Dingle snatch deserved draw after East Kerry fightback

GARVEY’S COUNTY SFC SEMI-FINAL Dingle 1-13 East Kerry 2-10

IT was a game that had it all really: some great scores, plenty of bust ups, a missed penalty, some dodgy refereeing decisions, sendings off, and a guy called David Clifford who showed up for East Kerry when they needed him most.

East Kerry looked a pale shadow of the side that has blazed its way through the championship thus far and looked clueless and out of ideas as they trailed by 1-10 to 0-7 with 14 minutes left in normal time.

When you have a genius like Clifford in your side you are never beaten though and his two goals in seven minutes completely turned the contest on its head. His first came following a long ball from his brother Paudie, which David punched to the net Kieran Donaghy style to show that there is still a long ball option for Kerry despite the Star’s retirement.

Clifford forced a point blank save from net-minder Brendan Kealy minutes later after another long delivery, while his second goal came in a more familiar fashion. Substitute Liam Kearney effected a massive shoulder in the middle of the field to turn over Dingle possession, and as the ball went between Darragh Moynihan, Darragh Roche and Paudie Clifford, the younger of the brothers was left with a routine finish to hit the back of the net.

The sides were now level at 1-11 to 2-8 and one feared for the Dingle side as East Kerry had all the momentum. In fairness they replied pretty quickly with a Paul Geaney free kick, but a brilliant 40 metre point from Clifford, when he had very little space to manoeuvre, drew the contest level once more.

Jack Sherwood then punched over to push East Kerry one ahead. There was yet another schmozzle in the middle of the field before Tom O’Sullivan ghosted through the East Kerry defence and saved Dingle’s bacon with a last gasp equaliser.

The first half was a lot less dramatic. The sides were level at three points apiece after seven minutes with Paul Geaney hitting two for Dingle (one free) and Mikey Geaney the other, while the lively Darragh Roche with a brace and David Clifford with a neat effort were the East Kerry scorers.

It became obvious after a while that Dingle’s aggressive defence was troubling East Kerry, and with Matthew Flaherty very effective as a sweeper, they began to get the upper hand on their opponents.

David Clifford was working off scraps, but he almost punished Dingle when his cross shot went just wide in the 12th minute. Dingle were much more efficient in attack, and corner-back Michael Flannery bombed forward to pop over a decent point.

Barry O’Sullivan followed with another straight afterwards when he caught a throw ball after referee Seán Joy adjudged Brendan Kealy to be too slow with his kick out.

East Kerry needed a life line and got it when they were awarded a penalty following a push on Kevin McCarthy. At the time it looked harsh, but in fairness to the referee he took a long time before making his decision and consulted with his umpires.

A mini dust up took place after the penalty decision with three players, including Shane McSweeney, receiving yellow. Clifford stepped up to take the spot kick, but blazed wide. It appeared to be a symptom of the day he was having up to then.

Stung by the let off Dingle attacked once more and Paul Geaney pointed a free to nudge them 0-6 to 0-3 ahead after an East Kerry player overcarried. Tomás Sheehy pushed them four ahead moments later.

Dingle were giving a masterclass in defending, but Clifford squeezed over a superb point after taking on four hard tackling opponents and still find

ing the space to get his shot away.

Another dust up ensued straight afterwards, and Dingle’s Paul Devane received a straight red,and David Clifford a yellow, after order was restored. Dingle immediately went on the attack and Tomás Sheehy added to Dingle’s lead with a point, but another ugly skirmish led to Shane McSweeney seeing red for a second yellow card. Both sides were now down to 14 men. The half time whistle sounded soon afterwards, and Dingle were full value for a 0-8 to 0-4 lead.

The sides traded scores early in the second half with Paul Geaney from a free and David Clifford from play obliging, before wing back Philip Casey brought East Kerry to within 3 points with a decent effort.

Paul Geaney pointed another free and Liam Kearney responded from play, but really it looked like Dingle had an answer to every time that East Kerry worked a score. Dingle pushed on once more, and Paul Geaney’s shot was cleared off the line for a 45’ when a goal looked certain.

Strangely, Michael Geaney was penalised for delaying the 45’, and from the throw in East Kerry attacked once more. Dingle’s stout defence turned over the ball however, and Paul Geaney fielded a long delivery brilliantly, before he showed superb vision to put the marauding Tom O’Sullivan in for a punched goal, and a 1-10 to 0-7 lead.

There was now fifteen minutes of normal time left, and Dingle looked home and hosed. David Clifford had other thoughts however, and his masterclass in the last quarter of the game ensured that East Kerry will get another bite at the cherry.

Unfortunately, East Kerry’s Kevin McCarthy picked up a serious looking arm injury mid way through the second half and is unlikely to feature in the replay.

DINGLE: Gavin Curran, Micheal Flannery (0-1), Tom O’Sullivan, Patrick O’Connor, Aiden O’Connor,Tom O’Sullivan (1-1), Micheal Boyle, Barry O’Sullivan (0-1), Liam O’Connor, Brian O’Connor, Mikey Geaney (0-2), Paul Devane, Tomás Sheehy (0-2), Paul Geaney (0-6, 5f), Matthew Flaherty Subs: Eoin Murphy for A O’Connor, 54, Niall Geaney for M Flannery, 63

EAST Kerry: Brendan Kealy, Darren Brosnan,Dan O’Donoghue, Shane Courtney, Sean O’Leary, Jack Sherwood,(0-1) Philip Casey(0-1), Shane McSweeney,Kevin O’Gorman,Darragh Moynihan, Paudie Clifford (0-1 ‘45’), Kevin McCarthy, Evan Cronin, David Clifford (24; 0-1f), Darragh Roche (0-2; 1f) Subs: Liam Kearney (0-1) for D Brosnan, 35, Chris O’Donoghue for S Courtney, 46, Ronan Buckley for Kevin McCarthy, 46, Brian O’Donoghue for E Cronin, 54, Mike O’Donoghue for K O’Gorma, 60 b/c, Jeff O’Donoghue for D Moynihan, 63

REFEREE: Seán Joy (Laune Rangers)

you’re possibly right except when one of the occasional schemozzles broke out on the pitch, the pregnant sideline was only too willing to spring forth and populate the field with nuisances that simply should not have been there.

One particular hero seemed to be the first man in off the sideline on about three occasions, and only too happy to give all and sundry a piece of his undoubted intellect. Of course it begs the question as to why, with all that energy and enthusiasm, that said hero wasn’t on the pitch from the start with a jersey on his back?

There is a serious point to all this, however, and it should be fairly obvious. We’re all surely familiar with the online videos of fights at recent Gaelic football matches, some of which have involved some fairly heavy violence involving not just players, but mentors, officials and even spectators. Most of the recent catalogue have occurred in Ulster and it’s been easy for everyone south of the border to shake their heads and mutter something about Nordies and a lack of control.

But it’s not exclusively an Ulster thing, and you don’t have to go too far back for examples in this county where massed brawls have led to fairly heavy suspensions for players and fines for clubs. And credit to the GAA authorities for handing down those punishments. But more needs to be done.

Why are teams being permitted to bring in the region of 25 personnel each through the perimeter gate and on to the field before games.

Why are teams let bring 15 or so substitutes into dugouts when a maximum of six substitutions are allowed.

Outside of, say, four team mentors and a physiotherapist, who are all these people who feel they need to be hogging the sideline during a game?

And why the hell are the match officials putting up with it?

It’s hard enough for a referee or linesman of umpire see what’s happening when one of these macho-bullshit all-ins happens without another 10 or 15 heroes piling in from the sideline to further muddy the waters. Or maybe that’s the idea: to flood the situation with bodies so that the officials are so distracted by the deluge that they can’t really adjudicate on anything.

As unnecessary as these all-in fights among players are - and there should be severe sanction imposed to cut them out (are spectators happy enough to shell out their money to watch his utter nonsense?) - there should be far more punitive punishments for any eejit coming in off the sideline to get involved in a fracas.

Many it’s the bit of indigenous madness in Gaelic madness, and maybe it appeals to a section of us, but you hardly ever hear of or see this kind of nonsense at soccer or rugby or basketball or any other team sport at a local level in this country. Sure, there are outliers in other sports but it seems to be getting more prevalent and more vicious in Gaelic games.

Are we going to do anything about it? Wait for someone to sue a county board for injuries? Wait for someone to be hospitalised or worse?

Everyone needs to loosen the grip and get a grip. It’s time to a proper head count before people start losing theirs.

Who are all these people who feel they need to be hogging the sideline during a game?