Dr Crokes second team enjoy a winning start to life in Division 3

ANOTHER division where there were six outright winners on the opening day as Dr Crokes B won their first outing in this Division by the narrowest of margins at home to St Senans (1-14 to 1-13) while St Pats also narrowly got the better of Listry away from home by two points (1-12 to 1-10) with Waterville double score winners at home to Finuge by 1-7 to 0-5. There was actually a novel game to begin proceedings novel in the sense of the conclusion of the 2016 campaign here in that Keel and Ballydonoghue renewed acquaintances after a 2016 relegation playoff here that needed a replay before the Mid Kerry side eventually lost out.

They gained a small degree of revenge for that loss in beating the back-to-back North Kerry Champions by eight points upon their return to the middle Division. The visitors led by 0-3 to 0-2 after 15 minutes but Keel went ahead thanks to a Colm O’Neill goal. They responded positively as well to a Dara Sheehy penalty for Ballydonoghue as they scored 1-4 in the final 10 minutes of the first-half, Luke Flynn with their second goal for a half-time lead of 2-6 to 1-5. After both sides exchanged points in the restart another run of 1-4 put Keel on course for victory as Colm O’Neill scored his second in the 48th minute. Ballydonoghue made the scoreboard look slightly better for themselves towards the end in losing out by 3-13 to 1-11 but despite the efforts of Tommy Kennelly, Eamon Walsh and Sheehy, Keel had plenty of drive from Aaron Cahillane, Terry Sullivan and O’Neill in their win.

Over in Killorglin meanwhile Laune Rangers were not as successful in their first outing as a 10th minute goal from Annascaul full-forward Brian Kennedy proved crucial in giving the West Kerry side a 1-10 to 0-10 win. A well taken Fionn Coakley point had the visitors leading by 1-3 to 0-3 after the first quarter as John and Cian O’Shea along with Shane Mangan had the hosts level before Alan Falvey’s free gave Annascaul a half-time lead of 1-4 to 0-6. Jason Browne had made two important saves for the hosts as they begin without regular goalkeeper Tony Lyons for the first time in a long time following his retirement at the end of last year. The visitors started the second-half better in ensuring a 1-7 to 0-7 lead around the three-quarter mark as the crossbar denied David Costelloe a potentially equalising goal for the Killorglin side. Tommy Pierce also denied Costelloe in a separate chance as Eamon Hickson and goalscorer Kennedy scored the insurance points for Annascaul in their three point win.

The other game in this Division saw Brosna play host to Lispole, an exact decade after the West Kerry club last played here back in 2008. It wasn’t a successful start to such a return for them as Brosna had four points to spare, the first four scores for them in the first 10 minutes essentially the difference come the end. Tom Kavanagh got Lispole going after a difficult start but a fine point from wing-back Peter Curtin followed by Mike and Timmy Finnegan combining for the latter to score their goal had them seven points ahead approaching half-time. Cathal and Declan O’Sullivan reduced the margin to four points for Lispole at the break at 1-7 to 0-6 but it Brosna who still looked the more comfortable at the three-quarter mark.

Tom Kavanagh fisting the ball into the net changed that somewhat as Lispole now had some renewed purpose but his 1-6 total provided the bulk of a 1-10 total as Brosna finished with 1-14, Tom McGoldrick scoring 0-5 as Adam Barry also featured prominently in their win. Lispole will look for better in their next game against of the other promoted sides in Dr Crokes B while Brosna will want to build on this when they travel away to St Pats/Blennerville. Elsewhere Annascaul host Finuge, Laune Rangers travel up to Ballydonoghue while Keel are also on the road up to Mountcoal to face St Senans.

The other game sees Waterville host Listry in a battle of two relegated sides from last year.

RESULTS SFL Division 1

Dingle 0-12 Killarney Legion 1-10 Templenoe 2-11 Kerins O’Rahilly’s 1-16 Spa 2-21 Rathmore 3-11 Glenbeigh-Glencar 0-9 Dr Crokes 0-9 Beaufort 2-14 John Mitchels 0-13 An Ghaeltacht 2-14 St Mary’s 1-15

SFL Division 2

Castleisland Desmonds 0-13 Glenflesk 1-8 Listowel Emmets 1-9 Ardfert 1-17 Ballymacelligott 0-12 Kenmare 2-7 Kilcummin 1-16 Austin Stacks 0-11 Milltown/Castlemaine 0-13 Currow 1-8 Na Gaeil 1-16 Dromid Pearses 1-15

SFL Division 3

Brosna 1-14 Lispole 1-10

Keel 3-14 Ballydonoghue 1-11 Listry 1-10 St Patrick’s Blennerville 1-12 Dr Crokes 1-14 St Senan’s 1-13 Laune Rangers 0-10 Annascaul 1-10

SFL Division 4

St Michael’s-Foilmore 2-9 Firies 0-8 Ballylongford 1-7 Beale 3-13 Gneeveguilla 3-8 Castlegregory 1-14 Tarbert 1-6 Skelligs Rangers 0-8 Fossa 0-18 Cordal 0-14

SFL Division 5 Group A

Scartaglin 3-11 Kerins O’Rahilly’s 0-8 Asdee 1-11 Knocknagoshel 0-12 Churchill 1-17 Valentia 1-14 Austin Stacks 0-17 Kilgarvan 1-8

SFL Division 5 Group B

Moyvane 2-12 Dingle 1-11 Duagh 0-17 Ballyduff 1-11 Tuosist 1-19 Rathmore B 1-9