Senans take famous victory over Emmets
NORTH KERRY SFC ROUND 1
St Senans 2-15 Listowel Emmets 1-15 AET
THIS was it, the game they all wanted to see, the game many felt would go a long way towards determining who was going to win this year’s championship.
That the game was on in Mountcoal gave it a little bit of an added edge or spice at the very least. In Frank Sheehy Park, or possibly even in any other neutral venue, Listowel Emmets would have been fancying their chances, but in Mountcoal St Senans fear no-one.
Given how tight this game turned out to be, perhaps the venue was the deciding factor. To win a championship you need every little bit of luck you can lay a glove to and a home draw was just what the doctor ordered for St Senans fresh off their North Kerry league success.
With this scalp under their belts – a rare victory for the country side over their townie cousins – they’re not going to fear any other team in this championship, starting with their quarter-final opponents Castleisland Desmonds.
Nobody is saying they’re certain to do it, but a first North Kerry championship success for St Senans looks a lot more credible now after last weekend than it was before it.
This game had a little bit of everything. Swings and roundabouts, moments of skill and bravery and above all else a ferocious pace, especially at the beginning for this contest between two young sides.
It took until the fourth minute before the scoreboard started to tick over with a Senans free converted by Seán O’Connell.
In quick reply the Emmets’ free-taker Conor Cox responded converting to draw level. Senans took control of the play at this stage and the next three scores came from Seán O’Connell (1f) and David Foran (1-1) to bring the home side five points up.
Emmets were trying hard but the results weren’t coming it took until the 16th minute for the only scorer for Emmets in the first half, Conor Cox, to kick start the fight back adding a further five points before the half-time whistle four from frees, to finish the half Senans David Behan split the posts to go in a point up.
Emmets came out the blocks for the second half driving forward playing into the Tralee side goals. Emmets added 1-2 within three minutes Conor Cox (1-1) and wing-back Ger McCarty (0-1).
In the 10th minute Bryan Sweeney added a further point to bring Emmets five points the better. It took the Senans men until the ninth minute for Seán O’Connell to covert an awarded free again in the 12th minute O’Connell convert a free, but it was Senans second goal for David Foran that closed the gap in the 17th minute of the second half.
In quick reply Emmets Conor Cox converted an awarded free in the 19th minute with two more points added by Noel Kennelly and Eddie Browne. The Senans full-forward line stole the show with four points between them from the 25th to the 36th minutes – Paudie Quille 0.1 and Seán O’Connell 0-3 (1f) .
With Senans a point up it was Emmets sharp shooter Conor Cox that equalised to bring the game to extra time in the 38th minute. With eight yellow cards and two red cards already handed out to both teams it was time to regroup and start again.
Extra time was a slower paced affair with both sides carrying heavy legs, but the Senans men just shaded it on the hunger front first half and it was two points from play for Emmets a point a piece for
Scorers
ASDEE: Eoin Kennedy 1-1, Eoin Tydings 1-0, Darragh Keane 0-2, Mike Breen 0-1, John Doran 0-1
FINUGE: Gary Hogan 0-5, Darragh Shanahan 1-1, Pat Corridan 0-2, Jason Wallace 0-2, Ricky Heffernan 0-1, Raymond Galvin 0-1
REFEREE: Peter Curtin (Brosna) Sam Tarrant and Noel Kennelly.
In contrast Senans first half points came from three frees converted by Sean O’Connell. Second half of extra time and Emmets failed to add anything to the score board while Senans a point up added a further two points both from play from the boot of Seán Weir. Senans now go on to the quarter-finals.
Thank you to St Senans for the stewarding of parking, the refreshments and young singer Paul Somers opening proceedings with the National Anthem. ST SENANS: Luke Lynch, Mike Keane, Sean T. Dillon (C), Paudie Dillon, Darragh Behan, Bill Keane, Mark Behan, Jason Browne, Barry Mahony, Eoin O Connell, David Foran, David Behan, Paudie Quille, Sean O Connell, Cathal Kennelly
LISTOWEL Emmets: Shane Quinn, Eddie Browne, Niall Collins, Darragh Leahy, Ger McCarthy, Cormac Mulvihill (C), Rob Smith, Joe Joe Grimes, Tom McCarthy, Maurice Whelan, Bryan Sweeney, David Keane, Sam Tarrant, Jack McGuire, Conor Cox
REFEREE: Mike Hennessy (Ballyduff)