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Brosna 0:14 -v- Fingue 1:07
Brosna had a hard fought victory over fingue in Brosna on Sunday. This first round game was played in perfect conditions considering the recent bad weather. It was Brosna who made home advantage count, racing into a 5 point lead with scores from Tom Mcgoldrick, Mike Finnegan and Patrick Moriarty. However fingue who have being out of football action with the last number of weeks got to grips with the game and responded with two points of their won. Brosna responded with great scores from Patrick Moriarty and Shane Fitzmaurice. fingue were handed a life line at the end of the first half when they were awarded a penalty and Declan McCarthy slotted the ball to the back of the net to leave the scores 1:2 to 0:08 at half time. Brosna had the best of the openings in the second half picking up a lot of breaks all over the park and converting them to scores from the booth of Tom McGoldrick and Adam Barry. However fingues Pat Corridan and john McCarthy started winning a lot of ball around the middle of the park and it resulted in fingue making a great comeback scoring 4 unanswered points. However Brosna never gave up and they worked there way back into the game and when Patrick Moriarty scored a great point over near the side line it gave Brosna a huge lift. Fingue threw everything they had at Brosna in the closing stages but Brosnas defenders who were solid through out the game kept them at bay to see Brosna win out on a scoreline of 0:14 to 1:07.
Ballydonoghue 1-10 -v- Ballylongford 0-7
Before this game got underway there was a minutes silence observed for the late Ned Purtill who died last weekend. Played in excellent underfoot conditions at O Rahilly Park, Ballylongford and despite a stiff breeze that blew across the field; Ballydonoghue the defending champions justified their favouritism by defeating great rivals Ballylongford in a fairly well contested encounter. Ballydonoghue in fairness were always in control of the game and never looked in any danger of an upset; but credit this youthful Ballylongford outfit who for the bigger part of the contest were playing catch-up football and never threw in the towel and battled to the final whistle. Certainly this battled hardened Ballydonoghue even without the services of their Kerry panellist, Jason Foley on the day will be hard to stop; with players of the calibre of Michael Foley and Stephen Lonergan who marshalled their defence well, Martin O Mahony and Eamon Walsh dominated midfield especially the latter who gave a man of the match performance and kicking 4 long range points into the bargain. In attack Brian O Seanachain and Dara Sheehy were on top of their game; on the other hand. Michael McEllistrim who had the huge task of marking the Ballydonoghue top marksman, Paul Kennelly and came out of top of this duel; Tadhg McEllistrim, James O Connor, Jack Mulvihill and Ciaran O Connor stood out. The game was only 3 minutes old when wing back, Tommy Kennelly kicked a fantastic long range point followed by a Paul Kennelly free. A late tackle on Jack Mulvihill at midfield saw the ball land on the 21 meter line and Ciaran O Connor duly opened Ballylongfords account after 10 minutes from a free. Four points in a row and all from play by Eamon Walsh, Dara Sheehy, (2) and Paul Kennelly saw Ballydonoghue go 6pts to 1 after 17 minutes. Jack Mulvihill who made some terrific runs at the Ballydonoghue defence and Jack Behan exchanged points. For the remaining 10 minutes or so it was end to end stuff and the home team missed a glorious opportunity of a goal that would have cut the deficit to a 2 point margin but when it looked easier to score the ball drifted wide.Kieran Lynch had the final score of the half for the visitors leaving the interval score; Ballydonoghue, 0-8 Ballylongford 0-2. On resumption Ballylongford hit the ground running and 2 pointed frees from Ciaran O Connor and another from Padraig O Neill had the margin down to two. Ballydonoghue weathered the storm and should have a goal of their own as the ball rattled the crossbar, then off a defender and out to safety. Paul Kennelly swung over a free as the visitors started to turn the screw; Eamon Walsh with 3 points and another coming from Dara Sheehy as Ballylongford only reply came from Jermiah Tydings in the 20th minute. The home team continued to come forward as Ballydonoghue emptied their bench and when Jim Cremin got an early Christmas present with a simple tap-in with 4 minutes remaining that was that. Ballylongford substitute Seanie Kennelly just introduced closed the games scoring in injury time.
Ballyduff 5-11 -v- Castleisland Desmonds 0-7
The first round of the North Kerry Senior Football Championship continued on Sunday last when Ballyduff and Castleisland Desmonds clashed at Ballyduff. The visitors were lacking in numbers but fulfilled the fixture. Ballyduff on the other hand had plenty to call on the day.
John Paul Leahy opened the scoring with a third minute free but soon after Thomas Hickey levelled with a similar score at the other end. Jack Goulding put the home side ahead with a point from play and then found the net after a pin point pass from Leahy. Midfielder Paud Costello kicked a fine point off his left as Ballyduff led 1 – 3 to 0 – 1 after ten minutes of play. Graham O’Connor converted two close in frees to leave just a goal between the sides at the end of the first quarter. Wing back Johnny O’Regan blasted over with the goal at his mercy but minutes later Anthony O’Carroll had the ball in the net following a good Ballyduff move. Points followed from Darragh Goulding, Michael Hussey, Jack O’Sullivan & John Paul Leahy as Ballyduff moved up the gears. There was a respite when Tadgh Walsh slotted over a point in the 27th minute but Ballyduff finished the half with a second goal from Anthony O’Carroll and the home side retired with a thirteen point lead on a scoreline of 3 – 8 to 0 – 4.
Desmonds had to pull out all the stops after the break and started brightly with pointed frees from Graham O’Connor and Thomas Hickey in the opening five minutes. However they were rattled one minute later when Jack Goulding got on the end of a good ball in from Thomas Slattery and rattled the Desmonds net once to put the game beyond doubt. Darragh Goulding added a good point from play while at the other end the lively Tadgh Walsh fired over on the run. Ballyduff emptied the bench and Jack Goulding, who was outstanding all through, pointed from a free and from play before substitute Eddie Joy found the net five minutes from the end to end the scoring on the day.
Cathal Kearney, Johnny O’Regan, Jack O’Sullivan, Chris Whyte, John Paul Leahy and Jack Goulding were best for Ballyduff. Barry Lynch, Luke Lyons, Pa White, Tadgh Walsh, Thomas Hickey and Graham O’Connor were to the fore for a very much understrength Desmonds.
Moyvane 0-11 -v- Duagh 1 -15
This first round game was played in Con Brosnan Park Moyvane on Sunday Morning last in rather heavy underfoot conditions. Moyvane who had to line out without William Madden and Colin Enright from their selected fifteen were the early pacesetters and playing with a slight breeze went on to dominate the early exchanges in the first half. It was Eamon Flaherty who was winning some good marks from kickouts which was the springboard to many of their attacks along with his midfield partner Owen Stack who opened the scoring with a fine point in the 3rd minute. Further points from Mark Mulvihill and Brian Stack put them three clear before Anthony Maher got Duagh on the scoreboard with a point from play.Moyvane pushed on again with points from Timmy Noonan,Aidan Keane and Martin Stack who had earlier rattled the crossbar with a powerful shot.
Duagh for their their part enjoyed plenty possession but were not converting their chances but they finished the half strongly with points from Martin Scanlan who was excellent throughout and Eddie Stack to close the gap before half time. Half Time Score: Moyvane 0-6 Duagh 0-3.
Martin Stack put Moyvane further ahead with a pointed free in the 1st minute but Duagh showed their intent and responded straight away with a pointed free from Martin Scanlan. Jerry Clancy who was now operating at wing forward pulled on a loose ball and drove over the bar from close range to restore Moyvane four point advantage two minutes later. But for the next quarter it was all Duagh as Anthony Maher and Jer Kelly began to get on top at midfield as they set about reeling in the homeside firstly Martin Scanlan with a long range point in the 9th minute and three in a row from Gerald McCarthy brought the sides level by the 22nd minute. The game was now there for the taking and the tackling was robust as the battle for victory intensified the card tally also mounted up with two black cards and a number of yellows handed out. Martin Stack and Martin Scanlan swapped points once again in the 22nd and 27th minute,while Diarmuid Leahy thought he had the winner for Moyvane when he latched on to a high ball which went over for a point in the 29th minute. But Martin Scanlan kicked over a forty metre free in the 33rd minute to send the game into extra time. The extra time however belonged to Duagh as Anthony Maher and Martin Scanlan combined scoring 1-2 between them in the first six minutes with Scanlan getting the goal in the 3rd minute and he would have had another a minute later but for a brilliant save from Diarmuid Fitzmaurice.
Moyvane had only one score in extra time this came from a pointed free from Martin Stack after a great run from full back Shane Stack who was fouled on the twenty metre line. Duagh Kicked over three further points in the second period of extra time without reply and they now go forward to meet Ballydonoghue.
Quarter Finals:
Sunday 5th November – Time and Venue T.B.C
Duagh v Ballydonoghue | Listowel Emmets v Asdee
Sunday 12th November – Time and Venue T.B.C
Tarbert v Ballyduff | Brosna v Beale
