The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
All the ups and downs of the club championships
SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 1 ROUND 2
Kenmare Shamrocks 3-6 Templenoe 1-11
DERBY matches have an intensity all of their own. There isn’t a player who wouldn’t go through his opponent for a short-cut during the game, but he could ask for help a minute after the whistle and the same player would give it to him unhesitantly. So it proved in a beautiful Templenoe last Friday evening as old friendly foes Kenmare and Templenoe hurled hammer, tongs, imprecations, and possibly the kitchen sink at each other and it made for an enthralling championship match – with a real sting in the tail!
The tone was set early on, with a weaving Brian Crowley drawing a foul smoothly converted by Killian Spillane, who was easily the deadliest predator on the field. Sean O’Shea sent a long ball into the other square, where Paul O’Connor was lurking with intent, but Mark Looney did well to fist clear. It was a temporary reprieve – Kenmare’s midfielders were edging a tough battle and Kevin O’Sullivan burst clear to fire a cracking goal.
Hard-working Sean Sheehan won another free for Killian, but Fionan O’Sullivan was the pick of the midfield battlers and he neatly tapped over a tackling defender, rounded him, and darted in to rattle the net again.
Paul O’Connor made a great mark to fire over and then set up Kevin O’Sullivan for another. Templenoe lost John Spillane and then Daniel Cahalane to black cards but took the next score. Long ball into Killian Spillane wasn’t yielding too much reward, largely thanks to great defending by Dara Crowley and Tommy O’Sullivan (whose 7th minute block on Killian had been spectacular) crowding him. However, he gathered from Gavin Crowley and cut in superbly along the endline to fire over. Stephen O’Sullivan added another to make it 2-2 to 0-4.
In the 28th minute, Adrian Spillane rose high to fist home a great goal and Templenoe were back within touching distance. Game on! Just before the break, the excellent Dara Crowley stole up from defence to score.
Half-time Kenmare Shamrocks 2-3 Templenoe 1-4
Sean O’Shea departed the second half early on another black card – referee Brendan Brosnan admirably fought minor fires all through in a game that was more intense than dirty – and that left Killian Spillane as the headline act, notching three great points (one mark) on the trot and putting Templenoe in front. Another Kevin O’Sullivan burst won a free converted by Paul O’Connor. Sean O’Shea may be the best free-taker in the country (and cheaper than his Dublin counterpart) but no-one has seen Paul miss too many either. His pass to Stephen O’Brien for a goal chance was just an inch too far away from Stephen’s outstretched boot but
Paul won and converted another free. Killian Spillane had fired over another beauty just beforehand. Sean O’Shea, back in the fray, was well blocked but swung over at the second attempt to make it 2-6 to 1-8.
Templenoe scrambled to clear their lines as the tempo rose even higher and Killian pointed a free. A great run by Brian Crowley saw Stephen O’Sullivan fist over and Templenoe were in the lead. Fionan O’Sullivan almost got in on goal but John Spillane did well to pressure the shot and it drilled wide. Cian Hallissey coolly fisted over at the other end.
Templenoe ahead by two points and time almost up .... the worst lead in football, and the salutary lesson of 1982 is still buried in the Kerry psyche. Time almost up and Kenmare sent one last hopeful punt into the Templenoe square...up rose Sean O’Shea to connect...the ball fell loose...and Paul O’Connor pounced to lash it to the net.
KENMARE Shamrocks: Kieran Fitzgibbon, Dara Crowley (0-1), James McCarthy, Tommy O’Sullivan, Shane O’Sullivan, Dara O’Shea, Mark Crowley, Kevin O’Sullivan (1-1), Fionan O’Sullivan (1-0), Stephen O’Brien, Dan McCarthy, Tommy Cronin, Michael McCarthy, Sean O’Shea (0-1), Paul O’Connor (1-3, 2f). Subs Tom Murnane for Tommy Cronin (ht), Matt Murnane for Shane O’Sullivan (44), Seán O’Leary for Michael McCarthy (47), Rory O’Sullivan for Fionan O’Sullivan (57).
TEMPLENOE: Mark Looney, Mike Hallissey, Kieran O’Neill, John Spillane, Gavin Crowley, Fdaniel Cahalane, John Rice, Sean Sheehan, Adrian Spillane (1-0), Tom Spillane, Brian Crowley, Josh Crowley Holland, Stephen O’Sullivan (0-1), Killian Spillane (0-8, 4f), Colin Crowley. Subs: Martin Reilly for Mike Hallissey (11), Cian Hallissey 0-1 for Daniel Cahalane (35), Daniel Cahalane for Tommy Spillane (47), Kieran McCarthy for Cian Hallissey (59).
REFEREE: Brendan Brosnan (Glenflesk)