St Senans lying in wait to dethrone champions

BERNARD O’CALLAGHAN MEMORIAL NORTH KERRY SFC FINAL

St Senans v Ballydonoghue

BALLYDONOGHUE put their North Kerry SFC title on the line next Sunday when they take on St Senans win what will surely be a packed to capacity Con Brosnan Park in Moyvane.

Quite how Ballydonoghue will be set after a tough semi-final replay win over Ballyduff remains to be seen, while St Senans have had a couple of weeks to tweak their preparations and hatch their plans to dethrone the champions.

Recents wins over Desmonds (quarter-final) and Finuge (semi-final) will have steeled St Senans for what could be their toughest game of this Championship, but the Mountcoal based club will relish a crack of the champions.

Sean T Dillon, Damien Somers, Barry Mahony, David Foran, Sean Weir and Paudie Quill are just some of the players Senans will pin their hopes on, but the reality is that it will take a collective and monumental effort for them to lift the cup.

Ballydonoghue got a scare in their semi-final draw with Ballyduff, and while they had four points to spare in Brosna last Sunday, they will need to be at their best to stave off what should be a fresh, confident and determined St Senans side.

Darragh O’Shea, Jason Foley, Micheál Foley, Martin O’Mahony, Brian O Seanacháin and Paul Kennelly will be the more familiar names to those less acquainted with the reigning champions, but like their opponents next Sunday, it will take a huge collective effort from them, but they should edge a thriller. Verdict: Ballydonoghue

Ballyduff 0-10 Ballydonoghue 1-11

THE opening minutes of this replay last Sunday in Brosna went all Ballyduff’s way with three fast points from Jack O’Sullivan, Mikey Boyle and Padraig Boyle, but then Ballydonoghue got to grips with the strong wind and went on the attack with Jim Cremin raising his side’s attack with a goal and a point in the first 10 minutes.

Ballydonoghue went on a scoring spree with six more points from play before the half time whistle. But with only five points between the sides and Ballyduff still looking dangerous in attack with the half time score Ballyduff 0-5 Ballydonoghue 1-7.

The second half and it started a more subdued affair with the first three scores on the board coming from frees two for Ballyduff and a point for Paul Kennelly Ballydonoghue. But with Ballyduff chasing the game and going for goals early on maybe they should have been taken their points, as Ballydonoghue were always in control.

Two minutes into injury time a penalty awarded to Ballyduff was saved by Ballydonoghue goalkeeper Darragh O’Shea. The final whistle sounded thereafter to set up a repeat of the 2016 final between Ballydonoghue and St Senans.

BALLYDONOGHUE: Darragh O’Shea, Billy Foley, Jason Foley, Conor Kennelly, Thomas Kennelly, Micheál Foley, Jack Gogarty, Martin O’Mahony, Brian O Seanacháin, Jim Cremin, Daragh Sheehy, Jack Behan, Jack Foley, Paul Kennelly, Eamon Walsh

BALLYDUFF: Padraig Harrington, Ben Tobin, Paul O’Carroll, Patrick Moran, Anthony O’Carroll, Cathal Kearney, Daniel O’Carroll, Paud Costelloe, Jack O’Sullivan, Philip Lucid, Jack Goulding, Johnny Regan, Mikey Boyle, Aidan Boyle, Padraig Boyle

REFEREE: Colman O’Flaherty (Listowel Emmets)

Ballyduff’s Thomas Slattery is closely marked by Paul Kennelly, Ballydonoghue, during the North Kerry SFC semi-final replay in Brosna