The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
St Senans ease into final
NORTH KERRY SFC SEMI-FINAL St Senans 3-12 Tarbert 0-11
ST. Senans booked their place in this year’s North Kerry Championship final after a comprehensive and deserved victory over Tarbert in Listowel in a game that never lived up to expectations.
Tarbert, with a Shane O’Connor free in the first minute, opened the scoring but an immediate reply came from a free by David Behan for Senans. It took until the seventh minute for the next point from Padraig Quille to put Senans in front. Tarbert levelled a minute later when a high ball in broke off full forward Donal Leahy and off the break Michael Carrig popped over.
Unfortunately for Tarbert the wheels came off the wagon after that. Sean T Dillon found Padraig Quille who gave keeper John Kennedy no chance in the Tarbert goal and few minutes later the same player added a point and that was followed by a pointed free by Sean O’Connell.
Tarbert were six points down when David Behan put over after 15 minutes, and it could have been worse for Tarbert only for John Kennedy saving from Behan to put the ball out for a ‘45’. It was worse though as the ‘45’ ball broke to the in running David Behan who blasted to the net.
With Tarbert now shell shocked they showed great courage and character to try and bring themselves back into contention. They were now getting their hands on the ball in the middle of the field and drew three frees all put over by Andrew Doherty.
In the 25th minute Cathal Kennelly got a point in reply and another attack by Tarbert resulted in another pointed free from Doherty.
Noel Kennedy at wing back got another point for Tarbert. In injury time a ball kicked in from 45 yards for Senans by David Foran deceived the keeper and rebounded out off the crossbar to leave the half time score St. Senans 2-6 Tarbert 0-7.
Tarbert needed to get off to a good start but Senans added the first two points of the half from Sean O’Connell. Points were exchanged by Mark Buckley and Shane O’Connor for Tarbert and Padraig Quille and David Behan for Senans.
Midway through the half the only way for Tarbert to get back in this game was if they could engineer a goal but they created only one meaningful chance.
In the 47th Senans centre forward David Foran added a third goal. To make matters worse Tarbert defender Jason Wrenn received a second yellow card.
As the game drifted to conclusion Tarbert keeper John Kennedy saved a penalty from Padraig Quille and a further exchange of points by Quille and sub Ronan Kerins for Senans and two pointed frees by Andrew Doherty for Tarbert left the final score St. Senans 3-12 Tarbert 0-11.
St Senans are in their first North Kerry Championship final since 2000 when they lost to Ballylongford. On current form there is no reason why they can’t go a step further this time and bring the title to Mountcoal for the first time in the club’s history.
As for Tarbert they know they are much better than this performance and really the only players who played up to the mark for them was keeper John Kennedy and corner forward Andrew Doherty.
St Senans now await the winners of next Sunday’s semi final between Listowel and Ballydonoghue as they look forward to the final on Sunday December 18.
FIXTURES
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11 Bernard O’Callaghan SFC semi-final Listowel Emmets v Ballydonoghue in Moyvane at 2.30pm
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 SFC Final St Senans v Listowel Emmets or Ballydonoghue at 2.30pm, venue T.B.C.
FINAL Programme IF anyone would like to include an article in the Championship programme for the 2016 Final please have them with myself no later than Sunday 11th December tel: 086-3689061 or email osullivan_mairead@yahoo.com. Thank you all who have contributed towards the programme to date.
NORTH Kerry Football Reference Book composed by Robert Bunyan is available in Listowel, Ballybunion and Tralee Libraries and from the Board if any club would like to use the information for club histories.
CONGRATULATIONS to North Kerry referee Brendan Griffin Clounmacon on taking charge of the South Kerry Final last Sunday. Brendan took charge of the North Kerry Final replay last year.