The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Champs down and out in the Garvey’s County SFC
DINGLE manager Paul Fitzmaurice said it was the players’ desire that won the game for them.
“Things were fairly hairy in the first half,” he said.
“We didn’t seem to be able to create many opportunities. I don’t think that we got our first score until the 16th minute, the age old argument that we’d have a massive advantage on South Kerry because we are the club team doesn’t always work out that way.
“Paul Geaney was profiting off very poor ball at times, he won ball that he didn’t have any right to win to be honest, and that got us to within touching distance at half time, we regrouped inside and we got fellas to speak, it’s the players that drive everything in the dressing room, they didn’t need the management to tell them what they were doing wrong, they just backed themselves.”
Fitzmaurice was asked did he think that the late South Kerry goal should have stood.
“Look, the referee had his hand up, he didn’t blow the whistle, the rules are the rules, if that was in any other part of the field it would have been brought back, as it was several times, the referee was consistent throughout the whole game to be fair.”
South Kerry manager William Harmon was understandably very disappointed after the game.
“We looked in control, I suppose a combination of missed opportunities in terms of scoring, un-forced errors and a bit of indiscipline cost us,” he said.
“We knew this game would be the big one, we had three months since the Austin Stacks game, we did eighteen training sessions since then, the commitment and preparation was second to none, the biggest concern was that we didn’t have a competitive match since that so you don’t know where you are at until you play the game,” he continued.
“If you look at it, two years ago South Kerry lost by eight points to Shannon Rangers in the quarter-final, since then we have won a senior and Under 21 County Championship so I think we will regroup next year and give it a go again.”
Harmon was if he felt that Sean Cournane’s late goal should have stood.
“When it went in I genuinely thought that it was a goal, but I think that the referee hadn’t blown the whistle or something like that, If it was out the field and a quick free the play would go on, but it is what it is and we have to accept it.
“We had an opportunity at the end to salvage a draw but it wasn’t to be and I think that Dingle deserve full credit for their victory, and I wish them the best of luck going forward.”