St Marys edge out Desmonds for semi-final berth
MUCH like their meeting two years earlier in the same competition, St Marys and Castleisland Desmonds served up an entertaining affair.
Indeed, just like the 2015 semi-final once again it was the South Kerry side who prevailed come the finish, using the breeze to their advantage in the second period and finding the back of the net four times in Con Keating Park last Sunday afternoon.
The visitors had the aid of the breeze in the first-half scoring the first two points of the game but the first goal chance would come for the home side which saw Sean Cournane blocked in the fifth minute.
He did manage to find a way through a couple of minutes later, but Desmonds would hit a total of 1-4 without reply, Cian Dom O’Connor setting up team captain Thomas Hickey for the goal as their advantage was a bit more reflective of having the aid of the breeze at 1-6 to 1-0.
It took the hosts 23 minutes to raise their first white flag through Anthony Cournane as Cian Dom O’Connor scored a second goal for the visitors to give them a promising position coming towards the half-time whistle.
A free from Bryan Sheehan and a goal from Darren Casey were crucial for the hosts however in reducing the deficit to 2-8 to 2-2 at the break.
A brace from Paul O’Donoghue and a goal from Sheehan had the game in the balance after the restart as Desmonds suffered a big setback with the dismissal of centre-forward Tomás Lynch for a second yellow card.
Marys’ fourth goal from Daniel Daly appeared to put them in the ascendancy coming towards the final quarter, but Kieran Brennan and Graham O’Connor scored points for Desmonds alongside efforts from Cian O’Connor and Hickey to keep the visitors in with a shout. Daniel Daly and Casey pointed St Marys to their four point win however as the hosts will be happy to have won in the absence of Denis Daly.
Desmonds were left to rue Maurice Hickey’s absence in defeat as they will just have to wait another year in their hopes of trying to make a breakthrough at this level.
The 2016 All-Ireland champions, meanwhile, reach their third semi-final at this level in five years and will hope their experience stands to them come the penultimate stage in the county later in the year.