Roche delivers East Kerry to semi-finals
EAST Kerry continued their march to what would be the district’s first county senior football title in almost 20 years with a comprehensive eight-point win over last year’s beaten county finalists South Kerry, who had no answer to the forward fire-power of the Clifford brothers, Dara Roche and company. Indeed, it wa two first half goals from Roche that laid the foundation for victory, which was made that much easier when South Kerry were reduced to 14 players at the very start of the second half when Oran Clifford was sent off.
The mountain that Oran Clifford’s dismissal created for South Kerry became un-scalable 10 minutes in the second half when his namesake, David, nonchalantly stroked in East Kerry’s third goal from a killer pass from Roche, and a Noel Duggan goal had them leading 4-12 to 1-10 when Ciaran Keating scored a wonderful consolation goal for the losers with the very last kick of the game.
South Kerry had to do without the services of Kerry defender Mark Griffin but they did welcome back Killian Young after an injury lay-off, and the southern district looked quite composed by the end of the first quarter, which had the teams level on four points apiece.
The momentum shifted momentarily to South Kerry when the East had defender Philip Casey put off for a black card infraction and then Bryan Sheehan played a neat onetwo with Niall O’Shea before the St Marys man drilled a low shot past Brendan Kealy.
The goal lead was short-lived, however, as East Kerry replied in kind within one minute when Roche smashed in a goal after Padraig O’Sullivan had initially saved well from Shane McSweeney’s shot.
In the 27th minute Roche showed strength, skill and composure to field Sean O’Leary inviting high delivery and score his second goal, with late points from the excellent Dara Moynihan and David Clifford, whose low shot needed to be pushed over the bar by O’Sullivan, giving East Kerry a 2-7 to 1-4 lead at the interval.
South Kerry made three changes at the break in an effort to shake up their challenge but Clifford’s involvement lasted less than a minute after he was shown a red card for a heavy tackle of Paudie Clifford, with the suggestion of a strike to the face as the Fossa name lay on the ground.
A couple of converted frees from Roche helped extend East Kerry lead to seven points, 2-10 to 1-6, when Roche executed a defence-splitting pass for David Clifford to side-foot in an easy goal in the 40th minute.
South Kerry battled gamely, with Sheehan carrying the fight, but their forward line completely miss-fired with only one starting forward, Niall O’Shea, scoring anything, and that was his team’s first point.
Seven minutes from the end East Kerry substitute Noel Duggan was set up for an easy fourth goal and it was no surprise to see Roche giving him the final pass: the Glenflesk man scored or assisted all four East Kerry goals.
Late scores from Sheehan and Denis Daly were academic, as was Keating’s 63rd minute goal, which was superbly finished but ultimately futile in terms of the final result.
A disappointing and surprising end to South Kerry’s championship, but it will take a seriously good team to deny this East Kerry team the county title. That team might well be the defending champions but if they’re to meet in the final East Kerry will have to beat Dingle again, and Dr Crokes will have to reverse their Round 2 defeat to Kerins O’Rahillys.
EAST KERRY: Brendan Kealy, Darren Brosnan, Shane Courtney, Philip Casey, Sean O’Leary, Jack Sherwood, Dan O’Donoghue, Shane McSweeney, Kevin O’Gorman, Darragh Moynihan (0-2), Paudie Clifford (0-1), Kevin McCarthy, Evan Cronin (0-1), David Clifford (1-4, 0-3f), Darragh Roche (2-3; 0-2f). Subs: Chris O’Donoghue (0-1) (Glenflesk) for P Casey (b/c, 23), Brian O’Donoghue (Glenflesk) for K McCarthy (47), N Duggan (1-0) (Kilcummin) for E Cronin (50), Liam Kearney (Spa) for K O’Gorman (53), DJ Murphy (Gneeveguilla) for S Courtney (57), Niall Donohue (Firies) for D Moynihan (58).
SOUTH KERRY: Padraig O’Sullivan (Skellig Rangers), Paul O’Sullivan (Valentia), Fionan Clifford (Waterville), Killian Young (0-1) (Renard), Brian Sugrue (Renard), Rob Wharton (Renard), Padraig O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), Bryan Sheehan (1-6; 0-5f) (St Mary’s), Denis Daly (0-1) (St Mary’s), Conor O’Shea (St Mary’s), Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), John Curran (Valentia), Chris Farley (Dromid Pearses), Diarmuid Keating (Skellig Rangers), Niall O’Shea (0-1) (Dromid Pearses). Subs: Brendan O’Sullivan (Valentia) for J Curran (h-t), Oran Clifford (Waterville) for Padraig O’Sullivan (h-t), Aidan Walsh (0-1) (St Mary’s) for C Farley (h-t), Ciaran Keating (1-0) (Skellig Rangers) for D Keating (34), Daniel Daly (St Marys) for C O’Shea (53), Matthew O’Sullivan (St Mls/Foilmore) for N O’Shea (53).
REFEREE: J Griffin (Glenbeigh/Glencar)