Goals key as O’Rahillys win sends Templenoe to relegation play-off

SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 1 ROUND 3 Kerins O’Rahillys 3-13 Templenoe 1-11

GOALS from Conor Hayes, Barry John

Keane and substitute Danny O’Sullivan laid the platform for a reasonably comfortable eight-point win that secures Kerins O’Rahillys senior club status for another year, while consigning Templenoe to the prospect of a relegation play-off with Kilcummin, unless they can do the unthinkable and reach the county SFC final.

The home side were still without Tommy Walsh, who picked up an injury in the first round loss to Kenmare, while Tadhg Morley had to wait until the 40th minute before seeing his first action for Templenoe since football resumed last month.

With so much at stake O’Rahillys took to their task much better in the opening quarter, and with Hayes hitting the net in the 12th minute, the Tralee club led 1-5 to no score by the 15th minute, when Killiane Spillane’s point got the visitors off the mark.

Templenoe had the better of it in the second quarter, and some fine scores from Sean Sheehan, Tom Spillane, Brian Crowley (sideline) and Josh Crowley Holland (mark) saw the visitors trail by a more manageable 1-8 to 0-7 at half time.

Templenoe were on level terms by the 50th minute with points from Brian, Gavin and Colin Crowley, and Martin Reilly, and had Morley not been denied a goal by a brilliant Karl Mullins block, the result might have been different.

Instead, O’Rahillys rallied and goals from Keane and O’Sullivan got them over the winning line, with Hayes scoring 1-5 from play and Jack Savage scoring 0-7 (two frees).

Brian Crowley scored a Templenoe consolation goal in added-on time.