Too easy for Gaeltacht

COUNTY SFC ROUND 2B

An Ghaeltacht 2-18 Kenmare District 0-5

FOR An Ghaeltacht, a facile home win. For Kenmare District, relief that a miserable week was over.

An Ghaeltacht had much to prove after a disappointing performance against Mid Kerry, and they faced a team with just seventeen players to call on last Saturday. In fairness, Kenmare District were stubborn for 25 minutes – but it couldn’t hold.

From An Ghaeltacht’s first attack, the district brought 12 men inside their own ‘45 and their opponents often had to be patient, with much lateral passing throughout the half.

A Dara Ó Sé run punched the first hole through the mass-defence on four minutes and he pointed An Ghaeltacht into the lead after accepting a return pass. Soon after, Donal O’Sullivan made it 0-1 to 0-1 after he received the ball inside the opposite ‘45, steadying himself and shooting a score from distance.

Kenmare District led on eight minutes when Tadhg Siochrú pointed after fielding a long ball, but Éanna Ó Conchúir made it 0-2 to 0-2 after breaking free from John Mark Foley.

PJ Mac Láimh blazed over to make it 0-3 to 0-2 and Brian Ó Beaglaoich, part of an impressive half-back line which consistently moved play from defence to attack, made it 0-4 to 0-2 on the quarter-hour.

The district ran up eight wides in the first half, and those weren’t the only opportunities they missed. On 16 minutes Tadhg Siochrú had a strike blocked on the line and another opportunity arose after a scoreless ten-minute lull.

Templenoe’s Seán Sheahan accepted a ball that put him oneon-one with Tomás Mac an tSaoir, but while he attempted to chip the keeper, he instead lobbed it over the bar. It seemed to wake An Ghaeltacht – who had missed half-chances at goal themselves, as well as a couple of easy frees.

Dara Ó Sé made it 0-5 to 0-3 soon after Siochrú’s strike, before Seán M Ó Conchúir pointed

THE GAME IN 60 SECONDS

MAIN MAN

Gearóid Mac an tSaoir took full advantage of his tired opponents in the second half, notching up 1-2, while he was also prominent in a high number of An Ghaeltacht’s scores. But for striking the crossbar and seeing two efforts brilliantly stopped by Stephen O’Sullivan, it could have been even better for Mac an tSaoir.

TURNING POINT

After almost conceding a goal at the hands of Seán Sheehan, An Ghaeltacht struck three points in five minutes before half-time, adding five more in five minutes after the resumption. With that, their lead went from one point to eight.

TALKING POINT

Just one week on from losing by 22 points to Austin Stacks, when they had just 18 men on hand, Kenmare District could only scramble 17 players together on Saturday. Shorn also of some talented players such as Killian Spillane and Tadhg Morley, it was no surprise that they ran out of steam as dramatically as they did.

after he ran through and took a pass from Marc Ó Sé. Mac Láimh then slithered past a couple of defenders to make it 0-7 to 0-3 at the break and there was a sense that An Ghaeltacht were finding their range.

In a clinical start to the second half, they kicked four points in four minutes to stretch their lead to 0-11 to 0-3.

The first score by Ciarán Ó Coileáin followed a lovely move started from deep by Dara Ó Sé, with Brian Ó Beaglaioch finding Gearóid Mac an tSaoir, who clattered the crossbar.

An Ghaeltacht had another goal chance on 35 minutes, but Stephen O’Sullivan dropped superbly to his right to parry Seán M Ó Conchúir’s strike, though Éanna Ó Conchúir slotted the resulting ‘45.

But after a Donal O’Sullivan free made it 0-4 to 0-12, an Ghaeltacht finally found the net on 42 minutes through the increasingly prominent Gearóid Mac an tSaoir, making it 1-12 to 0-4 and killing the contest.

Now dominating their exhausted opponents’ kick-outs, successive points by Dara Ó Sé – a lovely strike in from the right wing – and Éanna Ó Conchúir made it 1-14 to 0-4, and while a Donal O’Sullivan free made it 0-5 to 1-14 with a quarter-hour to play, it was Kenmare District’s last score of a one-sided half.

By now the game was a relentless flow of An Ghaeltacht attacks, and Gearóid Mac an tSaoir and Roibeard Ó Sé pointed on 51 and 53 minutes respectively to make it 1-16 to 0-5.

Mac an tSaoir turned and struck from distance to score next and he capped a fine performance in providing the assist on 58 minutes for corner-back Colm Ó Muircheartaigh’s only point seconds later.

Sub Tomás Ó Sé had impressed also, his pace causing regular concern for Kenmare District’s beleaguered defenders, and his reward arrived with the next attack, when he creeped through an opening and finished to the net.

It led Donal Casey to blow the match up 90 seconds early – but while this caused surprise, there were no complaints.

An Ghaeltacht were far superior – but their early sluggishness will be cause for concern as they prepare for a very different proposition: a third-round match against the champions, Dr Crokes.

AN GHAELTACHT: Tomás Mac an tSaoir, Adam Mac Amhlaoibh, Cathal Ó Lúing, Colm Ó Muircheartaigh (0-1), Brian Ó Beaglaoich (0-1, y/c 47), Pádraig Ó Sé, Marc Ó Sé, Roibeard Ó Sé (0-1), Franz Sauerland, PJ Mac Láimh (0-2), Éanna Ó Conchúir (0-3, 0-1 ‘45’), Cathal Ó Fiannachta, Gearóid Mac an tSaoir (1-2), Seán M Ó Conchúir (0-2), Dara Ó Sé (05, 0-2f) Subs: Séamus Ó Muircheartaigh for Ó Lúing 12, Ciarán Ó Coileáin (0-1) for Ó Fiannachta 30+1, Tomás Ó Sé for SM Ó Conchúir 47, Seán Ó Bambaire for E Ó Conchúir 47, Pádraig ‘Óigí’ Ó Sé for PJ Mac Láimh 53

KENMARE DISTRICT: Stephen O’Sullivan, Liam Twomey, Gavin Crowley, Kieran McCarthy, Gearoid Fennessy, John Mark Foley, Josh Crowley Holland, Sean Sheehan (0-1), Adrian Spillane, Darragh Siochru, Daniel O’Shea, Tadhg Siochru (0-1), Colm Brosnan, Daniel Casey, Donal O’Sullivan (0-3, 0-2f) Subs: Stephen O’Sullivan for D O’Shea 13, D O’Shea for K McCarthy 52

REFEREE: Daniel Casey (Scartaglin)