Super Senans weather the storm
NORTH KERRY SFC QUARTER-FINAL
St Senans 2-10 Castleisland Desmonds 2-7
AFTER a brilliant first round victory over Listowel Emmets, a certain amount of expectation attached itself to Senans ahead of this quarter-final clash with Castleisland Desmonds. The key question was how they would cope with that.
In the event they coped rather well. They led at half-time, they led at full-time (even if they did have a shaky enough spell during the second half). A first ever North Kerry title for the club remains a realistic ambition.
For Castleisland Desmonds – the topranked side in the competition judging by County League form – another campaign ends without silverware.
The sleeping giants of the North Kerry champion’s slumber will continue for at least another year.
The Desmonds are still a draw and still a scalp as the large crowd who turned out to O’Sullivan Park in Finuge early on Sunday afternoon demonstrated. Partisans and neutrals alike were treated to a fine game of football.
Senans started the game as many people’s favourites, but Desmonds showed their pedigree, exploding into the game early doors. Tomás Lynch found Seán Lynch with a lovely pass and he rattled the net in the third minute. Game on.
Tommy Walsh added a point from play in the ninth minute, but Desmonds didn’t score again until the closing stages of the half as St Senans settled into the game and began gathering up all the breaks.
Paudie Quille opened their tally from play in the 13th minute and Seán O’Connell pointed a free in the 15th minute. In the closing ten minutes of the half, however, Senans were ruthless – scoring 1-5, all from play and all scored by different players.
The goal was scored by Mark Behan, who was playing very intelligently in a free role. Tomás Lynch off his left and Tommy Walsh pointed from play for Desmonds in the closing stages of the half to leave the score at the break Castleisland Desmonds 1-3 St Senans 1-7.
The second half began like the first with an early goal, this time by Senans and again the scorer was Mark Behan. This seemed to spur Desmonds to life and with the aid of the breeze they proceeded to score 1-4 without reply to level the game in the 57th minute.
The points were all scored by Tommy Walsh and the goal was netted by Maurice O’Connell after a brilliant run by young Luka Brosnan.
St Senans had Jason Browne sent from the field of play for two yellow card offences in the 55th minute, so a big question was now being put to the resolve of this Senans team.
Despite being down a man they signalled their intent by closing out the game in emphatic fashion with three points between the 58th and 62nd minute from Seán O’Connell, Paudie Quille and David Foran to leave the final score Desmonds 2-7 St Senans 2-10.
It will be a worry for Senans that they failed to score for twenty five minutes of the second half, but they will be happy with the healthy spread of scorers and the character shown by their players, especially in the closing period.
They now face Finuge on Sunday in what will be a massive game between the local rivals in the semi-final.
Desmonds played with great spirit and that will please their supporters. They played some great football at times but lacked a cutting edge up front to claim a semi-final berth.
CASTLEISLAND DESMONDS: Stephen Bartlett, Ryan McGuire, Barry Lynch, Cian Mangan, Luka Brosnan, Brian Leonard, Gearoid Leonard, Luke Lyons, Maurice O’Connell (1-0), Seán Lynch (1-0), Denis O’Connor, Tomas Lynch (0-1), Adam O Donoghue, Tommy Walsh (0-6), Graham O’Connor Subs: Dylan Browne for S Bartlett, half-time, Pat Fitzgerald for A O’ Donoghue, half-time, Stephen Murphy for G O’Connor, 36
ST SENANS: James Barry, Mike Keane, Bill Keane, James O’Donnell, Darragh Behan, Seán T Dillon, Mark Behan (2-0), Damien Somers, Barry Mahony (0-1), Eoin O’Connell (0-1), Jason Browne, David Foran (0-1), Seán Weir (0-1), Seán O’Connell (0-3), Paudie Quille (0-3) Subs: David Behan for E O’Connell, 38, Paudie Dillon for M Behan, 43
REFEREE: Colman Flaherty (Listowel Emmets)