Goals are decisive as Beaufort qualify for Mid Kerry final meeting with Milltown/Caslemaine

MID KERRY SFC SEMI-FINAL Beaufort 2-14 Glenbeigh/Glencar 0-17

GLENBEIGH/GLENCAR have had a succession of high intensity matches recently on their run to the Munster Junior Final and this Saturday served up another as they travelled to take on Beaufort in the semi-final of the Mid Kerry Championship.

Glenbeigh/Glencar got off to a good start with Daniel griffin scoring the first point of the match but the hosts drew level with a Francis Courtney free. Rory O’Connor was called into early action saving a goal bound Liam Carey before a converted Gavan O’Grady free restored their lead.

Things could have got even better when Kieran Courtney was presented by the defence with a goal opportunity but settled for a point as Glenbeigh opened up a two point lead. The first decisive moment of the match came as Feargal Hallissey intercepted a Glenbeigh/Glencar kickout and drove the ball into the back of Rory O’Connor’s net, things got even worse minutes later when Beaufort struck for a goal from Ronan Ferris.

The home side were heaping on the pressure and a Feargal Hallissey converted free opened up five point lead. Stephen O’Sullivan clawed a point back but Beaufort extended their lead further with points from Ferris and Niall O’Connor.

The two Rossbeigh men, Tommy Cahill (3) and Caolim Teahan, scored four points as Glenbeigh/ Glencar fought back into the match and reduced the deficit to two points but Beaufort rallied again and points from Niall O’Con- nor and a Francis Courtney free made the halftime score 2-6 to 0-8.

Beaufort started the second half the better with a great point from Niall O’Connor and another from Liam Carey. Tommy Cahill saw his free sail over the Beaufort bar as the Glenbeigh/Glencar management freshened things up introducing Danny O’Sullivan and Bernard Murphy for Caolim Teahan and Feargal Griffin. The substitutions could not stem the tide as it seemed every effort from the home side sailed over the bar as Feargal Hallissey, Francis Courtney, Mike Breen and Niall O’Connor extended their lead to 2-12 to 0-9.

Glenbeigh/Glencar looked to be out of the game but credit to them and their resilience as they responded with four unanswered points from Tommy Cahill (3) and O’Grady.

Podge Griffin came off for Danial Griffin before the another decisive moment came when Gavan O’Grady fired a rasper of a shot which beat Mike Moriarty in the Beaufort goal only to be cleared off the line or maybe from behind the line by one of the Beaufort backs. A Padraig Doona point gave Beaufort a 2-13 to 0-13 point lead as Shane O’Riordan was introduced for the visitors.

Gavan O’Grady struck a great effort from a ‘45’ as Glenbeigh/ Glencar were in the ascendancy and points from O’Grady and Jeremiah Hoare gave them a glimmer of hope. But when a Darran O’Sullivan saw his goal bound shot deflected from what looked a leg block the game was up.

Kieran Courtney scored his second point in the dying stages. Thursday, December 1 Mid Kerry board meeting at 8.30pm in O’Grady’s Bar Killorglin Saturday, December 3 Mid Kerry Minor Championship Final Laune Rangers v Beaufor t at 2pm in Milltown