Desmonds take title after extra-time cracker

NORTH KERRY JUNIOR LEAGUE DIVISION 4 FINAL Castleisland Desmonds B 2-15 St Senans B 2-14

PLAYED on Tuesday last in Frank Sheehy Park Listowel under the watchful eye of Dermot Hughes Emmets, It took all of three minutes for the first score of the game a goal from Desmond’s Graham O’Connor to set the tone of the afternoon it was game on, again O’Connor took charge for Desmonds and popped the ball over the crossbar to bring his team up 1-1 with only five minutes gone on the clock.

But the Senans men may have had a shaky start but settled into the game and came at Desmonds in waves of attack, adding the next six points on the clock without reply from Desmond’s and could in truth have been ahead further ahead only for some wayward shooting.

It wasn’t until the 29th minute that again the only scorer for Desmonds Graham O’Connor convert a free. But nippy corner forward Alan Kennelly St Senans split the posts for the last score of the half. With Senans getting a grip on the game and into injury time, the Desmonds sideline were forced to make changes with a black card and with veteran Maurice O’Connell called of the bench deep into injury time it was to be the change of the game for Desmonds. Half time score Senans 0-8 Desmonds 1-2.

Second half and it was Senans Darragh Kennelly who convert the free in the 4th minute but in quick reply and with a sense of urgency Desmonds started their comeback, Pauric O’Connor pointing in the eighth minute, but Senans were in the driving seat and a lovely chip over the keeper by captain Con O’Keefe brought for Senans first goal. The aforementioned Maurice O’Connell showing his experience and skill in the 10th minute rattled the ball to the far corner of the Senans net from distance to the delight of his team mates. O’Connell added a point in the 12th minute to close the gap to a three-point lead to St Senans. Desmonds could finally feel as if the cup could be theirs for the first time in the game.

With leadership from Desmond’s veteran players coming to the fore adding four points from play from the boots of Stan Divane (2) and Maurice O’Connell (2) to bring Desmonds a point up with 20 minutes gone on the clock.

But this young team by Senans had steel and Darragh Kennelly showed leadership for Senans second goal in the 22nd minute, a minute later Senans sub Donal Hunt added another point. The game swayed from side to side and the response came from Desmond’s with two unanswered points from Sean Prendiville and Shane O’Connell to level things up. But with 29th minutes gone on the clock it was Senans Cathal Kennelly who split the posts to bring his side a point up surely this was the winning point but Desmonds Graham O’Connor duly converted a free to level things on the 30th minute. With three minutes of extra time played no side could add to their tally and the full time whistle left the score St Senans 2-11 Desmonds 2-11.

With extra time and the light fading it was game on, 10 minutes a half to separate this two sides, Senans added two points in the first half from Cathal Kennelly and Donal Hunt with Desmonds only managing a point from midfielder Joe Kearney.

Desmonds added three in the half from Sean Prendiville and the ever industrious Graham O’Connor (0-2) to a single Senans point from a free converted by Donal Hunt.

At the end of a brilliant game Desmonds prevailed by a solitary point to take the title.

ST SENANS: James Barry, Donnacha Brosnan, Paudie Whelan, Darragh Kennelly, Darragh Behan, Luke Ward, Bill Keane, Mike Keane, Padraig Logue, Con O’Keefe, Padraig Dillon, Ronan Kierans, Alan Kennelly. Subs: Cathal Kennelly for Padraig Dillon (inj), Richard Kelliher for Donnacha Brosnan, Donal Hunt for Padraig Logue, Padraig Dillon for Ronan Kierans.

CASTLEISLAND DESMONDS: John Begley, Neilus Lyons, Shane Walsh, Cian Mangan, Ciaran Breen, Gearoid Leonard, Cathal Hanifin, Joe Kearney, Marc O’Connor, Pauric O’Connor, Stan Divane, Colin Mc- Carthy, Graham O’Connor. Subs: Sean Prendiville for Marc O’Connor (inj), Maurice O’Connell for Joe Kearney (Black Card), Connor O’Shea for Ciaran Breen, Ryan McGuire for Pauric O’Connor.

Duagh clinch Division 2 league title NORTH KERRY SENIOR LEAGUE DIVISION 2 FINAL Duagh 2-13 Ballylongford 4-9

THIS game was played on Friday last in Con Brosnan Park Moyvane, and the last time these two teams meet it was Duagh who had the winning margin by a huge 20 points. So the supporters and neutral wondered if this young Ballylongford team could change that on this time of asking.

Duagh were on the scoreboard first with a point form captain Daniel O’Donoghue quickly added to by team mate Nigel O’Connor to bring Duagh two points up with 3 minutes gone on the clock. It took Ballylongford until the seventh minute to register their first point from the boot of Brain Murphy again it was added to by midfielder Tadhg McEllistrim to bring the sides level.

But Duagh captain Daniel O’Donoghue was showing his leadership and brought Duagh a point ahead. With the pendulum swaying form side to side the interception by full forward Ciaran O’Connor and quick hands to lay the ball off to Brain Murphy who duly rattled the back of the Duagh net for the first goal of the game in the 13th minute for Ballylongford. However, their indiscipline cost them dearly in the first half and the next two scores came from Duagh frees from the boot of Martin Scanlon. Again it was Duagh man of the match Daniel O’Donoghue who fisted the ball over the bar to bring his side a point up.

The reply came from wing forward Joe McCarthy in the 22nd minute to level matters again quickly added to by Jason Deegan to bring Ballylongford a point ahead, but again indiscipline and a free awarded to Duagh was duly converted by Martin Scanlon with the clock ticking down there to be another point a piece added from Duagh Martin Scanlon and Ballylongford Jason Deegan half time Duagh 0-8 Ballylongford 1-5.

Into the second half and Ballylongford’s Ciaran O’Connor opened the scoring with a point, but the intensity was raising around Con Brosnan Park and suddenly there was urgency to the game. Duagh were awarded an penalty in the seventh minute and it was rattled to the back of the Ballylongford net to bring Duagh two points ahead at the final whistle.