Division 4 wins for St Mls/Foilmore, Fossa,
FOUR clear results and two draws were the order of the first six matches in this Division as while nothing could separate Gneeveguilla and Castlegregory or Cromane and Renard, St Michaels/ Foilmore, Fossa, Beale and Tarbert were all decisive winners in the other matches. St Michaels/ Foilmore’s win will come as a big boost to them after three tough years in the League, they got the better of Firies by 2-9 to 0-8 on home turf to get their campaign off to the right start.
It was a winning start for Fossa also under Seamus Moynihan. The East Kerry side won a high scoring match with a side they were separate by two Divisions from last year in Division Five winners Cordal as they emerged victorious by 0-18 to 0-14 on home turf. Tadgh O’Shea’s accuracy was key to them leading by 0-12 to 0-6 at half-time as a win Paudie Clifford effort alongside scores from Alan Buckley, Donald and Kevin O’Sullivan were other highlight of a six point win.
The second placed side from last year were defeated also in their first game out of the basement as Ballylongford lost out on home turf to Beale by 3-13 to 1-7. An early run of 1-3 without reply after opening scores were exchanged gave the visitors control early on as Killian Courtney scored Beale’s first goal in the 10th minute. Tadhg McEllistrim looked to have got the hosts back in it when he found the net at the other end but centre-back Jeremy King scored a second Beale goal meaning they led by 2-5 to 1-2 at the break. Cormac Linnane set up Darragh Buckley for Beale’s third early in the second period to end the game pretty much as a contest as all seven of Ballylongford’s points came from Ciaran O’Connor with four of those coming from frees.
Cromane were the only one of the promoted sides to get something from the weekend but Renard will be disappointed with themselves that they let them do so as they led by 0-9 to 0-5 during the second half. It had been level at 0-5 apiece between the sides at the break as Mark Sugrue and Darragh Fitzgerald gave Renard their four point lead. Mikey Houlihan and Sean O’Sullivan drew the Mid Kerry side level at 0-10 apiece however and it looked like Donnchadh Walsh had given them a ‘smash and grab’ win with the lead point until a ‘45’ from Mark Sugrue ensured the game would end level.
The sides to miss out on promotion last year didn’t have winning starts either although Castlegregory did leave Gneeveguilla with a share of the spoils after playing out a 3-8 to 1-14 draw. A Patrick Warren goal separated the sides at the break with the hosts leading by 1-5 to 0-5 despite scores from Alan Fitzgerald and Anton Kelliher for the visitors. It looked to be well within Gneeveguilla’s grasp when Eoin