The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
First teams make their exits from the County SFC
SEE SPORT INSIDE
COUNTY SFC LOSERS ROUND South Kerry 2-17 Kilcummin 1-5
WHEN Niall O’Shea scored a South Kerry goal after just 10 minutes of the first half one already got the feeling that the 2015 County Championship winners were going to run away with the game.
The goal, a superb effort that saw the ball go through a number of players before being transferred to the back of the net, pushed South Kerry into a 1-3 to no score lead, and Kilcummin, although playing with a strong breeze, were struggling to get their hands on any meaningful possession .
South Kerry played a lovely brand of fast attacking football with runners off the shoulder as they transferred the ball quickly from defence to attack. The likes of Robert Wharton, Oran Clifford, Bryan Sheehan, Paul O’Donoghue and Barry Dwyer were full of running throughout the game and their work-rate and quality shone throughout.
In truth though South Kerry were superior in nearly all areas of the field and, but for brief Killcummin resistance, they had little trouble in winning the game.
The good start did benefit South Kerry and after points from O’Shea, Barry Dwyer and Paul O’Donoghue came O’Shea’s goal. Kilcummin were in all sorts of disarray even at this early stage.
Kilcummin did get off the mark with a lovely Philip Casey point from play, but Bryan Sheehan with an expertly judged ‘45 into the wind, and the impressive Paul O’Donoghue from play, kicked the southern lads 1-5 to 0-1 ahead with 18 minutes gone on the clock.
In fairness to Kilcummin they did pull a goal back a minute later, and it gave a rare hint of what the club side could be capable of. Centre half-forward Noel Duggan was involved twice in a slick passing move before setting up Paul O’Riordan who finished well to the back of Padraig O’Sullivan’s net.
Could this be the boost to drive Kilcummin on?
From the kick out Kilcummin attacked once more and O’Sullivan had to get down smartly to prevent Paul O’Riordan from adding goal number two. A goal would have brought Kilcummin to within a point of their rivals, but instead it was South Kerry who attacked immediately afterwards.
After O’Donoghue effortlessly sliced through the Kilcummin defence, Sheehan shot low and hard to Brendan Kealy’s right for a well taken goal. South Kerry now led by seven points -2-5 to 1-,1-but Kilcummin did reply with pointed frees from Philip Casey
and the hard working Kevin McCarthy.
The last score of the half came from another Bryan Sheehan free kick which left the half time score at South Kerry 2-6 Kilcummin 1-3.
Kilcummin needed a good start to the second half but South Kerry didn’t read the script and outscored their rivals by five points to two in the first eight minutes. Paul O’Donoghue and Daniel Daly with two each and Barry Dwyer with one, did the damage with the Kilcummin reply coming from Noel Duggan and a nice effort from veteran midfielder Shane McSweeney in the 40th minute.
Amazingly McSweeney’s point was Kilcummin’s last score of the contest as their attack got little opportunity to impress for the rest of the game. Kilcummin’s cause wasn’t helped by the black carding of full-back Damien O’Leary for what appeared to be a deliberate trip.
Thinking that the job was done, South Kerry took their foot off the pedal and Padraig O’Sullivan in the South Kerry goal was forced to make a good save once more, this time from Matthew Keane.
This fright appeared to awakened South Kerry from their slumber and Sheehan with two frees, as well as substitute Dylan O’Donoghue with one from play, pushed them 2-16 to 1-5 ahead with just minutes remaining.
The last act of what was a poor contest was left to corner-forward Daniel Daly and the St Mary’s club man slotted over his third point of the game to seal an emphatic 2-17 to 1-5 win for South Kerry. SOUTH KERRY: Padraig O’Sullivan, Paul O’Sullivan, Mark Griffin, Fionan Clifford, Graham O’Sullivan, Oran Clifford, Robert Wharton, Bryan Sheehan (1-4, 0-1f, 0-1 ‘45’), John Curran, Paul O’Donoghue (0-3), Barry Dwyer (0-3), Conor O’Shea (0-1), Niall O’Shea (1-2), Matthew O’Sullivan, Daniel Daly (0-3) Subs: Darragh O’Sullivan for O Clifford, 51, Dylan Donoghue (0-1) for N O’Shea, 54, Chris Farley for B Dwyer, 57, Darragh Scanlon for P O’Sullivan, 59, Shane O’Connor for R Wharton, 59 KILCUMMIN: Brendan Kealy, Donal Maher, Damien O’Leary, Jamie O’Donoghue, Mikey O’Shea, Chris O’Leary, Daniel O’Leary, Daniel Moynihan, Shane McSweeney (0-1), Philip Casey (0-2,1f), Noel Duggan (0-1), Paul O’Riordan (1-0), Kevin McCarthy (0-1f), Arthur O’Connor, Matthew Keane Subs: Gavin O’Connor for D O’Leary, b/c 34, Gavin O’Leary for M O’Shea, 60 REFEREE: Denis Sayers (Austin Stacks)
Kilcummin needed a good start to the second half but South Kerry didn’t read the script