St Kierans march into last eight
COUNTY SFC ROUND 3
St Kieran’s 0-21 Kilcummin 1-13
A brilliant 19 minute spell at the start of the second half, in which they scored 11 points without reply, propelled St Kieran’s to the County SFC quarter-final with a five-point victory over a shell shocked Kilcummin side.
The first half was a pretty even affair with the sides level on 6 different occasions (and tied at 0-8 each at half time) but nobody in Fitzgerald Stadium could see what was coming in the third quarter. The Castleisland district side put on the after burners and blew away the Kilcummin challenge with a display that is sure to worry their quarter final opponents South Kerry.
Kilcummin started the game brightly and raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after 6 minutes with points from Noel Duggan (free), Sean O’ Leary and Shane McSweeney, with the St Kierans reply coming from a free by Adam Barry.
St Kieran’s began to get into their stride and the very impressive Philip O’Connor slotted over his first score of the game, before an Edmund Walsh free kick levelled matters in the 9th minute. The pattern of the contest was beginning to emerge with Kilcummin playing a possession running game as much as possible, whist St Kieran’s went long and early to their dangerous inside threesome of Philip O’Connor, Adam Barry and Paul Walsh.
It was score for score for the remainder of the half with neither side able to gain any major dominance. Worryingly for Kilcummin they dropped the ball into St Kieran’s goalkeeper Seán Óg Ó Ciardubháin’s midrift 5 times in the first half, as their shot selection and game management began to let them down. They managed to regain the lead with Shane McSweeney’s second point, but Adam Barry levelled matters for St Kieran’s once more in the 14th minute.
Gary O’Leary restored the lead for Kilcummin a minute later but they had a let off when St Kieran’s Aidan Breen rattled the crossbar straight after the kickout. The Kilcummin goal was living dangerously, and Paul Walsh shot over when he really should have tested Brendan Kealy, after a rapid move involving O’Connor and Walsh.
Noel Duggan pushed Kilcummin 0-6 to 0-5 ahead once more with a free, but St Kierans shot 3 points on the bounce from Edmund Walsh (free), Philip O’Connor and Paul Walsh to nudge 0-8 to 0-6 ahead with 2 minutes of regular time remaining in the first half. Kilcummin finished the half on the ascendancy though, and 2 Noel Duggan free kicks saw the sides level at half time.
Whilst the first half was a pretty even affair, the second half took on a completely different complexion. At the end of the first quarter St Kieran’s had slotted over 7 points on the bounce through Philip O’Connor (3), Adam Barry (3), and Edmund Walsh to race 0-15 to 0-8 ahead. The victors midfield axis of Seamus Scanlon, Adam Donoghue and Aidan Breen took complete control, and with the tough tackling Micheál Reidy a major influence driving forward, the St Kieran’s forwards were thriving on the quality ball that was going into them. Kilcummin had a great chance to steady the ship in the 35th minute when Noel Duggan broke through, but the full forward’s shot for goal went wide of the post.
The St Kieran’s pressure was relentless. Seán Horan pointed from play, and as Kilcummin continued to be wasteful up front, Horan added 2 more afterwards. The rampant Adam Barry adding another punched effort after great work in defence by substitute Mike Walsh, to push St Kieran’s 0-19 to 0-8 with 10 minutes of normal time remaining. Kilcummin looked like a deflated and utterly beaten docket.
To their credit they didn’t give up the ghost. Kevin McCarthy made a welcome return to action after a number of months on the sidelines through injury, and the Kerry star began to make an immediate impact. A good cross field ball from McCarthy found Enda O’Sullivan who shot low past Ó Ciardubháin for a goal, and straight afterwards Seán O’Leary and Noel Duggan (free) added points to bring the score to 0-19 to 1-9 in the 54th minute.
In the meantime St Kieran’s lost centre half back Brian Leonard to a black card for a hand trip on McCarthy, but undeterred, they added further scores from substitute Pa McCarthy (free), and Aidan Breen, to bring their sides total to an impressive 0-21. Kevin McCarthy popped over 2 points for Kilcummin in time added on, but it was all just window dressing, as St Kierans marched on with a comprehensive five-point victory. ST. KIERANS: Seán Óg Ó Ciardubhain (Cordal), John O’Connor (Currow), Luke
MAIN MAN
Philip O’Connor was outstanding for St Kieran’s. The 2019 AllIreland winning Kerry Junior captain was everywhere for his side, and as well as contributing a handsome 5 points from play, his work rate and tracking was admirable. Micheál Reidy was also very impressive at corner back for the victors, but in general the majority of the St Kieran’s side gave 8 out of 10 performances.
TALKING POINT
The power of St Kieran’s second half performance. Suddenly it appears that they have the ability to make a serious stab at going further in the competition. Padraig Reidy and Eddie Horan were missing from the side on Sunday and they could add an extra bit of quality to their ranks. They are still outsiders of course, but with Jimmy Keane at the helm they could give South Kerry a right battle. Lyons (Castleisland Desmonds), Michael Reidy (Ballymacelligott), Luka Brosnan (Castleisland Desmonds), Brian Leonard (Castleisland Desmonds), Maurice Hickey (Castleisland Desmonds), Seamus Scanlon (Currow), Adam Donoghue (Castleisland Desmonds), Philip O’Connor (0-5) (Cordal), Aidan Breen (0-1) (Ballymacelligott), Seán Horan (0-3) (Scartaglin), Paul Walsh (0-3, 1f) (Brosna), Edmund Walsh (0-3, 2f) (Knocknagoshel), Adam Barry (0-5, 2f) (Brosna). Subs: Mike Walsh (Knocknagoshel) for J O’Connor (20), Tomás Lynch (Castleisland Desmonds) for S Horan (50), Vinny Horan (Ballymacelligott) for A Barry (50), Seamus Brosnan (Currow) for B Leonard (b/c, 54), Pa McCarthy (0-1f) (Currow) for E Walsh (55), Padraig O’Connor for (Scartaglin) for L Brosnan (62).
KILCUMMIN: Brendan Kealy, Sean O’Leary, Donal Maher, Oscar O’Connor, James Nagle, Kevin McSweeney, Damien O’Leary, Kevin Gorman, Kieran Murphy, Matt Keane, Gary O’Leary (0-1), Shane McSweeney (0-2), Enda O’Sullivan (1-0), Noel Duggan (0-6, 1f), Paul O’Shea. Subs: Jamie O’Donoghue for O O’Connor (h/t), Kevin McCarthy (0-2) for P O’Shea (41), Sean Moynihan for K Gorman (50), Mikey O’Shea for M Keane (55), Sean Brosnan for J Nagle (55), Philip Casey for D O’Leary (60).
REFEREE: Jonathan Griffin (Glenbeigh/ Glencar)