Top as unbeaten run goes on and on

up on this win with another one point success, this time against Keel by 0-12 to 2-5 lifting them clear of the relegation places for the time being.

St Pats meanwhile recovered from their loss the previous Tuesday evening with a victory away to Tarbert last Saturday. Paul McMahon and David O’Callaghan helped them to a 0-6 to 0-3 lead at the break with the same two players getting their goals in the second-half to record a 2-11 to 0-9 victory at the final whistle. Andrew Doherty, Brendan Cregan and Mark Buckley were amongst the scorers for the hosts on the night but with no points from their first five games they appear to be in big trouble at this point. Returning to matters at the top of the table, Ballydonoghue are second outright now following a narrow 1-10 to 2-6 victory at home to fellow North Kerry side Beale. Ian Mannix took advantage of some confusion amongst the Ballydonoghue defence to score the first goal of the game for the visitors before Jack Foley levelled matters up on the scoreboard with a goal for hosts.

They could have scored a second save for a fingertip stop from Beale goalkeeper Sean Dee but the ball subsequently went over the bar to give Ballydonoghue a 1-3 to 1-2 lead at the break. Conditions made proceedings difficult but there was still no shortage of drama. Stretching their lead out to four points Ballydonoghue needed their goalkeeper Darren O’Connor to save from James McMahon and while he could do nothing about Jeremy King flicking Beale’s second goal into the net soon after. Ballydonoghue substitute Kieran Lynch managed to put over an insurance score however in cancelling out another Beale point as the Premier Junior Semi-Finalists strong run continues. The other game to take place at the weekend saw Brosna pick up their first win of the campaign at home to St Senans.

Don McAuliffe for the hosts and Sean O’Connell for the visitors kicked some great scores in the first period but it was Brosna who led at the break by 0-5 to 0-3. They stretched it out to seven at one stage of the second-half as both sides match their respective first-half totals in Brosna recording an eventual 0-10 to 0-6 win. Steve and Don McAuliffe along with Kieran McDonnell impressed for the victors as they will take confidence from this win ahead of the long trip down to Dromid Pearses this Sunday.

There are only two other games this weekend besides the previously mentioned Ardfert vs. Currow match as Beale host Gneeveguilla on Saturday while Senans return to Mountcoal and play host to Annascaul. WITH St Marys not playing at the weekend it gave everyone else a chance to play catch up and Spa managed to join them at the top of the table courtesy of a four point victory away to fellow East Kerry side Listry on Saturday evening. Goals from Evan Cronin and Shane Cronin within the first 14 minutes had them well in command as they led by 2-6 to 0-3 at the break, the hosts reduced to 14 men during the first period. A Conor O’Sullivan goal did manage to give Listry some impetus in the second-half and the gap was down to three points at one stage but with eight different scorers on the night the visitors were always in control as they ran out 2-12 to 1-11 victors.

An Ghaeltacht have moved into sole possession of third spot after recording an 0-11 to 0-7 victory away to Finuge, the West Kerry side’s better accuracy in the second-half the key to recording their four point win. Both sides were level at six points apiece at the break but the hosts were disappointed to leave a good goalscoring opportunity after them with only one further added by them in the second period. An Ghaeltacht don’t play again until the first weekend of July with their scheduled match against Listry put back until the first week of August.

Elsewhere Beaufort gained a degree of revenge for losing out to Listowel Emmets in the Premier Junior Championship back in late April with a seven point victory on home turf last Saturday evening. Emmets goalkeeper Keith Hughes saved from Beaufort’s Niall O’Connor in the first period but the hosts still led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the break. Two goals inside the first 10 minutes of the second half settled the encounter in the Mid Kerry side’s favour however. Ronan Ferris and Ronan Murphy combined to set up Francis Courtney for the first goal while midfielder Shane O’Sullivan got the second straight from the resulting kick-out to make it 2-7 to 0-7. Tom McCarthy scored a consolation goal for the visitors before the final whistle as they eventually lost out by 2-11 to 1-7.

The other game played was a crucial one at the bottom as Laune Rangers picked up their first win as well as their first points in a narrow 2-8 to 1-10 victory at home to St Michaels/Foilmore. The Killorglin side led by 1-5 to 0-4 at the break with their goal coming from a penalty that saw St Michaels/Foilmore goalkeeper Jason O’Shea black carded for after fouling Kevin Flynn in conceding the spot-kick. Matthew O’Sullivan took his place in goal for the penalty (Micheal Galvin the sub goalie not able to replace O’Shea until after the penalty had been taken) but could do nothing about John Tyther’s penalty as the South Kerry side trailed by four at the break. They would be level by the third quarter however, Mark McCarthy getting a goal to bring them within a point of the hosts as Damien Kelly brought the scores level at 1-7 apiece. Flynn put Rangers back in front before a great run out of defence by Kieran Crowley saw him find Shane O’Connor who finished past Galvin for a 2-8 to 1-7 lead. Darren O’Sullivan (two) and Cian O’Connor brought the visitors back within one but crucially they could not find another score before the final whistle as Conal Kelly excelled in the hosts first League win of the campaign.

Despite Padraig King’s best efforts for the visitors they still have only one point to show for their first five games and they know they need to find a win soon with Beaufort travelling down south this weekend.

An East Kerry derby between Rathmore and Glenflesk takes place this evening and both sides will be in action again this weekend, Rathmore travelling to Listowel Emmets while Glenflesk welcome St Marys after their weekend off.

Waterville also return to competitive action after hosting the Mick O’Dwyer tournament at the weekend, they host Finuge while Laune Rangers travel to Spa in the other Round Six fixture on Saturday.