Ballydonoghue take over as new leaders of Division Three

DIVISION THREE

ONLY three games went ahead at the weekend but they were three significant ones as we have new League leaders in the form of Ballydonoghue after repeating their Premier Junior Championship quarter-final victory over Keel with a narrow one point win at home on Saturday.

The hosts found the back of the net twice in taking a 2-2 to 0-4 led at half-time. Eamon Walsh set up Darragh Sheehy for their first goal while a foul on Brian Ó Seanacháin led to their second goal which Paul Kennelly scored from the penalty spot. The Mid Kerry side were much more impressive in the second period, full-back Donal O’Neill starting and finishing the move that led to their goal travelling the full length of the pitch. Francis Ahern then put Keel in front before Kennelly equalised and then came Ballydonoghue’s third goal as Martin O’Mahony and Walsh set up Kieran Lynch for a 3-3 to 1-6 lead. A combination of Ahern and Gary Sayers left the minimum between the sides coming towards the end but Ballydonoghue just held out for a 3-5 to 1-10 win.

A win was always going to put them top of the table with Currow not playing but Ardfert moved into third place on eight points following a nine point success away to Tarbert as the North Kerry side remain with no points from their six games thus far. Andrew Doherty may have scored the first point of the game for the hosts but the visitors hit the ground running in the first half through two Kieran Fitzgerald goals, two Darren Keane points as well as an impressive effort from John Egan in leading by 2-6 to 0-4 at half-time.

Tarbert did come to within four points of their opponents in the closing stages thanks to a Donal Leahy goal alongside points from Danny Wrenn and Doherty but a long range free from Egan once again settled Ardfert and they ran out eventual 2-14 to 1-8 victors.

The other game played saw Brosna record a 3-12 to 1-5 victory at home to Beale with the game’s four goals all coming in the second period. An injury to Ger O’Gorman was a setback to the visitors in the first period as they trailed by 0-4 to 0-2 at half-time with a goal from Barry O’Mahony keeping them in the hunt during the second-half. Brosna scored three goals to kill the game as a contest, Eamon Kiely getting their first, Mike Finnegan the second and Kieran O’Donnell the third in a 13 point victory.

Shane Curtin impressed for the victors at midfield while Darragh Buckley did his best for Beale throughout. This result sees Brosna just outside the promotion places on seven points but with the handicap of having seven games played as well. Beale stay in the relegation zone with a big dogfight looming at the bottom of the table.

The weekend sees two back games as Tarbert travel to Keel in desperate need of a result while Ballydonoghue will look to open up a three point gap of the top of the table when they travel to Blennerville to take on St Pats.

The next full round will see Ardfert host Ballydonoghue while Currow make the trip up to Tarbert. Beale will take on Annascaul Dromid Pearses will host St Senans and Brosna will travel to St Pats.

Gneeveguilla will play their first game in six weeks meanwhile when they travel to Keel, the start of a run of five games in six weeks for the East Kerry side as they have only played four matches thus fair in their County League campaign.