The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Great drama played out in County Junior Football League finals
GROUP ONE Killarney Legion 3-11 John Mitchels 1-11
DESPITE trailing by a point at halftime, Killarney Legion overcame home advantage for John Mitchels last Thursday evening with two second half goals at the John Mitchels complex for a six point win.
The Tralee side had led by 1-8 to 1-7 at half-time but they could only score a further three points in the second period as a brace from Michéal Devlin and a goal from Stephen McCarthy made up the visitors’ three goals.
Devlin along with Finbarr Murphy, Adam Moynihan and Kevin Breen impressed for the Killarney side in their win as they had previously finished second in the table with Mitchels getting home advantage for the decider as Group winners.
GROUP TWO Glenbeigh/Glencar 3-15 Annascaul 3-11
A FOURTH consecutive County Junior League title for Glenbeigh/ Glencar last Friday evening in Castleisland as they also had four points to spare in defeating Annascaul in a high scoring encounter that ebbed and flowed both ways. The two sides had been level at 1-6 to 0-9 at the break before a further five flags were raised in the second period. Annascaul started with 1-1 without reply, Brian Kennedy their goalscorer before a combination of Oisín and Adrian O’Connor, Dara Casey, Haulie Breen and Daniel Griffin had Glenbeigh/Glencar level at the break.
When goals from James Crean and a Genie Farrell penalty had the West Kerry side 3-9 to 0-10 ahead in the second-half it looked it would be their evening but their opponents hit 2-5 without reply, Kieran Cahalane and Breen their goalscorers before a penalty from Griffin proved to be the decisive score in a see-saw encounter. Micheal Walsh, Vincent Hoare, Danny O’Sullivan and John Doran impressed for the victors in their win as Emmet and Joe Kennedy along with Crean and Farrell were Annascaul’s best performers in defeat.
GROUP THREE Na Gaeil 3-8 Ballydonoghue 0-8
DESPITE there being only one point between the sides at halftime, Na Gaeil added two further goals in the second period to seal a nine point victory over Ballydonoghue in Mountcoal on Monday afternoon. Jordan Murphy’s goal separated the sides at the break after Padraig Lyons scored all of Ballydonoghue’s points in trailing by 1-3 to 0-5.
A second goal for Murphy along with an Eamon Sheehy goal sealed the win for the Tralee side in the second period however with Dan and James O’Connor along with Jamie Lowham all contributing to their win. John Enright and Colm O’Mahony were others alongside Lyons to try and keep Ballydonoghue in contention but they could not live with Na Gaeil’s goal scoring ability on the day.
GROUP FIVE Listry 1-14 St Michaels/Foilmore 1-9
ALTHOUGH missing a couple of regulars, Listry did enough to get the better of St Michaels/Foilmore on Friday evening in JP O’Sullivan Park as they led at both halftime and full-time. Sean O’Sullivan scored their goal in the first-half as he very nearly scored from the throw-in with his effort coming back off the crossbar. The East Kerry side led by 1-7 to 0-4 at half-time with Anthony Sweeney and Gearóid Murphy amongst their scorers.
Stephen Cronin scored a goal for the South Kerry side to bring them back into contention in the second-half but a save from Cian Counihan in the first-half along with a goal line clearance from substitute Eoghan Darmody in the second period denied them further opportunities with James Moran kicking two second-half points for St Michaels/ Foilmore. Listry held firm though with Kieran Murphy, Peadar Keane and Stephen Brosnan impressing in their five point win.
GROUP 6 Currow 3-12 Clounmacon 1-6
CURROW powered to victory in the second-half of proceedings after leading by 1-4 to 1-2 at half-time with Clounmacon finding it hard to cope with a number of injuries during proceedings in Knocknagoshel last Friday evening. Jack Scanlon scored two of Currow’s goals as Tommy Dennehy scored the other in a 12 point win.
Ian Somers, Padraig O’Shea, Cathal and John Daly along with Sean Brosnan were some of the players to impress for Currow in their win. Chris Lyons and Brian Greaney tried hard for Clounmacon in defeat along with goalkeeper Shane O’Sullivan.
GROUP 7 Ballymacelligott 1-13 Churchill 0-9
A GOAL from Padraig McCarthy in the second half was a decisive score for Ballymacelligott in Na Gaeil last Friday evening as they saw off Churchill by seven points in the finish. Ballymac had led by 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time and even though Churchill tried hard to keep pace with them, McCarthy’s goal put the game out of reach for the St Brendans side who lost Oisín O’Brien to a black card.
Ballymac had a good deal of youth and experience across the pitch as father and son Gene and Josh O’Keeffe featured together in their win.