The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Narrowest of wins over Keel earns Listry quarter-final place
PREMIER JUNIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 3 ROUND 2 Listry 1-12 Keel 1-11
IT really looked like it was going to be Keel’s day. They had just scored a fine palmed goal in the 49th minute through Gary Murphy to put them five points ahead going into the water break, and they were playing with a swagger and confidence that had Listry completely rattled.
Listry refused to read the script however, and in the 56th minute their tall rangy midfielder Jimmy O’Leary took matters into his own hands. O’Leary enjoyed a fantastic battle throughout the game with Keel’s Thomas Ladden and it would be fair to say that they broke even at the end of the game.
For once though, O’Leary found space in the middle of the field and his electric run through the Keel defence opened up gaps that had hitherto been non existent. O’Leary’s quick fire hand pass found Ruari Murphy, and although the wing forward had a bit of work to do, he made no mistake in rattling the back of the Keel net with an unstoppable thunderbolt.
From here on in the whole mood of the game changed. Listry had the bit between their teeth and Keel were suddenly half a second slower to every ball. Listry attacked in waves and Danny Wren found Anthony Sweeney who marked and slotted the free kick over the bar. Three minutes later Sweeney kicked a ‘45 and the sides were level.
It was now simply a case of when would Listry claim the winner. It came in the 64th minute from the boot of Barry Keane who turned and shot sweetly over the black spot after being released by Ronan Buckley. Referee Eddie Barret blew the final whistle shortly afterwards, and Listry had pulled off what had earlier seemed a forlorn task.
The start of the game was a bright open affair and two very evenly matched sides were level six times in the opening period of the game. Keel played with the breeze in the first half, and although the utilised their excellent full forward Aaron Murphy on occasion, their six wides would come back to haunt them towards the end of the contest.
Listry’s Barry Keane opened the scoring after thirty seconds before Aaron Murphy took a fine mark and levelled the game from his resultant kick. Ronan Buckley and Gary Sayers traded frees before an Aaron Murphy free kick put Keel 0-3 to 0-2 ahead with eight minutes gone on the stop watch.
The contrast in the style of play by both sides was very evident at this stage with Keel electing to go long with the breeze as much as possible, whilst Listry played a more possession based game.
Ronan Buckley levelled matters with a free after a fine run from John Foley, and the game ebbed and flowed for a bit before the excellent Gary Sayers nudged Keel ahead once more in the 14th minute. Two minutes later Aaron Murphy scored his second marked point of the game and Keel led 0-5 to 0-3 at the water break.
Listry came storming out of the traps after the refreshments and points from Anthony Sweeney (free) and Barry Keane levelled matters once more. Keel responded with a Sayers point, but they lived dangerously when goalkeeper Stephen Cahillane was forced to make a fine stop from the lively Barry Keane.
Danny Wren levelled matters in the 29th minute, before Listry’s Colm Counihan made an excellent save to deny Luke Flynn a goal, with Sayers pointing the resultant rebound. There was still time for one more play, and Barry Keane sent the sides in level at half time at 0-7 apiece with his last kick of the half.
Ronan Buckley and Gary Sayers(free) traded points at the start of the second half, as did Anthony Sweeney and Aaron Murphy(free), before Gary Sayers struck a glorious point from an acute angle to push Keel one ahead in the 43rd minute. Listry then suffered a further blow when ace centre half forward Ronan Buckley was dismissed to the sin bin for a late challenge.
A free from Sayers gave Keel a two point advantage, and things got even better when Gary Murphy palmed to the net after a fine move involving several players. Keel now led by five points and it was difficult to see a way back for Listry.
O’Leary and Murphy’s intervention in the 56th minute changed things completely however, and Listry left with the two points, and local bragging rights, after a very entertaining contest.
LISTRY: Colm Counihan, Denis O’Leary, Billy O’Brien, Caolan Ryan, Danny Wren (0-1), Anthony Kennedy, John Foley, Jimmy O’Leary, Damian Clifford, Ruari Murphy(1 goal), Ronan Buckley(0-3, 2f), Sean Lehane, Anthony Sweeney (0-4, 1 ‘45, 1m, 1f), Aaron McCarthy, Barry Keane (0-4). Subs: Sean O’Sullivan for A McCarthy (ht), Paul O’Donoghue for S Lehane (56).
KEEL: Stephen Cahillane, Gavin Evans, Donal O’Neill, Garret Prendiville, Luke Flynn, Shane Prendiville, Sean Corcoran, Thomas Ladden, Darragh O’Dowd, Gary Sayers (0-7, 4f), Aaron Cahillane, Gary Murphy (1-0), Dylan Prendergast, Aaron Murphy (0-4, 2m, 2f), Tommy Buckley. Subs: James Nagle for D O’Dowd (36), Eoin O’Neill for L Flynn (52), Daniel Ashe for G Prendiville (56).
REFEREE: Eddie Barrett (Knocknagoshel)
BLACK Cards; Ronan Buckley (Listry), Ruari Murphy (Listry)