Killarney Legion made to work for points against visiting Emmets

DIVISION TWO

NO change at the top but we nearly did have a new pacesetter as Legion were made to work hard by a visiting Listowel Emmets side in staying atop the table after a 1-13 to 0-13 win. Emmets made a great start in Direen and arguably should have been ahead by more than the three points they were at the end of the first quarter. The hosts managed to gather themselves however in taking a 0-7 to 0-4 lead at the break but even though they led by five at one stage of the second period, Emmets stayed on their tails thanks to six Conor Cox frees in particular. The game was decided by a great move for the only goal of the game however as Billy Maguire, Shaun Keane and Chris Davies combined for Conor Keane to raise the green flag for the decisive score.

The win kept Legion ahead of neighbouring Spa in the table with the latter having played the previous Thursday evening at home to Ardfert. The visitors scored the game’s first goal through Darren Dineen but Ciaran Spillane responded with a goal at the other end for Spa. Bobby Regan scored a second goal for Ardfert but points from Eoin Cronin and Mike ‘Stam’ O’Donoghue put the hosts ahead by 1-7 to 2-2 at the interval. Spa took a bit more control of the game after half-time when they found the back of the net twice in the space of a minute through both David Spillane and Shane Cronin as they had a 10 point lead at one stage of the second-half before late points from Paudie Carroll and Shane Griffin reduced the deficit to eight at the final whistle for the St Brendans side in losing out by 3-12 to 2-8 at the East Kerry venue.

Another East Kerry side in Glenflesk missed out on the chance to go into the share of the lead as Waterville managed to get the better of them by two points on home turf. A first-half goal from Sam Dwyer with Paddy Curran the provider was the decisive score in the end as it meant that the South Kerry side led an otherwise evenly matched first-half by 1-5 to 0-6. The hosts would go ahead again after the restart when Eric O’Donoghue put Dan O’Brien through for the lead score however Alan O’Shea and Cormac O’Sullivan restored the visitors advantage. Jeff O’Donoghue levelled the game once more but Waterville went back ahead as Jamie O’Sullivan kicked the insurance score in a 1-10 to 0-11 win.

Beaufort are now level with them in a share of third place with eight points after they had a good win away to Kilcummin on Saturday evening by six points. They started well with the opening three points of the game before Oscar O’Connor scored Kilcummin’s first score with a goal. Liam Carey set up Padraig Doona for a swift Beaufort response but Kilcummin grabbed a second goal through Richie O’Connor in a very see-saw period. Carey would leave the Kilcummin defence in his wake however in scoring Beaufort second goal as they led by 2-6 to 2-5 at the break. Carey scored a second goal in an impressive individual display to give the Mid Kerry side further control after the restart as despite Shane McSweeney’s best efforts for the hosts, Mike Moriarty was strong in the Beaufort goal when called upon.

Kilcummin finished the game with 14 men following Noel Duggan’s dismissal as the final scoreline was 3-13 to 2-10 in Beaufort’s favour. Kenmare Shamrocks would go above Kilcummin the table meanwhile following a successful win at home to Currow that saw them make amends for some recent defeats since the League resumed. It looked like it would be a tall order early on however as Currow took an early 1-4 to 0-1 advantage, Tim O’Leary their goalscorer but Kenmare managed to draw level on the scoreboard thanks to a Kevin O’Sullivan goal as they eventually led by 1-7 to 1-6 at half-time.

Although the visitors levelled after the restart, Kenmare were in control for nearly all of the second-half, Brian O’Sullivan’s goal in the 47th minute sending them on their way to a 2-13 to 1-10 win with Currow only scoring four points in the second period.

The other game played concerned matters at the bottom of the table as it turned out to be a crucial win for the visitors Listry away to St Pats/Blennerville in getting their first win of the campaign. The only goal of the game came in the third minute for the East Kerry side as John Foley sent Listry on their way to a 1-6 to 0-7 lead at half-time.

Brandon Boyle had been denied a goal for the hosts by Listry goalkeeper Colm Counihan but eight Damian Clifford points (six frees) were a big feature of their win. Both Counihan and John Fitzgerald at the other end were busy in the second period as both sides went for goals but Listry were narrow 1-11 to 0-12 victors at the final whistle.

St Pats head into this weekend’s back game with Legion looking for a win to pull clear of the relegation zone as the latter know maintained their 100% start will give them some daylight at the top of the table.