The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Maher impressed for Duagh as Stacks B beat Kilgarvan
ELEVEN and 17 were telling numbers from the opening weekend here as seven teams registered either those number of points or final scoring totals in a by and large competitive first set of games.
GROUP A
WINS for Austin Stacks, Asdee, Churchill and Scartaglin in this section in the opening round as the Tralee side had no less than 10 different scorers in a 0-17 to 1-8 win at home to Kilgarvan with a 0-10 to 0-2 half-time lead giving them the ideal platform. They scored the first seven before Patrick O’Shea put the Kenmare District on the scoreboard in the 18th minute. Although Kilgarvan reduced the deficit to four points after the restart, Stacks powered ahead to lead by 10 with Donagh McKivergan, Sean Dukes, Sean Ryan and Dale Counihan leading the way on the scoring front as a certain William Kirby managed to register a point also. Patrick O’Shea scored 1-6 of Kilgarvan’s total with Gearóid Fennessy and Connie Cremin their only other scorers.
Asdee won a ding dong affair with Knocknagoshel meanwhile as both sides were level on six different occasions before eventually winning out by 1-11 to 0-12. They led by a narrow 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time, Eoin Tydings scoring six points in their win but Eoin Kennedy’s goal was ultimately the difference in settling the outcome in their favour. John and Michael Walsh tried hard to remedy matters for Knock but the final scores of the game came from Conor Sheehan and Noel Long in Asdee running out winners.
Churchill and Valentia played out a very close affair in Churchill as Brendan O’Sullivan’s availability wasn’t enough for the Young Islanders to return home with something from proceedings. Killian Fitzgerald scored an early goal in giving the hosts the advantage as despite four points from O’Sullivan, Michael O’Brien scored three for Churchill in giving them a lead of 1-8 to 0-7 at half-time. The game continued at a ferocious pace in the second period as Paul O’Sullivan became prominent for the visitors and Andy Quigley rattled the crossbar but Brendan O’Sullivan was the provider to Ger O’Shea for an equalising goal at 1-13 apiece. Chris Hurley lifted Churchill as Fitzgerald and O’Brien registered further scores with JJ Prior putting over the insurance score a 1-17 to 1-14 win as Valentia chased a game winning goal to no avail.
Scartaglin had a positive start in their first game in Division Five meanwhile in a 13-a-side affair with Kerins O’Rahillys B as there was 12 points between the sides in the end. Mike Coakley’s goal in the 11th minute had Scart 1-8 to 0-5 ahead at the break as Mike Horan scored their second with Sean Horan making a welcome return from injury after missing out on the Kerry minors last year by scoring their third goal two minutes after being introduced as a 50th minute substitute. Shane McElligott, John and Tom McGrath were amongst the Strand Road scorers but it was a difficult start to their return to the County Senior League for them in losing out by 3-11 to 0-8.
GROUP B
ANTHONY Maher played for Duagh in their return to Division Five after a year up above in Division Four and the Kerry midfielder was of benefit to them in getting the better of Ballyduff who were without their Kerry hurling contingent. The visitors scored the only goal of the game in the first period but it was Duagh who led by 0-8 to 1-3 as Maher scored three points from play. Four points after the break were crucial for the hosts however with two Daniel O’Donoghue frees and points from Michael Kirby and Nigel O’Connor giving them a firmer grip on the scoreboard as despite Darragh O’Grady and Jack O’Sullivan trying hard for Ballyduff, Michael Carmody put over the insurance score for Duagh in a 0-17 to 1-10 success.
Tuosist started their campaign with a win over Rathmore B and registered 1-19 to boot as a Liam O’Shea penalty came them a lead of 1-11 to 0-5 at half-time. Teddy Harrington, Dara Sugrue and Colm Brosnan were amongst the scorers for the Kenmare District side in their win as although Anthony Darmody scored a second-half goal for the visiting East Kerry side and both Dara Moynihan and Michael Kelliher also pitched in with scores, Tuosist still went on to win by 1-19 to 1-9.
Moyvane won a very tight 2-11 to 1-10 affair with Dingle B in the other game played meanwhile as Sneem/Derrynane officially begin their campaign away to the West Kerry side in Round Two in two weeks time.