Legion are on the point of promotion

Na Gaeil would win out by 2-14 to 0-12 in the finish.

Ballymac pushed themselves closer to promotion meanwhile by knocking five goals past Gneeveguilla and keeping the East Kerry side in relegation bother. Thomas O’Connor fisted their first goal to the net inside the opening minute as Eanna and Micheal Reidy followed up with their second and third in a phenomenal star for the hosts. O Connor would score a second before the break as Gneeveguilla did manage to get some crumb of comfort with their first goal in trailing by 4-4 to 1-5 at the interval. They scored the first four points of the second period to make it a four point game but Vinny Horan scored Ballymac’s fifth goal to reassert their dominance. John Sheahan did score a second Gneeveguilla goal to make it more interesting towards the finish but Aiden Breen pointed Ballymac towards a 5-9 to 2-11 success.

Finuge and Ballydonoghue played out a 0-20 to 2-14 draw meanwhile, a result that suited the visitors more than the hosts as Ballydonoghue still have work to do to ensure their safety. They trailed by 0-11 to 0-6 at half-time and Finuge looked to be in a great position going ahead by seven points but a good goal from Paul Kennelly brought the hosts back into it. Jim Cremin scored another six minutes later and the hosts looked to have pulled off a great comeback win until Shane Conway secured a draw for Finuge late on. The other game played was all about the relegation battle as the bottom two of Fossa and St Michaels/Foilmore met at the East Kerry venue.

It was a nervous game befitting the circumstances but Fossa converted a 0-7 to 0-4 lead at the break into a 0-15 to 0-9 win as they keep their hopes of staying up alive ahead a massive visit to Gneeveguilla in Round 10. St Michaels/ Foilmore are for all intents and purposes relegated regardless of the outcome of that match as St Senans are the wildcard in the relegation battle with two back games, the first of which comes against Annascaul on the August Bank Holiday weekend.

DIVISION TWO

THEY were made to earn their share of the spoil out in Ardfert but Killarney Legion moved to the brink of promotion after late points from Conor Culloty and Conor Keane ensured the match ended level at 2-12 to 1-15.

The St Brendans side started better, leading by 1-6 to 0-3 after 20 minutes, Bobby O’Regan their goalscorer before points from Culloty and Jamie O’Sullivan and a long ball going straight into the Ardfert net brought Legion back into the game at the break, trailing by 1-7 to 1-5. Shane Griffin scored a second goal for Ardfert as the game ebbed and flowed in the second period but Cathal Sheahan and Conor Keane were keeping the visitors in touch. David Griffin appeared to have done enough for an Ardfert with their two point lead near the end until Culloty and Keane rescued matters for Legio who will win promotion with a draw and a point against Waterville in Round 10.

Spa also had a hard fought encounter at a St Brendans venue, the second placed side coming from behind in a gripping encounter with St Pats to force a draw. David O’Callaghan scored the first goal of a 2-5 total early on, and was unlucky not to add a second soon after with a great clearance required by the Spa defence. Brendan Poff did score a second for St Pats after 13 minutes, but a goal from Evan Cronin (on a day he finished with 1-12, 0-6 from frees) had Spa level at the break, 2-3 to 1-6 the score.

Paul McMahon for the hosts and Jamie Spillane for the visitors exchanged goals in the second period but McMahon produced a great one handed catch and distribution to Brendain Savage who in turned fed O’Callaghan for St Pats’ fourth goal. Eight points down Spa appeared to be in massive trouble especially when a penalty from Cronin came off the post but they managed to come back within three before Shane Cronin scrambled home the final score of an incredible 4-11 to 3-14 encounter.

Spa’s next game will be against Kenmare Shamrocks which could be all the more significant should the latter get the better of Ardfert in a back game beforehand.

Kenmare look to be in good steam after a convincing 4-19 to 1-10 win over Glenflesk last Sunday, Dean Cassidy scoring two first half goals and both Paul O’Connor and Mike McCarthy amongst their points scorers as they led by 2-13 to 0-4 at half-time.

Cassidy completed a hat-trick of goals in the second period as O’Connor scored their fourth with Gavin Kelly scoring a consolation for the hosts near the end. Their promotion hopes would appear to have suffered a big blow with this loss.

Beaufort’s promotion hopes look to be much better however as they knocked eight goals past a shell-shocked Listowel Emmets in a 19-point win. Five of the Mid Kerry side’s green flags came in the first half, two from Ciaran Kennedy, with Jonathon Kissane, Niall O’Connor and a Liam Carey penalty the other goals which had them 5-4 to 0-9 in front at the interval.

Ronan Ferris scored Beaufort’s sixth as despite David Sheehy scoring one at the other end for Emmets, Ronan Murphy and a second from O’Connor brought the hosts total up to 8-11. Moriarty saved an Emmets penalty in preventing the visitors getting a second goal on a day when Darragh Coffey for the hosts and Brendan Guiney for the visitors stood out as Listowel ended the match with 1-13.

Emmets will need to regroup quickly for the visit to Frank Sheehy Park by Listry this weekend who enter off the back of a defeat to Currow. Listry lead by 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time but eventually lost out by 0-13 to 0-9. The East Kerry side need the win to stay in with a chance of avoiding relegation while Listowel should be safe if they come out on top.

Kilcummin look to be in grave danger of going down after two defeats in the space of four days to Ardfert and Waterville. In the latter at the South Kerry venue, they conceded the first six points before going on to lose by 0-15 to 0-11 as Waterville moved out of the relegation zone and above the East Kerry side with their four point win.