The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Brosna bounce back in flawless victory over St Michaels Foilmore
DIVISION THREE
AT the halfway stage both Ballymacelligott and Dromid Pearses remain undefeated while Brosna bounced back from their first loss of the campaign in staying in a tie for third place with Na Gaeil. Ballymac’s away win against Finuge was a real ‘four pointer’ in terms of the promotion battle as a 2-11 to 1-12 win for Ballymac means they are five clear of their opponents last weekend in the table now. A Darragh O’Regan goal gave them a 1-4 to 0-5 lead at the break before Michael Herlihy scored their second five minutes after the restart to give them control of the match. The hosts did manage to find the back of the net themselves at the other end to make it a tight one in the finish but the Ballymac defence held out in securing their side’s two point win.
Dromid Pearses meanwhile scored three first-half goals that proved crucial to their victory over Gneeveguilla on home turf as Niall O’Shea and Dylan O’Donoghue were the scorers in giving their side a 3-4 to 0-9 lead at the break. O’Shea went off injured at half-time but Graham O’Sullivan made an appearance in the second-half for the hosts as Cian Ó Sé impressed in defence. Gneeveguilla made inroads on the scoreboard in the second period but it took a great penalty save to prevent Dromid from scoring a fourth goal in an eventual 3-9 to 0-15 success.
Brosna meanwhile were pretty flawless in seeing off St Michaels/ Foilmore on home turf as they hit 1-7 without reply from the off in taking a decisive grip on the game.
Patrick Moriarty was the goalscorer as it took 15 minutes before Bernard Kelly got St Michaels/Foilmore on the scoreboard with a second from Kelly their only other first-half score as they trailed by 1-11 to 0-2 at half-time. Adrian O’Connell scored a consolation goal for the South Kerry side in the second period but there was an air of inevitability to proceedings before Tom McGoldrick finished the game’s scoring in giving Brosna an eventual 1-16 to 1-3 win. Na Gaeil had
a successful trip to Killorglin to join Brosna n a share of third as a good period after the restart along with two late points were the factors in a 1-14 to 2-9 win away to Laune Rangers. The hosts had led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break, Jack O’Connor with their goal as Andrew Barry missed a goal effort for the visitors at the other end.
Na Gaeil took advantage of a lapse in concentration from the hosts defence in Diarmuid Herlihy fisting the high ball into the net. Their advantage was 1-11 to 1-6 on the three quarter-mark as it was Laune Rangers’ turn to take advantage of a lapse by the Na Gaeil defence in Conor Clarke bringing them right back into proceedings.
A Colm O’Shea free put the hosts in front towards the end before Darragh Carmody levelled and it was left to Jack Carmody and Jamie Lowham to secure the win for their side. Annascaul meanwhile kept themselves on the fringes of the promotion battle with a 0-14 to 1-8 victory at home to Fossa who remain with only a single point from their six outings so far. Fintan Coffey’s goal had given the visitors a 1-4 to 0-4 lead at half-time but the hosts were much better in a competitive second-half.
They overcame the loss of Eoin O’Neill in the second-half to take command of the game and secure an eventual six point win that leaves them with seven points in the table. In the other game played Ballydonoghue pulled clear of the relegation battle by beating St Senans in a repeat of last year’s North Kerry Final however it was a much closer encounter this time as they got the better of the Mountcoal side by four points. Padraig Lyons scored an early goal for Ballydonoghue before Adrian O’Mahony was black carded after 10 minutes for Senans.
David Foran kept Senans on their tails at half-time however in Ballydonoghue leading by 1-7 to 1-6. A run of five consecutive points had the hosts ahead by the same margin but St Senans reeled off four on the trot themselves to keep the game in the balance. Lyons scored a somewhat fortunate second goal however to secure a 2-14 to 1-13 win. Ballydonoghue host Dromid Pearses next in what you feel is their last chance to get into the promotion picture.
St Senans face a big game with Finuge this weekend in a game brought forward because of the County Hurling Championship, one they must win to get out of the bottom three before the others play the following weekend.