's: Eanna Mulhare 0-6 (1 x 2pf, 3f), Sean Finneran and Shane Rigney 0-2 each.

THE TEAMS

RAHEEN: Keith Kirwan' David Carthy, Brian Corcoran, Aidan Pierce; Eamon Bolger, Mikey Keogh, Mikey Buckley; Adam Kelly, Danny Gorman; Rory Grehan, James Nolan, Paddy Arnold; Dylan Hyland, Brian Crombie, Dylan Cahill. Subs – Lee Mulpeter for Nolan (42m), Paddy Rigney for Cahill (45m), James Lalor for Gorman (48m), Recee Seery for Grehan (59m), Jack Keogh for Kelly (61m),

ST RYNAGH'S: Odhran McIntyre; Niall Flannery, Conor Daly, Cathal Mahon; Conor O'Sullivan, Harry Grant, Aaron Molloy; Paddy Mahon, Mikey Boylan; Paul Cannon, Shane Rigney, Sean Finneran; Aaron Kenny, Eanna Mulhare, Jack Slevin. Subs – Eoghan Flynn for Molloy (45m), Donie Moran for Mahon (56m), Paul Cannon for Boylan (61m),

Referee – Bill Glennon, Rhode.

REFEREE WATCH

It was a big game for Bill Glennon and wasn't an easy one to referee. He was correct with the Dylan Hyland call with an umpire calling his attention and that was the biggest talking point in the game as he communicated well with his officials. He also gave St Rynagfh's a free for comments by an injured Raheen player, Conor Carroll who was outside the pitch boundary after being called by linesman Sean Donoghue. That was a big call but it is something officials should be enforcing and more of it needs to happen. You would feel sorry for Raheen and Carroll, who is a passionate, driven footballer, being sanctioned in this manner when most officials haven't being calling it but it should be done.

There is just too much abuse of officials this year, too many “referees” on the field, the sidelines and in the stand, and it is up to referees to use the power at their disposal and send a message out.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Dylan Hyland's red card was a big moment and a big talking point.

VENUE WATCH

The Durrow venue looked really well and the hosts ensured there were no issues. The game was originally fixed for Mucklagh and was moved on Saturday after Shamrocks declared the pitch unplayable. There was some heavy rain in the area on Friday and Saturday but apart from the pitch, Mucklagh would not have been an ideal venue on the Sunday – with the ploughing championships taking place just up the road from it in Screggan this week, there has been a growing volume of traffic and heavy machinery movement in the area each day in the past week and match traffic clashing with this would have created some problems in the village.

WHAT'S NEXT

Raheen go into the semi-final while St Rynagh's season is over.

STATISTICS

Wides: Raheen – 11 (6 in first half); St Rynagh's – 4 (1 in first half).

Yellow cards: Raheen – 2 (Paddy Arnold, Mikey Buckley); St Rynagh's – 1 (Mikey Boylan).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: Raheen – 1 (Dylan Hyland); St Rynagh's – 0.