Dr Crokes B team promoted to Division Two

DIVISION THREE

DESPITE being at the summit for practically nine-tenths of the campaign, Annascaul were denied the Division Three title at the death with defeat to Keel coupled with Brosna’s win over St Senans. The big beneficiaries of the Brosna result was Dr Crokes B who after their entry into the Senior League back in 2014 gained promotion for the third time in five years and the second successive promotion at that thanks to their own win over Ballydonoghue.

The narrowest of margins would separate Brosna and St Senans as the hosts led by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break and appeared to be the ones in control. A great goal from Jason Browne for the Mountcoal side left it on a knife edge however, as Brosna had to see out their win in injury-time at 0-13 to 1-9 thanks to big scores from Mike Finnegan, Shane Curtin and Tom McGoldrick. The win puts the St Kierans side in Division Two for the first time in over 30 years and marks a rise from the depths of Division Five where they were back in 2012 before their All-Ireland Junior Club success came three years later.

Annascaul were left to rue some late chances going astray against neighbouring Keel as the Mid Kerry side avoided a return straight back to down to Division Four with a 0-10 to 0-9 success in Paddy Kennedy Park. Keel led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the break but despite Annascaul drawing level, Keel were the ones to get the decisive score. Although promotion might be the ultimate objective Annascaul probably would have preferred to go back to Division Two for the first time since 2012 as champions with their general dominance of the table up until the closing stages as their only losses came in their last two games to Crokes B and Keel.

Crokes B powered to a 15-point win in their trip to Ballydonoghue after a Bryan O’Shea goal had given them a lead of 1-7 to 0-8 at half-time. Mark O’Shea scored their second goal in a 2-19 to 0-10 win as they go as high as any ‘B’ side have gone before them with this result.

Laune Rangers had been the club most associated with having a ‘B’ SFL team in the past, but they will be down to a level more associated with that old team as they’ve slipped to Division Four for 2019. Although they held their Intermediate status in the Championship earlier in the year, not even a 4-16 to 1-10 win over already relegated Finuge could keep them up this time as Keel’s win and Lispole’s victory over Listry conspired against them.

A Declan O’Sullivan goal had Lispole level with Listry at halftime, 1-4 to 0-7, before O’Sullivan scored a second goal from a penalty in a dominant second half display from the County Junior champions. 2-10 to 0-9 was their winning margin as Brian Rayle and Sean Noonan scored second half points with Derry Ahern, Gary O’Sullivan and Anthony Sweeney to the fore for Listry in a campaign that saw them finish mid-table.

Only two points separated fifth to 10th place in the table as already relegated Waterville played out a 2-15 to 1-18 draw with St Pats. It was the second successive year Waterville were relegated.