The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
County SHC: O’Dorney and Ballyheigue are out
BALLYHEIGUE manager Brendan Mahony expressed his disappointment at the manner in which his side exited the championship with a poor second half display against Kilmoyley.
“I suppose to be honest against Crotta O’Neills we had two men sent off and it was a turning point really in the game,” he explained.
“You had Diarmuid Walsh sent off and then you had Jason Casey sent off so I think only for that we would have been there or thereabouts against Crotta. Then we came on and we played Kilmoyley afterwards and those two players were suspended and they were a big loss.
“We went in at half-time and we were only two points down against Kilmoyley and we just never really performed in the second half. We were all disappointed with our performance in the second half.”
His side’s level of performance in the first ten minutes, however, had to have been hugely encouraging.
“It’s encouraging alright, but the game is over sixty minutes,” he maintained.
“Ten minutes we played very well alright and I think it was just a lack of concentration really that let Kilmoyley in for two goals. We responded again before half-time with a goal of our own, but you know the game is over sixty minutes.
“It’s a process at the moment with Ballyheigue, we’ve young players coming up and confidence is needed. In a way it [the year] was an improvement, but the way I look at it is that the first game against Crotta was there for the winning and it was discipline that let us down.
“You need fifteen men on the pitch and if we did it would be a lot closer and then we played Kilmoyley and it was a lack of concentration in the second half. Did we make progress this year?
“I’d say maybe. From my own point of view I was disappointed, but it might take another year or two you know.”