The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Listry storm back to snatch JFC title
Listry 2-12 Castlegregory 2-11
LISTRY are the 2017 Castleisland Mart Junior Club champions after a magnificent one point victory over Castlegregory in Austin Stacks Park last Sunday. The old cliché ‘a game of two halves’ is the most appropriate description for this game as there was very few in the crowd that could have predicted Listry’s comeback in the second half to claim the prize.
Castlegregory seemed to hold all the aces as they led at the break by 2-8 to 0-5 and had played all of the quality football in the first half. Some of their passing was of the top drawer variety, and the pace and energy of their forwards caused the Listry defence countless problems. In contrast, Listry were slow and ponderous and seemed to lack the game smarts to break down a teak tough Castlegregory defence. The way they turned it around in the second period of the game is a credit to their courage and resilience, and while they might have rode their luck at times, they emerged as worthy champions in the finish.
Listry did start brightly enough and early points from Joe Clifford and a Ronan Buckley free kick saw them lead by 0-2 to 0-1 after four minutes. Castlegregory’s first goal came in the eighth minute and it was a thing of beauty. Adam O’Donnell won a kickout after a Listry wide, his pass found Brandon Hoare who popped to Alan Fitzgerald off the shoulder, and the Kerry senior panellist, who was magnificent throughout, applied a cool finish to the back of the Listry net.
Their second goal in the 16th minute was a more conventional affair as a shot for a point from O’Donnell dropped short, and as the Listry defence failed to deal with the breaking ball, Brandon Hoare pounced to rattle Colm Counihan’s net once more.
Two quick points in succession from frees by Alan Fitzgerald pushed Castlegregory into a 2-4 to 0-4 lead straight afterwards, as Listry struggled with securing primary possession around the middle third. Wing forward Michael Scanlon was proving to be an excellent outlet for Castlegregory from kickouts, and his work-rate was causing the Listry defence a lot of bother. Anthony Kennedy did steady the ship somewhat in the 24th minute with a Listry point, but further scores from Liam Maunsell, Jimmy O’Grady and an Anto Kelliher free pushed Castlegregory into a 2-8 to 0-5 lead at half time.
Listry dropped the ball short into the goalkeeper’s hands three times in that first period,and such wastefulness looked like it was going to cost them as Castlegregory made ample use of every scoring opportunity that presented itself.
Some strong words at the half time break from Listry manager Seanie O’Shea seemed to have the desired effect, as the mid Kerry men came out with intent for the second half. Paul O’Donoghue pointed in the first minute, and two minutes later the lively Joe Clifford reacted first to a good save from Shane Kenny to rattle the Castlegregory net, and bring the deficit back to five points. Both sides traded points soon afterwards, but Castlegregory then put over two on the bounce from Alan Fitzgerald and Anto Kelliher with the Listry reply coming from a Derry Ahern free kick.
At the midway point of the second half Castlegregory lead by six points, and with Listry still struggling from their restarts, it looked like the game would trundle on to an inevitable conclusion. Listry weren’t about to give up that easily, and after a Ronan Buckley point from a free kick, a superb defence splitting move involving Aaron McCarthy, and Paul O’Donoghue saw Joe Clifford rattle the Castlegregory net with conviction. Listry were now just two points behind and growing in confidence.
Castlegregory did have a chance to put the game beyond Listry in the 53rd minute, but substitute Micheal O Shea somehow managed to kick wide with an open goal at his mercy. Two bad wides from Listry afterwards didn’t help their cause, and Castlegregory’s Alan Fitzgerald was unlucky to see his shot for a point controversially disallowed with five minutes left on the clock. Listry were in the ascendancy however, and a good score from the magnificent Ronan Buckley was soon followed with the equaliser from Gary O’Sullivan. Listry could now smell victory and they were full of running as the Castlegregory legs grew tired.
Every final needs a hero, of course, and after Eoghan Darmody’s shot for a point was blocked, Ronan Buckley confidently stepped up to stroke the ‘45’ over the bar for the lead point for Listry. The referee’s whistle sounded soon afterwards, and as the Castlegregory players fell to their knees in anguish, the Listry players and management jumped in the air to savour a magnificent and hard fought victory.
LISTRY: C Counihan, D Wren, B O’Brien, D Lehane, C O’Sullivan, K Murphy, C Bradley, R Buckley (0-7, 4f, 2 ‘45’), J O’Leary, G O’Sullivan (0-1), P O’Donoghue (0-1), A Kennedy (0-1), D Ahern (0-1f), D Clifford, J Clifford (2-1). Subs: A McCarthy for D Clifford (31 min), K Courtney for K Murphy (31 min), E Darmody for A Kennedy (49 min), A Sweeney for P O’Donoghue (61 min).
CASTLEGREGORY: S Kenny, G O’Connor, P Rohan, M Lynne, T Moriarty, G Fitzgerald, J O’Connor, A Fitzgerald (1-5, 4f), A O’Donnell, M Scanlon, J O’Grady (01), T O’Connor, B Hoare (1-0), L Maunsell (0-1), A. Kelliher (0-4, 2f). Subs: M O’Shea for L Maunsell (49 min), M Slattery for M Lyne (51 min).
REFEREE: Eamon Moran (Ballydonoghue)