Reports from County IFC and Premier JFC semi-finals

COUNTY IFC SEMI-FINAL

Templenoe 2-7 An Ghaeltacht 0-11

ONE of those games where you come away wondering did the better team actually lose? However for all the plaudits Templenoe have received for their attacking exploits, last Sunday they showed a bit of grit and determination to dig out a result when the game was in the balance. Templenoe manager Mike Crowley admitted that they have much to do ahead of the final. “You could look at that game in a lot of ways and I certainly felt An Ghaeltacht gave themselves enough chances to win it but I just think we showed a bit of better experience in seeing this one out. The goals we got were well taken but our forwards in general didn’t seem to click today and it was more our defence that stood out in terms of performances. While we are happy to be in the Final, we’re certainly not happy with the performance overall but we have a bit of time to gather ourselves again now before the Final,” he said.

Indeed it was more moments of sheer brilliance as opposed to an all-round display that got the All-Ireland Junior Club Champions over the line as Denis O’Neill and Pat Spillane Junior finished brilliantly for the two first half goals. An Ghaeltacht scored all the points in the opening quarter, three from Sean M Ó Conchúir at that as Teddy Doyle got the Kenmare District side on the scoreboard in the 15th minute through a free.

Three minutes later came their first goal, a great finish from Denis O’Neill after Tadhg Morley and Sean Sheehan set him up for the opportunity. Their opponents should have responded instantly as Éanna Ó Conchúir gave himself a great opportunity at goal but the ball blazed wide of the post. Templenoe’s second goal came in the 26th minute as Pat Spillane Jnr fired home a superb strike as they offered suggestions they might push on in the second-half being 2-4 to 0-6 up at the break.

Bar a Sean Sheehan point and opportunities at two more goals for Patrick Clifford it was all An Ghaeltacht however in the second half as the lead was being cut down all the time. Substitute Padraig Óigí Ó Sé and Sean M Ó Conchúir whittled down the lead as the latter’s sixth point in the 55th minute, his second from a free, had the game level on the scoreboard at 2-5 to 0-11. A Killian Spillane free and a John Spillane point ended Templenoe’s long search for scores but in the third minute of injury-time came a moment for Padraig Óigí Ó Sé to seal victory for the West Kerry side. However his effort blazed wide of the post for the second time in proceedings for An Ghaeltacht.

Team Captain Colm Ó Muircheartaigh did have another less clear cut chance before the final whistle but it was more in hope than any real conviction as Templenoe breathed a massive sigh of relief at the final whistle. Sometimes you do have to win ugly but ahead of their big local derby in the Final against Kenmare, Templenoe will know that they have to be an awful lot better if they wish to go beyond the county bounds for a second successive year.

An Ghaeltacht still have time on their side in terms of regrouping from this loss in future years and Division One football in the County League next year should give them the initiative to possibly go a few steps further.

TEMPLENOE: Anthony Sheehan, Mike Hallissey, Tadhg Morley, Kieran O’Neill, Kieran McCarthy, John Spillane (0-1), Gavin Crowley, Sean Sheehan (0-1), Adrian Spillane (0-1), Patrick Clifford (0-1), Danny Cahalane, Pat Spillane Jnr (1-0), Killian Spillane (0-2, 1f), Teddy Doyle (0-1, 1f), Denis O’Neill (1-0). Subs: Brian Crowley for McCarthy, Josh Holland for O’Neill.

AN GHAELTACHT: Tomas Mac an tSaoir, Caoimhín Ó Beaglaoí, Marc Ó Sé, Cathal Ó Lúing, Padraig Ó Sé, Brian Ó Beaglaoí, Colm Ó Muircheartaigh, Éanna Ó Conchúir (0-2), Ciarán Ó Coileáin, Cathal MacGearailt (0-1), Gearóid Mac an tSaoir, Seamus Ó Muircheartaigh (0-1, 1f), Tomas Ó Sé, Sean M Ó Conchúir (0-6, 2f), Dara Ó Sé. Subs: Sean Ó Bambaire for Seamus Ó Muircheartaigh, Padraig Óigí Ó Sé (0-1) for MacGearailt, Cathal Ó Fiannachta for Ó Coileáin.

REFEREE: James O’Sullivan (Firies)

MAIN MAN On a day when Templenoe’s defence won it for them in essence, Tadhg Morley featured prominently with his inter-county team-mate Brian Ó Beaglaoí and Cathal Ó Luing also having good displays in the An Gaeltacht defence.

KEY MOMENT Take anyone of the goals scored by Templenoe or the goals missed by An Gaeltacht. If Padraig Óigí Ó Sé had scored at the end though, we would be looking at the game from a totally different perspective!

TALKING POINT More than a generation after this year’s Intermediate Finalists last competed in the decider, 1988 for Templenoe, 1991 for Kenmare, one of them is going to create a successful bridge to a moment in their respective club’s history.