Great divide splits Ballydesmond clubmates as Kerry face Cork

TONIGHT’S Munster JFC final between Kerry and Cork in Tralee, at 8.30pm, has take on an added interest with clubmates Niall Fleming and Jerry Healy on opposing sides.

‘How come?,’ you might well ask. Quite simply, both players are members of the Ballydesmond club straddling the Cork/Kerry border, and, when the club was formed, in 1964, no agreement was reached on what county board to be affiliated with.

Some members wanted Cork, others Kerry. A compromise was reached whereby any player on the Kerry side of the border picked for inter-county duty would declare for Kerry, with the same applying on the Cork side.

Fleming lives on the Kerry side and Healy on the Cork side, and they find themselves in opposition tonight with the former at right corner forward and the latter at right half back.

The Cork team shows two changes from that which “stole” the semi-final from Limerick with a last minute goal and 14 men. Pat Gayer is preferred to Pat Fitzgerald at corner-back, while Liam Concannon takes over from Kevin Canty at centre-forward.

The Cork minor football selectors have been forced to make two changes from the team that defeated Clare in the opening round for tomorrow night’s Munster semi-final against Tipperary, in Limerick.

Regular corner-back Patrick Carroll tore a hamstring playing in the city under 21 FC, last Friday, while David Gould, younger brother of Cork senior Fintan, is out through illness. They are replaced respectively by Michael Power and Shane McCarthy.

Cork include one dual player, Colm O’Neill, whose second half goal against Tipperary in last Sunday’s Munster hurling final sparked off his side’s revival.

KERRY (MFC v Limerick): T. Mac na tSaoir (Gaeltacht); B. Russell (Spa), M. Moloney (Dr Crokes), D. Ó Sé (Gaeltacht); S. Enright (Tarbert), A. Greaney (St Pat’s), B. Costello (John Mitchels), T. Walsh (Kerins O’Rahillys), G. O’Driscoll (Skellig Rangers), J. Buckley (Dr Crokes), D. O’Shea (Currow), D. Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys); G. Sayers (Keel), P. Curran, capt (Waterville), E. Kennedy (Asdee).

Subs: A. Kelly (Dr Crokes), J. Doolan (Dr Crokes), R. Ághas (Gaeltacht), P. Curtin (Moyvane), S. Browne (Castlegregory), I. Howard (Dr Crokes), W. Devane (Dingle), A. O’Reilly (Spa), E. Lawlor (Rathmore).

LIMERICK (MFC v Kerry): C. Carbery (South Liberties); J. Hoare (Monaleen), M. McCormack (Crecora), M. Dowling (Newcastle West); C. Cagney (Granagh/Ballingarry), M. Scannell (Fr. Caseys), P. Mullins (St. Patricks); A. O’Neill (Bruff), I. Ryan (St. Senans); S. Scanlan (Mungret), J. Riordan (Templeglantine), G. Collins (Milford); L. Barrett (Kilmallock), M. Quilligan (Newcastle West), R. Cahill (St. Kierans).

CORK (MFC v Tipperary): A. Seymour (Bishopstown); J. O’Callaghan (Doneraile), M. Power (Bishopstown), S. McLoughlin (Kanturk); S. Kelleher (Cill na Martra), B. Lombard (St. Michaels), S. Kiely (Macroom); J. Fitzpatrick (Carbery Rangers), C. Donovan (Valley Rovers); C. O’Driscoll (Tadgh MacCarthaighs), S. McCarthy (Douglas), D. Molden (Glanmire); C. O’Neill (Ballyclough), E. Hegarty (St. Michaels), K. Coffey (Oliver Plunketts).

Subs: E. Kennedy (Aghada), D. Bracken (St. Finbarrs), B. Daly (Newmarket), M. Dilworth (Knocknagree), C. O’Sullivan (St. Finbarrs), T. Murray (Bishopstown), P. Hogan (Nemo Rangers), C. O’Driscoll (Ilen Rovers), M. Minnis (Carbery Rangers).

KERRY (JFC v Cork): S. Óg Ciardabhain (Cordal); S. Hegarty (Legion), J. Costello (St. Pats), S. Cremin (Templenoe); D. O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), B. Hickey (Skellig Rangers), J. King (Beale); JP Brosnan (Gneeveguilla), A. Garnett (Spa); N. Fleming (Ballydesmond), M. Murphy (Gneeveguilla), R. Daly (Churchill); R. McAuliffe (Gneeveguilla), S. Wallace (Ardfert), J. Buckley (Currow).

CORK (JFC v Kerry): K. O’Halloran (Bishopstown); P. Gayer (Castlemagner), E. O’Mahony (Macroom), D. O’Riordean (Kanturk); J. Healy (Ballydesmond), D. O’Brien (Newmarket), T. Murphy (Canovee); M. O’Sullivan (Carbery Rangers), A. O’Sullivan (Castletownere); F. Lynch (Valley Rovers), L. Concannon (Ballingeary), J. Shanahan (Shamrocks); B. Dennehy (Kiskeam), F. Murphy (St. Vincents), P. Cahill (Glenville).

Subs: D. Moynihan (Aghabullogue), P. Fitzgerald (Erin’s Own), C. Murphy (Dromtarriffe), C. O’Neill (Shamrocks), B. Twomey (Nemo Rangers), S. Rea (St. Vincents), J. Murphy (Glanmire), K. Canty (Valley Rovers), C. Weste (Ballincollig).