Wins sees Skellig join Lispole at summit of Division 4

DIVISION FOUR

LISPOLE made a successful return to County League action in keeping their 100% record intact but Skellig Rangers are level with them at the top of the table for the moment after getting the better of Castlegregory to leapfrog above them in the table.

Lispole shaded a very tight contest with Tarbert by 1-7 to 1-5, Declan O’Sullivan getting their goal before the break to cancel out Tarbert getting the first goal of proceedings and ensure a 1-4 to 1-3 half-time lead. The visitors will be very disappointed not to have made more use of the breeze in the second period as they eventually lost out by two points. A single goal was all that separated Skellig Rangers and Castlegregory meanwhile as the latter lost out on home turf.

Diarmuid O’Sullivan scored it in the 17th minute as the South Kerry side enjoyed a 1-5 to 0-2 lead at the break, Alan Fitzgerald and Brandon Hoare Castle’s only scorers. Fitzgerald scored a further five points in the second-half as Timmy Moriarty scored their other point with a late free from O’Sullivan the insurance score in a 1-8 to 0-8 success for the Portmagee outfit.

Keel and Firies are just outside the promotion places on six points meanwhile, the Mid Kerry side getting the better of Dr Crokes B by 1-11 to 0-8 in Lewis Road while Firies had 12 points to spare over Duagh who were returning to action after having to concede a walkover to Skellig Rangers the previous week. Firies’ three goals came in the first period, Ed Kerrisk getting their first after 17 minutes as Jack Sherwood and Con O’Mahony followed up before half-time to put them ahead by 3-9 to 0-3.

There was a sense of inevitability about the second period but Ger McCarthy did kick some good points for the hosts in the second period before they went down by 3-14 to 0-11.

Elsewhere Sneem/Derrynane got their first win of the campaign after also scoring 3-14 at home to Scartaglin. Kevin O’Sullivan scored their first goal approaching half-time to put them in front by 1-8 to 0-3 at the break as Daniel Murphy, Hugh O’Connor and Padraig Reidy scored Scart’s only points. Scart gave themselves an outside approaching the latter stages in trailing by six points but Ronan Hussey and Ian Galvin scored the goals that ensured a 3-14 to 0-10 win for the South Kerry side.

Fellow South Kerry side Renard were also successful in their game at home to Beale by six points after both sides had managed to trade six points each in the first period. Daragh Fitzgerald and Robert Wharton pointed the hosts towards victory in the second period however despite the best efforts of Cormac Linnane and James McMahon for Beale. David O’Sullivan for the hosts and substitute James Culloty for the visitors traded goals late on as Renard’s eventual winning margin was by 1-17 to 1-11.

Scartaglin are now the only side in the Division without a win in the campaign although they do have a back game with Dr Crokes B on the horizon to make amends. A tough trip down to Portmagee to face Skellig is their more immediate concern this weekend however as Lispole travel down South Kerry way themselves in taking on Sneem/ Derrynane.

Castlegregory’s trip to Firies could have implications for the promotion battle as Keel host Renard at the Mid Kerry venue. Dr Crokes B travel up to Tarbert while Beale vs. Duagh is a big North Kerry derby concerning matters at the wrong end of the table.