The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Na Gaeil sweat on Okunbor as Fossa look to reach final
Na Gaeil v Fossa Sunday, April 29 Listry at 2.30pm
A FASCINATING semi-final pits one of the pre-Championship favourites, Na Gaeil, against Fossa, who will justifiably have designs on lifting the first senior silverware since 2016 when they were crowned Junior Championship winners. Despite the presence of the best young talent in the county, David Clifford, in the Fossa attack, more of the indicators point toward a Na Gaeil victory, although the possible loss of Stefan Okunbor - red carded against Finuge last weekend - would be a serious blow to the Tralee club and would be looked on as such by Fossa who would hope to exploit his absence in the Na Gaeil defence.
Na Gaeil manager Donal Rooney confirmed that Okunbor will appeal the red card and is set for a hearing on Friday night, with Rooney “hopeful” the suspension can be overturned for a red card he thought was “quite harsh”.
By Rooney’s admission Group Four was a strange one for Na Gaeil, starting with a 15-point win over Listowel before their game with Finuge was abandoned after serious injury to two Finuge players. A “ding-dong” game against Ballymacelligott in which Rooney admits his team “snatched a draw” meant a win against Finuge in their re-scheduled game would put Na Gaeil through, and the Tralee club prevailed easily enough after a couple of red cards were issued to Finuge, but it is Okunbor’s proposed suspension that concerns Rooney this week.
Fossa had their hard work done after the first two games, with wins over Keel and then St Michaels-Foilmore securing their semi-final place before they travelled to Blennerville to face St Pats in a game they could afford to lose, which they did by four points. The duly got back to winning ways with a 12-point win over Cromane in the county league at the weekend, which puts them in the top bracket of Division Four on four points.
Much of the focus, understandably and perhaps frustratingly, falls on Clifford, and Na Gaeil are only too aware of hatching a plan to curtail the teenager, but Fossa will also need to shift the workload onto others if they’re to win this game. Paudie Clifford is a hugely important player for them and will be expected to anchor the attack, while Tadhg O’Shea has been scoring well for them, and Donald O’Sullivan has shown a good eye for goals of late. Colin Myers, Fintan Coffey, Anthony Wharton and Matt Rennie bring experience and skill to the team, but new manager Seamus Moynihan will know only two well that David Clifford alone won’t carry that day for the East Kerry club.
Na Gaeil will probably use Andrew Barry in a sweeping role in front of Clifford, but it will be their ability to go forward through Jack Barry and Diarmuid O’Connor and get quality possession into Eoin O’Neill, Jamie Lowham and Ian McCarthy that will be crucial.
The Tralee club lost the final of this championship two years ago and last year were caught out, against the odds, by Firies at the penultimate stage, so there will be a real determination to get back to the county final at the very least.
Fossa, too, will feel they can build on that 2016 Junior title, especially now that the hottest young property in Fossa is also the hottest young talent in the country. That might be unfair on David Clifford but he is that type of player.
With him and if Na Gaeil are without Okunbor it should be a close run thing, but one way or another - unless Clifford runs amok completely - the Tralee outfit appear to have the better balanced and more experienced side to make it through.