Stalemate between contenders

DENNY PREMIER A Dingle Bay Rovers 3 Fenit Samphires 3

THIS was a fascinating game between two of the title contenders in this division and after a rousing 90 minutes it ended all square after a highly entertaining game that produced some excellent spells of football.

This result puts Fenit at the summit of Premier A a point ahead of Killarney Athletic and puts pressure on Dingle in their bid to win back to back titles.

Dingle have a number of games in hand due to their great run in the FAI Junior Cup.

This was a game that ebbed and flowed throughout with Dingle getting an early goal but they had to come from behind twice in the second half to secure a point and they could have won late on but for the woodwork.

Dingle were well on top in the first half and went ahead after 12 minutes with a fantastic goal.

Joe Sheehy was the provider with a superb through ball to Sean Fitzgerald and from a tight angle he blasted a rocket of a shot past the Fenit keeper.

Then a shot from distance by Sheehy produced a corner kick and they took it short to Joe Kennedy whose cross found Luke Burgess but his headed effort went wide.

Gradually Fenit began to get into the game and they forced a corner kick in the 20th minute from which Jack Savage found Sean Foley but he shot wide of the target.

Dingle were only a whisker away from doubling their lead in the 30th minute when Sean Fitzgerald ran on to a Joe Sheehy through ball and his screamer of a shot from 30 yards came back off the left hand post with the Fenit keeper stranded.

Four minutes later Fitzgerald was on the prowl again latching on to a Jason Hickson cross and his diving header went narrowly wide.

Then the game was turned on its head in the 26th minute when Bill Mullins used his strength at midfield to win the ball and his dainty footwork got him past a couple of defenders and he heard the call of Robert Prendeville out on the wing and he spread the ball wide to him. He cut in at an angle and from just inside the box he drilled the ball low to the bottom corner.

Coming up to half time Dingle forced a couple of corners but were unable to make them count.

Dingle must have been disappointed that they were only on level terms at half time as they had enjoyed a lot of possession and created a good few scoring chances which they failed to convert while Fenit should have been contended enough as they knew they could play much better that they did in the first 45 minutes.

Fenit started the second half strongly with Joe Sheehy and Luke Burgess the playmakers at midfield and they began to test the Dingle rearguard.

In a speedy attack Jack Savage and Daniel Clinton combined to make an opening for Pa McCarthy but his header did not have enough sting to bother the Dingle goalie.

Fenit should have gone ahead in the 50th minute after great build up play Pa McCarthy was through 1 on 1 with the Dingle keeper but Eoin Brosnan spread himself well and made a great block.

Then Dingle suffered a big blow when their excellent centre half Donnacha Higgins sustained a leg injury after falling awkwardly in an accidental clash and he was replaced by Cathal Sheehy.

Fenit went ahead 3 minutes later after a swift move down the left flank Kieran O’Mahoney set up Robert Prendiville and he made no mistake from close range.

Dingle then forced 4 consecutive corners kick but could not find a hole in the Fenit defence.

Ryan Dolan then had a good chance to score again for Fenit but he was denied by a great block by the Dingle keeper.

The game was all square again in the 76th minute when the lethal combination of Joe Sheehy and Luke Burgess split open the Fenit defence and at the end of it all Sean Fitzgerald was lurking menacingly and he poked to ball home.

Three minutes later Fenit hit back on the break with Sean Foley providing a superb cross to Pa McCarthy who rose hight to put away a thumping header from 10 yards.

But Dingle are not Premier A Champions without a reason and they rallied the troops with Brian Rayel linking up with sub Cathal Sheehy who set up Sean Fitzgerald and he finished to the net in emphatic fashion to complete his hat trick and bring his tally for the season so far to 14 goals.

Dingle almost won the game late on with a blockbuster of a shot from Brian Rayel came back off the post.

Full marks to both sides for providing a great game we need to see more games like this in the KDL. DINGLE Bay Rovers: Eoin Brosnan, Jason Hickson, Donnacha Higgins (Cathal Sheehy 53mins), Mark O’Sullivan, Michael Begley, Brian Rayel, Gareth Hickey Brosnan (Gearoid Fitzgerald 78 mins), Joe Sheehy, Luke Burgess Joe Kennedy, Sean Fitzgerald. FENIT Samphires: Eoghan O’Brien, Kieran O’Mahony, Rob Prendiville, Peter McCarthy, Bobby O’Regan (Thomas Lenihan 79), Jack Savage, Bill Mullins (John Moran 63 mins), Ryan Dolan, Daniel Clinton, Sean Foley (Donnacha McGarry 79 mins), Pa McCarthy. REFEREE: Kevin O’Regan.