The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Skellig Rangers make home comforts pay to see off Dromid
PORTMAGEE with a clear sky and a biting sea breeze provided the backdrop for this first round replay after the sides had finished all square in Dromid last weekend.
Portmagee were well fancied to get the better of this encounter as their home crowd can have a big say in tight games. Both sides showed a couple of changes from the previous week with Dromid opting to play Thomas Curran at full-forward from the start and Skellig Rangers starting John Murphy on the wing . Both switches paid dividends.
Skellig Rangers against the breeze got off to a flyer with two pointed frees from Ciaran Keating in the first five minutes, before Dilan O’Donoghue and Niall O’Shea scored one each from open play to tie the game.
Dromid then proceeded to have their best phase of the game over the next 20 minutes with Chris Farley kicking two frees and Thomas Curran finding the back of the net. Dromid also kicked nine wides in this period of dominance in contrast to Skellig Rangers who scored twice from three chances, a Ciaran Keating free and a John Murphy score from play.
The sides went in at half-time with Dromid leading 1-4 to 0-5. Dromid should really have capitalised on their wind and scoring chances advantage in the first half with Niall O’Shea and Dilan O’Donoghue beating their men time and time again. Skellig went in at half-time feeling the luckier of the two sides knowing they would have the wind at their backs for the second half.
Once again Skellig Rangers began the second half full of energy with Ciaran Keating in deadly form from the placed ball. Four points in eight minutes, three from Keating and another beauty from play from John Murphy. However, Dilan O’Donoghue and Chris Noonan had other ideas and tied the game for Dromid on the 40th minute.
There followed another purple patch for Dromid who were playing the better football and were rewarded with another Chris Farley free in the 50th minute . A feature of both games was the crisp, un- erring, straight as a die type of free taking by Farley in contrast to the easy laid back style of Ciaran Keating of Skellig Rangers, both equally effective.
What followed was an amazing five minutes of football. Brian Hickey was introduced as a blood sub for Anthony O’Driscoll with Skellig a point down with four minutes left when Ronan O’Shea floated a high ball into the vicinity of the Dromid square.
It was kept in play by Chris O’Driscoll who directed it back across the goal where Hickey got a fist to the ball and it trickled inside the post. Three minutes left and Skellig Rangers were two points up.
Another high diagonal ball was pumped into the Dromid square and again Hickey got a clean fist to it and planted it in the top corner as Skellig Rangers ran out five point winners.
Most watching the game would have felt that Dromid had the better of the hour, chances wise but failure to go in at half time a few more points up eventually was their undoing.
Portmagee on the other hand bring enthusiasm and a ferocious but clean physicality to the game making you earn every score.
Will it be enough to topple Ballyfoilmore in Waterville next Sunday at 1.30 in the semi final? SKELLIG RANGERS: P O’Sullivan, S O’Sullivan, S O’Sullivan, G O’Sullivan, B Murphy, R O’Shea, S O’Sullivan, B Walsh , C Keating 0-6, 5f, C Noonan 0-1, D Keating, B O’Sullivan, J Murphy 0-2, M O’Sullivan, C O’Driscoll. Subs: B Hickey 2-0 for A O’Driscoll, S Courtney for M O’Sullivan DROMID PEARSES: B Ó Laoire, S Ó Conchubhair, A Shine, P Ó Suilleabhain, G Ó Suilleaghain, D Ó Suilleabhain, Donal Ó Suilleabhain, D Shine C Ó Laoire, C Noonan 0-1, N O’Shea 0-1, D Donnchu 0-2, K Farley, C Farley 0-3, T Curran 1-0