Currow and Emmets start to lose touch
DIVISION 2
NO change at the top even with Na Gaeil dropping a point against Ballymacelligott meaning Austin Stacks go above them into second. However Castleisland Desmonds’ winning League run goes into a sixth game with a tale of two halves victory over Listowel Emmets on Saturday evening. It looked all over at half-time when they led by 0-11 to 0-2 with Thomas Hickey scoring 0-6 which included four frees. Emmets came out a different team in the second period however as David Sheedy, David Keane (their goalscorer) and Noel Kennelly brought them right back into contention but points from Kieran Brennan, Luka Brosnan and Sean Lynch were enough for Desmonds to pull through by 0-14 to 1-8.
That leaves them in a strong position ahead of the visit to Na Gaeil who drew with Ballymac one more like they did in the Round Robin of the Premier Junior but this time it was the St Kierans side who salvaged matters thanks to two late goals in a major salvage operation! The Tralee side had led by 1-9 to 1-6 at the break, Dara Devine getting their first goal as Eoghan Sheehy scored a second goal on the three-quarter mark to give them what appeared a strong eight point advantage with five minutes left. Ballymac had lost Shane O’Reilly to a combination of a yellow and black card but 1-1 from Gene Griffin, a free from Aiden Breen and the same player sending in a high ball that Con Reynolds guided into the net incredibly levelled the match up at 3-10 to 2-13. That draw put the visitors slightly nearer to safety on five points as Stacks were the main beneficiaries of the conclusion after a 14-point win away to Ardfert.
The scoreline, 3-16 to 0-11, was somewhat unkind to Ardfert’s efforts though as they were well in contention up until the three-quarter mark. The Rockies had led 2-8 to 0-7 at the break, Mikey Collins with one of their goals as a mix-up owned much to their third goal near the end as Darragh O’Brien and Conor Jordan impressed for the visitors. Mike Moloney and Shane Griffin were amongst Ardfert’s better performers but they face a big encounter with Glenflesk in two weeks with just one point from their six games thus far.
Like Na Gaeil, Kilcummin had a repeat of a Club Championship round robin fixture as they went back to Milltown/Castlemaine and the result was the same as Kilcummin won by five points on this occasion. First half goals from Damien O’Leary and John McCarthy gave them a lead of 2-4 to 0-6 at the break despite the hosts scoring a goal themselves. Kieran Murphy scored Kilcummin’s third to put them on the way to a 3-7 to 1-8 win.
Kilcummin host Listowel Emmets this weekend knowing a win would put them firmly in the hunt for promotion and arguably make it a four horse race ahead of the final four games.
Glenflesk moved up to six points after a success away to Dromid Pearses. Lee O’Donoghue’s winning free might have been a source of contention for the hosts in its awarding but it meant the East Kerry side pulled through by 2-10 to 1-12. O’Donoghue had given the visitors the lead at the break after converting a penalty awarded for a foul on Alan Murphy for a 1-3 to 0-5 lead. They went further ahead upon the resumption but Chris Farley and Niall O’Shea were keeping Dromid in contention until a goal from Murphy had the visitors six points clear with 10 minutes to play. The hosts hit 1-3 to draw level, with Eoin O’Leary the goalscorer, but they would be denied a share of the spoils with O’Donoghue’s winner in injury-time.
Kenmare Shamrocks had beaten Currow away from home in a game played on the June weekend by 4-12 to 2-16. Paul and Dylan O’Connor along with Kevin Rice and David Hallissey were the visitors’ goalscorers as Kevin Daly and Mike McCarthy goaled for the hosts in losing out by two points. Currow stay at the foot of the table with Emmets on one point and face a daunting trip to Austin Stacks this weekend.