Castlegregory beat Cordal to take top spot alone

DIVISION FIVE

THE meeting of the top two didn’t turn into the sort of contest you would expect. However that will matter little to Castlegregory as they have taken sole possession of top spot in the Division courtesy of a 0-9 to 0-4 win over Cordal.

The game was a pale shadow of the Junior Championship encounter between the sides earlier in the year as both sides had depleted numbers but Castle proved much too strong for their opponents in the second period having led by 0-4 to 0-2 at the break. Phillip O’Connor with three and Niall Ó Ciardubháin were the visitors’ only scorers on the night as three points from Liam Maunsell along with a brace from Jordan Quirke and Maurice Slattery helped the hosts to their five point win.

Duagh, meanwhile, have moved into a share of third spot in the table with Rathmore B and Sneem/Derrynane following a convincing 15 point victory away to Ballyduff. The hosts nearly had two goals in the first period only for two defensive interceptions from Maurice O’Connor yet Duagh led by 0-7 to 0-1 at the break thanks to four Ger McCarthy points with John Paul Leahy getting Ballyduff’s solitary first half score.

Goals from McCarthy soon after the restart and Aidan Kelly on the three-quarter mark pretty much ended the game as a contest. Evan Doyle scored a consolation goal for Ballyduff before the final whistle of a 2-16 to 1-4 defeat for the hosts.

Rathmore B got their promotion hopes back on track with a 2-10 to 1-7 win at home to Tuosist that saw them leapfrog the Kenmare District side in the table. Sneem/Derrynane’s match with Knocknagoshel has been put off until August 20.

Despite not being able to field against Tuosist in the last round, Ballylongford were comfortable winners over Asdee last Friday night as they had 14 points to spare over their opponents at full-time. Ciaran O’Connor with 10 points and 1-4 from Eddie Mangan were big parts of the home side’s success as an Eoin Kennedy goal had Asdee in touch at half-time trailing by 0-8 to 1-3. Paudie O’Neill was Ballylongford’s other goalscorer on the night in a 2-15 to 1-4 win as Tadhg McEllistrim and John Neville dominated midfield for the hosts despite the best efforts of Eoin O’Carroll and Martin Collins in defence for Asdee.

The other game played saw Cromane record their first victory of the campaign away to Austin Stacks B in Connolly Park. Stacks looked to be in control at half-time leading by 0-4 to 0-2 but a period of 1-3 without reply changed the course of the game in the Mid Kerry side’s favour. Darren Houlihan was the goalscorer as Paul O’Sullivan scored three of an eventual eight point total (four coming from frees) in a 1-10 to 0-9 win for the visitors. Alan Duggan (five frees), James Sugrue (with two) along with Louis Ryle and Jessie O’Sullivan were the point scorers for the Tralee in this four point defeat.

Round Seven brings with some interesting matches mainly in the form of Castlegregory’s trip to Tuosist, Cordal are on the round as well meanwhile travelling to face Ballyduff while Duagh host Sneem/Derrynane.

Rathmore B travel to Asdee, Knocknagoshel host Stacks while Cromane entertain Ballylongford in two weeks time.