Unbeaten Ballylongford and Cordal to meet

DIVISION FIVE

TWO sides remain with 100% starts but one (or maybe both) of them will go after this weekend as both Ballylongford and Cordal were successful at the weekend to set up a potentially key meeting between them this weekend.

Ballylongford had three points to spare over Tuosist in their sixth win of the League campaign as they did enough to withhold an improved second half display from the Kenmare District side. The visitors were denied by the post on two occasions for goals in the first period as Ballylongford led by 0-10 to 0-3 at half-time, Joe McCarthy, Liam McElligott and Ciaran O’Connor guiding them to a seven-point lead. Dara Sugrue, Thomas Harrington and Flor Sullivan brought the visitors back within range after the restart but Matt O’Connor, Padraig O’Neill and O’Connor scored crucial points towards the end to give Ballylongford a 0-14 to 0-11 win ahead of the trip to Cordal at the weekend.

Cordal just shaded a tight encounter with Ballyduff as they returned to competitive action following the sad death of club stalwart Jimmy Roche the week before. They used the breeze to gain a three-point advantage at half-time but Ballyduff put them to the pin of their collar in the second period. The visitors struck for a decisive goal in a 1-9 to 0-11 win however as the hosts had a big claim for an equalising point turned down before the end.

Rathmore are outright second in the table on nine points as they had no less than 25 points to spare over a disappointing Knocknagoshel at the weekend. They had four goals inside the opening seven minutes to make their victory all the more emphatic. Tadhg O’Mahony scored two of them, Denis McCarthy and Mark T Reen the others as there was never any doubt about a 4-17 to 0-4 success.

Cromane are level on eight points in the table with Cordal albeit with a game more played after overcoming Valentia by 13 points on home turf. They hit 2-4 without reply in the first 10 minutes to send them on their way. Liam Walsh and Sean O’Sullivan scored the goals in that run as Stephen Sheehan and Ger O’Shea finally got the Young Islanders on the scoreboard. A third goal from Mike Houlihan and some fine points from O’Sullivan had Cromane 3-13 to 0-3 in front by half-time however.

Sheehan converted a second half penalty to make the score- board a bit more respectable for the South Kerry side but they still ended up losing out by 3-17 to 1-10.

Moyvane and Churchill both picked up their third wins of the campaign meanwhile over Asdee and Austin Stacks B meanwhile.

Despite Moyvane’s Eoin Flaherty receiving two yellow cards, the visitors still triumphed with a numerical disadvantage by 0-12 to 0-8 with John Doran and Jack Keane receiving black cards for Asdee. The visitors looked comfortable at 0-1 to 0-1 ahead after 21 minutes but Asdee reeled off four consecutive points to trail by three at the break. The gap was as low as two points but Colin Enright and Martin Stack put over what proved to be insurance scores for the victors.

Churchill had to come through a scoreless final 12 minutes over Austin Stacks B before they emerged one-point winners in Connolly Park. A Theo Diggin goal had put the Tralee side in front in the first period but Killian Fitzgerald, Liam O’Donnell and Michael O’Brien pointed to bring the St Brendans side level at half-time.

William Kirby and Fitzgerald traded second half goals but it was Churchill who just prevailed by 1-12 to 2-8 in the end.