14-man Rathmore made sweat by wasteful St Brendan’s

Rathmore 3-14 St Brendan’s 1-16: Relief was the over-riding emotion for Rathmore boss Denis Moynihan as he reflected on this Kerry SFC Rd 2 victory over St Brendan’s on Saturday.

Two goals inside the opening 11 minutes of this sink-or-swim tie provided his Rathmore side with a cushion that kept the division at arm’s length for well over two-thirds of the proceedings. Then came the events of the 38th minute.

First, though, some context: St Brendan’s attackers were punching holes in the Rathmore rearguard but not converting. Of four goal chances engineered, only one was put away. Eight minutes after the break Na Gaeil’s Jack Barry again carved open the Rathmore defence but his momentum was halted with a Brendan O’Keeffe leg block.