Dromid outclassed by five-in-a-row chasing St Marys
SOUTH KERRY SFC FINAL
St Marys 3-17 Dromid Pearses 2-9
ONE of the highest scoring South Kerry finals in some time in Cahersiveen last Saturday but it didn’t necessarily translate into an absorbing contest as St Marys won their 35th South Kerry title and did the five-in-a-row for the first time since 1940-44.
Not since 1973 when they scored 3-11 in beating Valentia had St Marys scored as much in winning the Jack Murphy Cup. It was also the highest total by any team winning the title since Waterville and Valentia both scored 4-16 in 1975 and ’79 respectively.
Scoring 1-5 without reply in a spell between the 13th and 24th minute had a lot to do with their success as despite going very close in Portmagee last year, Dromid Pearses found St Marys to be a far sharper and focussed unit on home turf last Saturday. Bryan Sheehan’s first free in the sixth minute made it a 0-3 to 0-0 score lead early on for the holders although two Chris Farley frees made it a one-point game by the 10th minute.
The dominance both Sheehan and Denis Daly enjoyed around the middle started to tell through then as Dromid found themselves almost penned in to their own half of the pitch for a period as St Marys stretched their lead out to four points at the end of the first quarter.
In the 18th minute came their first goal from a rare break into the St Marys half by Dromid. Niall O’Shea’s tame effort at a score was gathered by the St Marys defence as a sweeping break down the other end saw the brothers Cournane combine for Anthony to lay off to Sean for an effort from the left-hand side that rolled into the opposite corner of the net for a lead of 1-6 to 0-2. It went as high as nine points before Farley ended Dromid’s 16-minute wait for a score with another free. Dilan Donohoe scored Dromid’s only point from play in the first period as they went in trailing by 1-10 to 0-6.
It appeared to be business as usual after the restart when St Marys brought their lead into double figures but an Aidan ‘Shine’ O’Sullivan point and a free from O’Shea were the prelude to a slight chink of light for Dromid as Gearóid ‘Jackie’ O’Sullivan’s introduction gave them some new impetus. A 42nd minute free from the far side of the pitch had been batted away by Bryan Sheehan but Keelan Farley collected the rebound and managed to find a way through for a five-point game at 1-13 to 1-8. Almost instantly Dromid’s renewed hope was dashed with the brothers Daly the providers of their second goal. Daniel played an inviting high ball in that Denis managed to reach highest to for a fisted goal that had Dromid right back to square one in some ways.
Three further points would follow before Dromid did register a second goal as Tomas Curran put Dominic O’Sullivan through for a goal in the 52nd minute that made it 2-16 to 2-9. St Marys were so assured of themselves they were not worried however as Sheehan brought his personal total up to 0-6 (5f) before the record books will record him as having scored a goal that really was Dromid goalkeeper Brian O’Leary’s unfortunate doing as he misread a high ball into his path and the ball spun cruelly over the line in the 58th minute for an 11 point difference between the sides in the end.
Oisín Moran and Conor O’Shea were impressive in a St Marys defence that stifled Dromid’s main threats throughout.
Regardless of the venue, you still sense St Marys would have won such is their strength at present as after matching history last Saturday they look set to create their own in South Kerry looking to the immediate future.
ST MARYS: Mike Daly; Killian Nolan, Brian Curran, Oisín Moran; Conor O’Shea, Darragh O’Sullivan, Patrick Cournane; Bryan Sheehan (1-6, 5f), Denis Daly (1-3); D Casey (0-1), Adam Quirke, Aidan Walsh (0-2); Sean Cournane (1-1), Daniel Daly (0-2), A Cournane (0-2). Subs: Jack Daly for Sean Cournane, Paul O’Donoghue for Quirke, Niall O’Shea for Jack Daly, Niall Brennan for Patrick Cournane, Mark Quigley for Casey.
DROMID PEARSES: