The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Na Gaeil pull clear of Glenflesk to send out a big statement
COUNTY IFC GROUP 2 ROUND 1 Na Gaeil 2-14 Glenflesk 1-6
IN the end, it was a comprehensive eleven point victory for reigning All Ireland Junior champions Na Gaeil in their first foray into Intermediate level, but the game was on a knife edge for a large majority of the contest with the victors scoring 2-2 in the last six minutes to put a healthy gloss on their winning total,and sending a dejected looking Glenflesk side home with their tails firmly between their legs.
The sending off of Glenflesk captain Kieran A O’Donoghue in the 40th minute for a second yellow card had a huge bearing on the outcome as Glenflesk trailed by only two points at that stage. O’Donoghue had picked up a yellow card in the fifth minute of the game for a high tackle, and whilst there was nothing malicious about his second yellow, his challenge was over robust and merited the punishment. In the end the numerical inferiority left Glenflesk chasing shadows as Na Gaeil were cute and lethal in possession.
Significantly, the Tralee side had a spread of seven scorers in their ranks whilst Glenflesk had only two. Dara Roche was magnificent for the losers at full forward and finished up with a goal and five points, with 1-1 from play, but he really was fighting a lone furrow as the tenacious Na Gaeil backs easily snuffed out anything else that Glenflesk had to offer.
Na Gaeil’s inter-county midfield of Jack Barry and Diarmuid O’Connor were magnificent. Barry finished with a goal and three points in a tour de force performance, whilst O’Connor contributed a point and flashed into the game with some brilliant moments when needed.
The Castleisland pitch was in splendid shape for the game although earlier showers meant that the ball skidded sharply off the lush surface. A strong wind blew towards the Limerick Road end of the ground, and Glenflesk played with this advantage for the first half.
Na Gaeil were first off the mark after 45 seconds with a pointed Darragh Carmody free from forty metres, and the livewire corner forward added a second free in the fifth minute. Dara Roche replied two minutes later with a placed ball from the stand side of the ground, but wing back Eoin Doody curled a lovely effort for Na Gaeil in the 11th minute to nudge his side two ahead once more.
Glenflesk were finding it extremely difficult to break down a resolute Na Gaeil defence. When they went long, the Tralee sides rearguard coped admirably, and they had plenty players back to help out.
Jeff O’Donoghue took matters into his own hands when he hit a monster point from fifty metres on the town side for Glenflesk, before Carmody and Dara Roche traded frees to leave Na Gaeil leading by 0-4 to 0-3, at the first water break of the game.
Soon afterwards the Glenflesk defence began to live dangerously as Na Gaeil came at them with all guns blazing. Jack Barry had an effort at goal from an acute angle saved rather easily, but he made up for his weak shot with a lovely point soon afterwards.
Dan Goggin was getting through a huge amount of work for Na Gaeil, and they nearly goaled when a poor kick out from Glenflesk firstly saw goalkeeper Mark Kelliher save from Jamie Lowham, before Gearoid O’Leary effected a fantastic block when the rebound fell to Darragh Carmody.
Dara Roche replied in the 29th minute with a great individual effort after he caught a high ball over his head, but Glenflesk were dealt a blow when midfielder Conor O’Donoghue was banished to the sin bin straight afterwards. Jack Barry pointed for Na Gaeil to see them lead by 0-6 to 0-4 at the half-time break.
Na Gaeil took advantage of their numerical superiority and pushed 0-8 to 0-4 ahead thanks to efforts from Carmody (free), and Dan Goggin. The game was slipping away from Glenflesk, but inspired by the promptings of Daniel O’Brien, danger man Dara
Roche struck for a lovely goal after a pass from Patrick D’arcy in the 35th minute.
Goalkeeper Devon Burns slotted a free to push Na Gaeil two ahead once more, but then came Kieran A O’Donoghue’s sending off and that really left Glenflesk with a mountain to climb.
They stuck at it though, with Carmody and Roche trading frees, as did Diarmuid O’Connor and Roche again (free). Jack Barry put Na Gaeil 0-12 to 1-6 ahead in the 56th minute, and from there on in the victors ripped their opponents asunder in a seven-minute spell to finish the game.
Substitute Darragh Reen and man of the match Jack Barry goaled, before Diarmuid Herlihy and Reen again pointed to seal an impressive Na Gaeil performance.
NA GAEIL: Devon Burns (0-1f), Ryan O’Neill, Damien Bourke, Fergal Barry, Andrew Barry, Eoin Doody (0-1), Diarmuid O’Connor (0-1), Jack Barry (1-3), Dan O’Connor, Dan Goggin (0-1), James O’Connor, Darragh Carmody (0-5f), Jamie Lowham, Tomás Ó h-Ainifin Subs: Diarmuid Herlihy (0-1) for J Lowham, 39, Darragh Reen (1-1) for Tomás Ó h-Ainifin, 47, Kieran O’Donovan for James O’Connor, 53, Jack Sheehan for D Carmody, 60
GLENFLESK: Mark Kelliher, Gearoid O’Leary, Chris O’Donoghue, Shane Courtney, Kieran A O’Donoghue, Brian O’Donoghue, Denis O’Connor, Daniel O’Brien, Conor O’Donoghue, Padraig Healy, Ian Roche, Jeff O’Donoghue (0-1), Sean Doherty, Darragh Roche (1-5, 0-4f), Patrick D’arcy Subs: Danny Lucey for P Healy, 47, Dara Fleming for Seán Doherty, 58
REFEREE: Billy O’Shea (Keel)