The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Four clubs playing for second place
DIVISION ONE
NOT only will the County League Final definitely be in Lewis Road it also looks like being by one of the biggest margins between the first and second placed sides in the table with Dr Crokes going six points clear of Kerins O’Rahillys after a win over Rathmore for the Killarney side coupled with a defeat for Strand Road in Beaufort. Rathmore had their moments in the East Kerry derby in Rathbeg on Friday evening but were left to rue the crossbar as well as Crokes’ better finishing and some good goalkeeping by Johnny O’Leary.
A Donal O’Sullivan goal put them 1-5 to 0-6 in front at halftime in difficult conditions after Padraic McCarthy had to dive full length to stop Crokes scoring one at the other end with O’Leary saving well from John Moynihan to stop the hosts getting another. Although Rathmore went 1-7 to 0-6 ahead, Crokes outscored them 1-5 to 0-1 to make to take a three point advantage, Michael Potts their goalscorer. Daniel O’Sullivan rattled the crossbar for Rathmore before Crokes went six ahead and started playing possession football before Moynihan scored a second Rathmore goal in injury time to make the final scoreline 1-15 to 2-9. They now need a point from their final game with An Gaeltacht to make sure of their safety as O’Rahillys fell victim to a Beaufort side hoping to force a playoff with Rathmore to avoid relegation.
They wasn’t a lot to separate the sides in the first period except for Mike Breen and Ronan Murphy points late on to give Beaufort a half-time lead of 0-7 to 0-5 but that was Mike Moriarty made a big penalty save from O’Rahillys Ryan O’Carroll. Cormac Coffey was given his marching orders for the visitors after the restart but three unanswered points had them in front through Tommy Walsh and Jack Savage. Padraig O’Sullivan scored Beaufort’s first point of the second-half to draw level but Ronan Ferris scored their first goal two minutes later. Padraig O’Sullivan scored a second goal in injury time to give the Mid Kerry side a 2-11 to 0-13 win despite seven points for Jack Savage. O’Rahillys need a point in their remaining game with Dingle to make sure of second as Spa gave themselves a slim chance of making it through to the decider following an incredible late fightback to draw at home to John Mitchels.
The Tralee side had led by 1-11 to 1-3 at half-time thanks to scores from Niall Sheehy, Alan O’Donoghue, James Duggan and Brian Costello as the first of a hat-trick of goals for Evan Cronin didn’t seem that significant at the break. He scored two in quick succession with 10 minutes left however to turn the game on its head as David Spillane would make it three in five incredible minutes. Mitchels would need an equaliser to ensure it was a draw at 4-12 to 2-16 but it meant that their three years in the top flight would be ended by the side they beat in a Division Two playoff back in 2015 to go up. Glenbeigh/Glencar’s four years in the top flight are over as well after a 1-9 to 0-9 defeat at home to Killarney Legion which also secured the East Kerry side’s safety in the process. 1-4 without reply after both sides traded two points each in the opening stages were the main thrust of Legion’s win, Finbarr Murphy their goalscorer as they led by 1-6 to 0-2 at half-time. Tommy Cahill, Pa Kilkenny, Adrian O’Connor and Tommy Cahill tried hard to make amends for the hosts in the second period but too many missed chances in the first period proved costly.
Dingle are also safe after a fifth consecutive win in the Division on home turf over St Marys. A lead of 0-7 to 0-3 at half-time gave them their platform as Michael Slattery scored their goal in a 1-13 to 0-9 victory. Templenoe made sure of a fourth year in the top flight meanwhile after a 2-13 to 0-16 win over the side that beat them in last year’s Intermediate Final An Gaeltacht. Although Pat Spillane Jnr goaled for the hosts in the first period they trailed by 0-12 to 1-7 at the break with Roibeard Ó Sé unlucky not to goal for the visitors in his fisted effort coming back off the crossbar.
Teddy Doyle scored a second goal for Templenoe in the second period to retake the lead before a An Ghaeltacht penalty, for which Sean Sheehan was black carded for conceding, was saved by a combination of Anthony Sheehan and Kieran O’Neill.