Tuosist and Knocknagoshel win County JFC preliminaries
Jason O’Connor
A RATHER inauspicious start to the Club Championships in Kerry on Monday as the two Preliminary Round matches to determine the final two teams to take part in the Round Robin phase were determined. There were rather contrasting fortunes for the two Kenmare District sides as Tuosist were victorious while a bit of an injury crisis hit Kilgarvan hard.
Tuosist 1-11 Sneem/Derrynane 1-10
A TIGHT one in Templenoe on Monday as Tuosist ensured that they would join Ballyduff, Ballylongford and Cromane in Group 4 of the Junior Championship. Both goals came in the second period with the latter coming from the penalty spot for the 2017 Junior semi-finalists in deciding the outcome.
The Kenmare District side got off to a good start with Colm Brosnan and Liam O’Shea splitting the uprights before the South Kerry side levelling up soon after. However, Tuosist were dealt a worrying blow before the break with Liam O’Shea having to retire with an injury. It was tit for tat at this stage with points exchanged and at the break it was Tuosist who led by 0-7 to 0-5.
Conor O’Brien and Ray Whyte kicked points for Sneem/Derrynane and when their full-forward Kevin O’Sullivan found the net to make it 1-7 to 0-7 it looked as if Tuosist were in trouble. However, Colm Brosnan scored 0-4 and when Danny O’Shea added another the match was back in the melting pot once again. Sneem/ Derrynane hit back with two points but Tuosist had the final say when Colm Brosnan hit home a penalty to claim a hard-fought victory.
The victory means that Tuosist will have home advantage in their opening Round Robin game against Ballyduff. Sneem/Derrynane go into the Novice Championship, an event they won in 2015 when it was under the Novice Shield banner.
Knocknagoshel 2-11 Kilgarvan 1-7
THE value of Edmund Walsh’s return to Knocknagoshel’s ranks was probably best illustrated in his personal tally alone. In scoring 1-7 he matched Kilgarvan’s total as the 2018 Munster and Kerry Novice champions missed out on the chance to progress to the Junior ranks this year. The Kenmare District side were at a disadvantage without Donal O’Sullivan and John Mark Foley in advance it must be said, and an injury to Gearóid Fennessy during the game compounded their difficulties at the Killarney Legion pitch.
Walsh’s goal separated the sides at the break at 1-5 to 0-5 as Patrick O’Shea and Daniel Casey were keeping Kilgarvan in the game on the scoreboard. As if matters couldn’t get any worse for them, O’Shea became their latest injury casualty as it all became too much for them to deal with in the second period. Despite Casey making it a one-point game with two frees after the restart, Knocknagoshel hit 1-4 without reply, Dan Roche their goalscorer, as John and Michael Walsh along with Gary Dowling and Conor Sheehan were others to add their names to the scoresheet for Knock.
A good team move led to Keith Harrington scoring a consolation goal for Kilgarvan, but they will have to make do with the Novice Championship again this year. Knocknagoshel enter Group 1 with Duagh, Annascaul and Valentia their opponents in the Round Robin.