Duagh bounce back with play-off victory over Scartaglin

COUNTY SFL DIVISION 5 PROMOTION PLAY-OFF Duagh 2-11 Scartaglin 1-8

BOUNCING back is hard to do, especially so for a relegated side.

It’s not every team that can do it. Relegation can sap confidence. On the flip side it can give a team the chance to renew themselves and that being the case Duagh have looked a rejuvenated side at times this year.

There were setbacks along the way – a somewhat surprise defeat to Asdee in the latter stages of this competition – but overall there’s been a freshness and a purpose to Duagh’s efforts this year and that was nowhere more evident than in Páirc na Féile at lunchtime on Sunday.

They were worthy winners of a pulsat- ing game, even if there were a few nervous moments along the way. Scartaglin were doggedly determined and tenacious, but lacked the overall quality of the men from the Mall.

Key for Duagh were the promptings of Anthony Maher at midfield, which is pretty much as one would expect given his quality. Aaron O’Connor, named at fullback but playing seemingly everywhere, was equally influential.

The north Kerry men started well with Joey Shanahan assisting Daniel O’Donoghue for a point inside the opening sixty seconds. Their next score – and the game’s – came on twelve minutes when O’Donoghue returned the favour and assisted the impressive Shanahan for a goal.

After eighteen minutes Duagh had extended their lead further to five points – 1-2 to 0-0 – following a Martin Scannell free, but Scartaglin would have quite rightly have felt they deserved to be closer.

The men in green and white – Duagh played in blue due to a clash of jerseys – kicked an extraordinary eight first half wides, many of them seemingly kickable. The Scart faithful would have considered it justice when on nineteen and twenty one minutes they struck for 1-1 – Shay Walsh with a free, Pa Rahilly with the goal.

Despite this Duagh remained the better side and scored a further 1-3 unanswered, the goal coming when Anthony Maher fielded a David Riordan kick-out before playing in Scannell for the goal (hit low to the keeper’s right).

Scart managed one more point to round out the half through Flor McCarthy to make it 2-5 to 1-2 at the break. It was looking pretty good for Duagh at that stage and three minutes into the second half it was looking even better when they led by double scores – 2-6 to 1-3.

Duagh, however, went another twelve minutes without a score and proceeded to do what Scart did in the first half into the dressing-room end – kick a litany of wides (seven in all).

Scart, with Eddie Horan now in the side, looked the dominant force all of a sudden and had Duagh pinned back for long spells – Duagh’s strategy of going short put them under unnecessary pressure and cost them at least two points.

By forty one minutes Scart were back to within a goal of Duagh – 2-6 to 1-6 – following a point by the hugely impressive Horan. They then had a goal chance saved for Walsh saved on the line by Aaron O’Connor – a key moment in the game.

Scart remained competitive for another ten minutes. Despite Duagh ending their drought, Scart moved to within two points by the fifty third minute (Horan again on the mark) – 2-7 to 1-8.

Duagh, to give them their dues, responded magnificently well to this. A couple of pointed frees for Martin Scannell helped lift the tension and Duagh pushed on confidently for home with a further two points unanswered (Thomas Scanlon and Scannell with another free).

Overall it was no less than Duagh deserved. They’re back again in Division 4 for 2019. The challenge now is to ensure they stay there.

For Scartaglin it’s a case of knuckling down and hoping to go one better next time around.

DUAGH: Jeremiah Kelly, Dara O’Connor, Aaron O’Connor, Diarmuid Foley, Kieran Quirke, Thomas Scanlon (0-1), John Joy, Anthony Maher, Kieran Lucey, Maurice O’Connor, Martin Scannell (1-6, 6f), Edward Stack, Joey Shanahan (1-1), Nigel O’Connor (0-2), Daniel O’Donoghue (0-1) Subs: Ger McCarthy for D O’Donoghue, 45, Micheál Kirby for E Stack, 49, Tom McNamara for D Foley, 51, Pádraig Shanahan for N O’Connor, 62 SCARTAGLIN: David Riordan, Joshua Kerins, Damien O’Connor, Pádraig O’Connor, Hugh O’Connor, Brendan Rahilly, Ger O’Connor, Mike Coakley, Tom Forde, Shay Walsh (0-4f), Seán Horan, Pádraig Reidy, Seán Pa O’Connor, Daniel Murphy, Pa Rahilly (1-0) Subs: Flor McCarthy (0-1) for P O’Connor, 26, Eddie Horan (0-3) for T Forde, half-time, Aaron Gallaghar for D Murphy, 57, Niall Casey for P Reidy, 60 REFEREE: John Griffin (Glenbeigh / Glencar)