The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Mitchels win a most dour affair
ALL championship openers are cause for excitement.
Showcasing two high-profile clubs at one of the county’s top venues, this Intermediate Championship opener was an especially appetising prospect; instead, supporters were made endure a bleak hour’s football.
Save for an exciting finish and very occasional flashes of brilliance, negativity dominated: play was overwhelmingly defensive and, at times, terribly foul-tempered. An astonishing melee five minutes from time epitomised the drudgery.
It was immediately clear neither team would use anything like traditional formations, instead opting to overstaff their defences. In the opening ten minutes, play trudged from one side of the field to the other like a well-matched arm wrestle, all attacks crumbling under wides and misplaced passes.
Nine minutes had gone by the time John Mitchels half-back Laurence Bastible collected a pass to the right of the posts and knocked over the first point – but it was only brief respite as stifling defence immediately regained control.
Mitchels initially looked the more likely to force openings as their nippy half-back line and midfielder Akeem Molloy got a handle on Ardfert’s cover. One especially electrifying run at defence by Molloy on 18 minutes paved an opening for his support runner, wing-back Sean Moloney, to point for a 0-2 to 0-0 lead.
Ardfert registered five wides by the time they hit their first point on 23 minutes; it came by way of a nice strike from around 30 metres by Bobby O’Regan and was immediately followed up as Fionan Mackassey languidly punted over from inside the ’45.
Mitchels regrouped vigorously, however, after a slow build-up of deep, lateral hand-passing. A sudden break up allowed Moloney to deliver a precise kick-pass to Molloy on the stand-side – and Molloy then lobbed the Ardfert cover with a delightful punt of his own to the unmarked James Duggan. Duggan had earlier botched a free from 20 metres – but this time he slammed the ball home for a goal that already seemed crucial.
A point by Mitchels’ Wayne Conway extended the lead – but a long-range free by full-forward Damien Wallace ensured Ardfert would only trail at half-time by 1-3 to 0-3.
Any hope the vibrant end to the first half would continue into the second was misplaced. An excellent long-range free by Niall Sheehy just three minutes after the break restored Mitchels’ four-point advantage, but the Tralee club could only add one more score before full-time.
Ardfert’s Bobby O’Regan would strike for his second point, while a smart move between David Griffin, Damien Wallace, and scorer Trevor Wallace brought them to within two at 1-4 to 0-5.
With 12 minutes of normal time left, Mitchels’ George Bastible picked up his second yellow for a high challenge on Iarla Courtney; on the back-foot and reduced to fourteen men, Mitchels’ needed a forceful retort. A point by the impressive Alan O’Donoghue did stabilise matters, briefly – but an incredible incident five minutes from time destroyed any calm.
Mitchels were awarded a freekick on the terrace side, drawing vociferous Ardfert objection – and within seconds, a seemingly mun- dane disagreement burst into an extraordinary melee between a great many players and mentors alike. The game froze for three minutes before tempers cooled, but the incident remained the topic of conversation long after the match resumed with a throw-ball.
Upon the restart, Ardfert continued their rampage. The lively Brandon Barrett cut the deficit to two points, and just a minute later David Griffin contributed a point to make it 1-5 to 0-7.
Their charge would ultimately fall short, however, though they were gifted plenty time and opportunities to level during the nine added minutes. On 64 minutes, a Griffin shot trailed off target, and
not even the fist of Iarla Courtney, who leapt at the ball like a salmon battling a current, could keep the ball in play.
Further chances also came and went harmlessly by – and John Mitchels, marginally the better team, won by the minimum. JOHN MITCHELS: Dermot Raggett; Jarleth Carney; John Horgan; Patrick Kearney; Sean Moloney (0-1); Laurence Bastible (0-1); Jack Myers; Akeem Molloy; George Bastible (sent off, 48 minutes); Stephen O’Mahony; Niall Sheehy (0-1f); Jonathan O’Halloran; Alan O’Donoghue (0-1); Wayne Conway (0-1); James Duggan (1-0). Subs: Brian Costello for G Bastible (blood sub 26, reversed 29), Conor Hurley for Conway (45); Michael Kelliher for Sheehy (45), Brian Costello for Molloy (57), Brendan O’Mahony for O’Halloran (62)
ARDFERT: Nicholas O’Sullivan; Darren Dineen; Rory Horgan; Eric Leen; Brandon Barrett (0-1); Stephen Leen; Mike Moloney; Fionan Mackassey (0-1); Kevin Shanahan; Bobby Regan (0-2); Paudie Carroll; Trevor Wallace (0-1); David Griffin (0-1); Damien Wallace (0-1f); John Egan Subs: Iarla Courtney for Carroll (27); Eoghan Courtney for D Wallace (44), Eoin McElligott for J Egan (57)
REFEREE: Jer Lynch (Ballymacelligott)