Annascaul slip up at top as Waterville lose ground at bottom

DIVISION THREE

THERE’S never a good time to lose but Annascaul’s first loss of the campaign arrived at a bad time for the west Kerry club whose 1-14 to 0-14 loss away to Dr Crokes B on Saturday means they must get a result against Keel on the last day now to be absolutely certain of promotion.

A penalty nine minutes into the second half from Dr Crokes’ Billy Courtney was the decisive score after both sides had gone in level at the interval with 0-7 apiece. The Killarney side now stand a great chance of promotion up another Division for a second successive year should they beat Ballydonoghue in their final game, as second and third placed Brosna and St Senans will face off on the final day.

Brosna had a rather strange first period in their game with Ballydonoghue, going 0-5 to 0-1 down early on before a run of nine consecutive scores saw them lead by 0-10 to 0-5 at the break. Although Ballydonoghue brought it back to four points midway through the second half, Brosna went on for a 0-15 to 0-9 win as a massive encounter with St Senans awaits them in Mountcoal. A draw would be enough for Ballydonoghue regardless of other results but they dare not lose with how well positioned Dr Crokes B are below them.

St Senans got the better of Listry away from home by 1-14 to 0-12 to stay in a share of third place with Crokes.

At the bottom of the division, meanwhile, St Pats Blennerville ensured they would not be relegated for the second successive year but they left Lispole with a bit of work to do on the final day after a high scoring 3-20 to 4-10 win.

Eoin Greaney scored 2-6 for the St Brendan’s District club but it was Paul McMahon who scored their first goal as both sides dominated the first period at various stages. Garreth Noonan scored a scrambled goal for Lispole as Declan O’Sullivan followed up with a levelling point, but follow-up scores from Jake Foley and McMahon meant that St Pats would lead at half-time by 1-9 to 1-7.

Greaney scored the first of his goals early in the second period but Matthew Sean Griffin kept Lispole in touch with their first goal. Greaney added his second though as their advantage started to show on the scoreboard thanks to six consecutive points, in addition to a fine Paudie Bailey save at the other end. O’Sullivan did manage to register two goals for Lispole before the end but Breandán Savage and Greaney scored the points that saw St Pats to a seven-point win.

The West Kerry side need something from their final game with Listry to be certain of staying up.

Finuge were officially relegated in the build-up last weekend after the concession of their Round 9 fixture to Dr Crokes B and being beaten in a ‘back game’ by Brosna the previous weekend by 1-12 to 0-11.

Waterville are in grave danger of joining them now after going down to Laune Rangers by 1-12 to 0-4 in JP O’Sullivan Park. Patrick O’Dwyer, the Waterville goalkeeper, had to make a double save from Fiachra Clifford and Patrick O’Dwyer early on but good points from Colm and Cian O’Shea helped Rangers to 0-6 to 0-2 lead at half-time, frees from Keith Moran and Barry O’Dwyer Waterville’s only scores.

A combination of the post and O’Dwyer stopped Colm O’Shea and Costelloe getting Rangers a goal but it eventually came in the 37th minute through Jack O’Connor for the Killorglin side. Shay Flaherty was black carded for the visitors as Jamie O’Sullivan and Paddy O’Dwyer scored Waterville’s only second half points in a 1-12 to 0-4 defeat.

With Keel and Laune Rangers to face already relegated Finuge, it seems unlikely that Waterville can stay up even with a win over St Pats in their final game.

Laune Rangers, meanwhile, need Keel to slip up in their remaining games to have a chance themselves.