The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Stacks move into top spot in Division 2
DIVISION TWO
A SIGNIFICANT shift at the top of the table over the weekend as Austin Stacks are now in sole possession of top spot with Kilcummin moving into second after their win over fellow promotion chasers Na Gaeil with a second loss for Castleisland Desmonds seeing them move out of the lead.
Desmonds lost a keenly fought St Kierans derby with Ballymacelligott by the odd goal in five as Ballymac took a crucial climb up the table at the other end to move level on seven points with Milltown / Castlemaine.
Kieran Brennan had scored for the hosts inside the opening minute, but Ballymac responded with a goal of their own as there didn’t appear to be any major worries for Desmonds when they scored a second and Aidan Breen replied for Ballymac in making it 2-6 to 2-3 at the break.
Breen scored Ballymac’s third goal in the second period as the game ebbed and flowed, but two points from Pádraig McCarthy were the difference in the visitors winning by 3-12 to 2-13 with the victors now three points clear of the relegation zone.
Stacks overcame a rough start to their own game away to Milltown / Castlemaine meanwhile as they conceded 1-3 without reply early on with David Roche getting the Mid Kerry side’s goal.
Greg Horan’s goal brought the Tralee side back into it at half-time as they trailed by 1-5 to 1-4 as a second from centre-back Ciaran O’Reilly put them ahead in the second period.
The winning of the game for Stacks though was two late frees from Darragh O’Brien as they won out by 2-9 to 1-10 to assume top spot at a crucial juncture in the campaign.
Fellow Tralee side Na Gaeil suffered their first loss of the campaign to intermediate champions Kilcummin as too many key absentees on the day proved to be a setback for the hosts. A brace of goals from John McCarthy after Damien O’Leary had found the net before him for the visitors as the East Kerry side led by 3-9 to 0-3 at the break.
The final scoreline stood at 3-22 to 0-9 as Kilcummin will be happy to have won the first of two matches that will determine their promotion chances in the main as Desmonds visit them in Round Nine in two weeks.
At the bottom meanwhile it is looking increasingly forlorn for Currow with another defeat leaving them five points from safety with just three games left. The hosts played the majority of proceedings at home to Glenflesk with fourteen men as the visitors enjoyed an 0-8 to 0-5 lead at the break.
There appeared to be some hope for Currow as the game entered the third quarter with the sides level at 0-12 apiece, but Glenflesk found the scores easier to rack up near the finish in going on to win by 0-19 to 0-13.
Even if Currow are successful away to Dromid Pearses next time out, a number of results have to go their way in order for their chances of staying up to continue into Round10.
Listowel Emmets’ situation is still difficult meanwhile, but maybe a small bit more retrievable after another five goal encounter in the division that saw them beat Kenmare Shamrocks by the odd goal in five as well.
Late first-half points from a David Keane brace along with Sam Tarrant and David Sheehy efforts gave them a lead of 0-8 to 0-4 at the break as all five goals came in the second period.
Sheehy scored a hat-trick of goals, two from the penalty spot in Listowel going on to win by 3-11 to 2-13 as Paul O’Connor and David Hallissey scored the visitors goals.
This evening [Wednesday] sees Ardfert play the first of two ‘back games’ in four days to catch up from St Brendans involvement in the County Hurling Championship. They travel to Glenflesk first before hosting Dromid on Sunday as they require at least three points to draw level with the South Kerry side and Kenmare above them in the table.
Failing that the relegation battle might well be as good as over prior to the last two rounds depending on how it all pans out come the conclusion of the next round.