Spa travelled to Rathbeg on Saturday evening for the opening round of this year's O'Donoghue Cup Championship. While it was the first competitive game for Spa in two months, the newly crowned Intermediate champions Rathmore were missing a few players on the night, so it was a hard one to call. Conditions were very wintry, cold and some heavy showers, which did effect the quality of football on the night.

The evening began with a minute silence for Margaret Cronin RIP, Coolcorcoran.

Spa had the better start to the game and Ryan O'Carroll and David Spillane swapped points with Darragh Rahilly (2) to make it 0-2 apiece early on. Evan Cronin added a score before Liam Kearney finished the ball to the Rathmore net in the 15th minute to give Spa a 1-3 to 0-2 lead. We were able to keep that gap for most of the remainder of the game.

Evan Cronin and Dan O'Donoghue points soon followed while Mark Reen and Dan Murphy replied at the other end for Rathmore. Evan and Dan tacked on two more scores late in the half to give us the advantage at the break on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-4.

Mike Foley increased that lead with a point right from the restart while James Darmody kicked one for Rathmore from a mark. Points from Ciaran Spillane (2), Evan Cronin and David Spillane kept Spa in front while Rathmore responded with scores from Cathal Ryan (3) and James O'Sullivan and the game ended Spa 1-12 to Rathmore 0-8.

Well done to the team and management. Spa progress to the quarter finals against Listry next Sunday November 27th at 2pm (in Spa).

Wishing Rathmore the best of luck in their Munster Intermediate semi-final next weekend against Kanturk (Saturday Novemeber 26th at 1pm in Pairc Uí Chaoimh).

Spa: James Devane, Brian Lynch, Dan O'Donoghue, Shane Lynch, Ryan O'Carroll, Shane Cronin, Gary Vaughan, Liam Kearney, Ciaran Spillane, Conor Stack, Evan Cronin, Niall McCarthy, Cian Tobin, Mike Foley, David Spillane. Subs: Mike McCarthy, Cian Murphy, Thomas Cronin, Michael Kearney.

Rathmore: Ian O'Connor, Dan Murphy, Alan Dineen, Mike Joe Kelliher, Ben O'Connor, Cillian O'Connor, Cian Dineen, Jimmy Mahony, Brendan O'Keeffe, Fionn Holohan, James Darmody, Darragh Rahilly, Mark Reen, Anthony Darmody, Dean Fitzgerald. Subs: Cathal Ryan, James O'Sullivan, Aidan O'Mahony, Colm Kelly

Referee: Donal Casey (Scartaglin)

Photos: Anne Holland