North Kerry Championship 2017

865

Bernard O Callaghan Senior Championship – Eamon O Donoghue Memorial Perpetual Cup
Sponsored by Mcmunns Ballybunion

Semi Final: Listowel Emmets 2.12 -v- Ballyduff  3.10
This game was played on Sunday last  in Brosna with one of the finest pitches in the county considering the amount of water we had the previous week thank you to the Brosna club for their professional stewarding of the game and facilities. This was a game where one of the favourites for the final Listowel Emmets meet one of the teams Ballyduff where if they are interested would give any team in the district a good rattle and that is just what the Duffers did.  Their attitude is we are not out until the final whistle and this proved the difference on Sunday last. It was Ballyduff on the scoreboard first with a point from Barry O’Grady, but Emmets were running in waves and wing forward David Keane popped the ball over the bar in the second minute.  But in quick reply Jack Goulding Ballyduff split the posts, adding another point from a converted free by Mikey Boyle to bring the Duffers two points up, but Emmets Cormac Mulvihill was having none of it and added two points from play within two minutes to level the playing field again.  A free by Mikey Boyle added to the swaying of the scoreboard, but it was Jack Goulding’s hard work when he raced out from the full forward line to pick the pocket of  the Emmets player raced back towards the goal to have the ball rebound of the woodwork into the hands of Mikey Boyle to be kicked over the bar to the roar of the Ballyduff supporters. Emmets knew at this point that they were in a dogfight and upped the pace of the game driving at the Ballyduff backs in waves of support.  The pendulum had swayed in favour of the Emmets when veteran Shane Quinn raced up the side of the pitch to take the pass and drive the ball to the back of the Ballyduff net  to bring his side a point up, game on.  Jack Goulding again brought the sides level with a point in the 17th minute and a free converted by Mikey Boyle brought the Ballyduff side two points up but this was to be the last score of the first half for the Ballyduff men and Emmets took control adding five points from play before the halftime whistle points from Cormac Mulvihill, Bryan Sweeney, Darragh Leahy, Sam Tarrant and Connor Cox.  Half time score Emmets 1.08 v Ballyduff 0.07

Half time sub Jack McGuire was letting his presence be felt on the pitch when within the 30 second mark he kicked a point to bring Emmets five points clear, but the nail in the coffin was when Emmet’s midfielder Bryan  Sweeney on the one minute mark drove the ball into the Ballyduff net to raise the green flag Emmets were now eight points up and it looked as if the game was over and we were only a minute into the second half.  But as I said in the open of this report the Duffers aren’t out until the final whistle and from the third minute until the seventh they had raised the green flag no fewer than three times to the applause of their many supporters goals from Padraig Boyle, Mikey Boyle and Jack Goulding  to bring the Ballyduff men a point up again. Ballyduff went on to add a further three points, a free from Barry O Grady and two free’s converted by Mickey Boyle, Emmets went on to add a further three points also a free from Cathal Keane and two points from Noel Kennelly but it was deep into the four minutes of injury time when Listowel Emmets were awarded a free Connor Cox stepped up steadied himself only for the ball to go well wide on the dressing side of the goal post.  The ball was kicked out to the sound of the whistle and the Ballyduff supporters and players celebrated together in the middle of the pitch.  So Ballyduff are now in the Bernard O’Callaghan Senior Football Final and await their opponents either Brosna or Ballydonoghue who battle it out in a replay on Sunday next.
Teams: Ballyduff: Sean Browne, Thomas Slattery, Sean Costello (C), Cathal Kearney, Johnny Regan, Paul O’Carroll, Barry O’ Grady, Paud Costello, Jack O Sullivan, Padraig Boyle, Jack Goulding, Anthony Carroll, John Paul Leahy, Mikey Boyle, David Goulding. subs: Paddy Moran for Johnny Regan, Liam Boyle for John Paul Leahy.
Listowel Emmets: Keith Hughes, Shane Quinn, Darragh Broderick, Niall Collins, Ger McCarthy, Brendan Guiney, Ciaran Pierse, Cathal Keane, Bryan Sweeney, Darragh Leahy, Cormac Mulvihill, David Keane, Sam Tarrant, Noel Kennelly, Conor Cox. subs Jack McGuire for Cathal Keane, Maurice Whelan for Darragh Broderick, David Sheehy for Connor Cox (blood sub), Connor Cox for Sam Tarrant, Tom McCarthy for Darragh Leahy.
Referee: Seamus Mulvihill St Senans.

Semi Finals Replay:
Sundy 03rd November – 2pm with E.T. – Venue: O’Rahilly Park Ballylongford
Ballydonoghue -v- Brosna
Final (Replay in event of a draw) – Sunday 10th December @ 2.30pm Venue: Frank Sheehy Park, Listowel

Minor North Kerry Championship Division 1 Final
Sponsored by O’Connors Hardware Duagh
Sunday 3rd  December @  12.30pm ET – Venue: Finuge – St Senans -v- Listowel Emmets

North Kerry League Division 2 Final
Sponsored McCarthy Insurances Listowel  – Saturday 2nd Dec @  2pm E.T. Venue Brosna – Moyvane v Ballyduff