The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Abbeyfeale continue to impress
J1 side Abbeyfeale continue to impress in the top flight after gaining promotion from the middle tier last season.
Last weekend the west Limerick side took on a Muskerry side impressing many after they gained promotion some years back. This one was always likely to be a tough, uncompromising and even matchup and true to form that is exactly the way it went as the sides played out a highly entertaining 21-21 draw.
Muskerry held sway, just about, after 40 minutes by 11-9 with a try from Joe Treacy and two Eoin Keohane penalties for the mid Cork side against three penalties from Abbeyfeale’s Tom Hassett.
Muskerry pushed clear on the restart with their second try (Daniel Horgan) which Keohane converted, later adding a penalty. Abbeyfeale were in no mood to let this one slip however and were rewarded with tries from John Murphy and Brian Collins with a Hassett conversion securing the draw.
Abbeyfeale will take on Skibbereen in the Junior Clubs Challenge Cup next weeknd with the Limerick men away from home.
A bad result for Castleisland in the J2 last weekend as they came up short to Ballincollig by 29-12. Castleisland have genuine credentials at this grade and will be looking to compete at the business end of the table so this loss will be seen as a blow to those aspirations.
Darragh O’Connell and Connie Reynolds went in for the home sides tries with Willie Casey adding one of the two conversion attempts but on the day it just never looked like being enough as a Podge Flynn brace of tries for the visitors added to touchdowns from Sean Kavanagh and Izak Taljaard meant that the spoils were going the Cork side’s way. Charlie Boland rubbed salt into the wounds kicked three conversions and a penalty.
The big game from a Kerry perspective in the J2 was the clash between Tralee and Mallow at the Kingdom side’s home ground. It has been a difficult few years for both of these sides with the pair competing at the top level of junior rugby just a few seasons back – before a slump both sides’ form saw them relegated to the J2.
At that stage it would have been fair to assume the pair might bounce right back but neither side has been able to mount a J2 title challenge since. Both sides would have targeted this one as a must win game if they were to stay in touch with the sides at the top after both failed to start the season well and unfortunately for the Kerry men, this one was to go the way of the visiting rebels.
This was Mallow’s first win of the campaign with the 23-16 final score line being a fair reflection of how this one panned out. Tries from Tim Fitzgerald, Peter Cosgrove and Dan McCarthy set Mallow on their way with the reliable and talented Jimmy Glynn slotting over one conversion and a brace of penalties.
Tralee were never likely to let this one go easy and credit to them they stuck to their task well with a try from Ben O’Neill which was converted by Darragh O’Neill. O’Neill also added a hat-trick of penalties to keep his side in the hunt and ultimately take what could be a very important losing bonus point.
Both of these sides will be looking to improve as the season goes on however after this one it appears that Tralee have more work to do. Tralee head to Crosshaven next weekend in the Munster Junior Clubs Challenge Shield. The visitors will definitely have their work cut out for them here however a good cup run might be just the ticket for the Tralee players right now.
Killorglin continued their impressive start to the J3 season with a hard fought win over a Mitchelstown side that may be new to the grade but seem in no way overawed by the challenge.
17-15 in favour of the visiting Kerry side was the way this one went with Brian Hayes and Rudi Healy bagging the victor’s tries while Luke O’Shea added a penalty and both conversions attempts.
Killorglin will be one of the sides to beat this year in the J3, however, as all at the Kingdom club are only too aware, there are plenty banana skins along what is a long hard season. Next weekend will see Killorglin on the side-lines looking in as cup action takes precedence over league.
There was disappointment in West Kerry with the postponement of the Corca Dhuibhne v Bantry Bay game. Unfortunately, not for the first time in Junior Rugby circles it was the lack of adequate referees that resulted in the decision. The game will be reset for a later date.
Outside of the top flights of Junior Rugby there was plenty of action for Kerry rugby fans to get their teeth into as the underage and women’s leagues continued. Tralee’s ladies again racked up a very impressive tally, this time it was Dungarvan-Youghal that felt the full force of a top quality Tralee side. 61 – 0 was the final tally and as the score-line would suggest, this is a Kerry side that are on top of their game.
In the Gleeson League Section: A, there was a good win for Abbeyfeale-Castleisland who saw off U.L. Bohemians by 21-18. In the Under 18 Conference 4 Killarney came up short against a classy Corca Dhuibhne side by 25-10, while Listowel ran Charleville close, ultimately losing out by 30-27
In the same division Tralee ran in 41 points to Killorglin’s 5.
Younger again, in the Under 16 Conference 5 Abbeyfeale and Killarney played out a good contest with the former side taking it by 28-14. Killorglin showed they have plenty underage talent as they easily beat Charleville by 24-7, while Castleisland saw off Kanturk by 42-22. Last but by no means least was a good win for Tralee against fellow Kerry side Listowel 35-15.