Kerry star Sean O'Shea injured, but Kenmare Shamrocks survive stern test

Experience of Paul O’Connor and  Stephen O’Brien help see off Rangers

File picture: Sean O'Shea of Kenmare Shamrocks Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Kerry SFC:  Kenmare Shamrocks 0-13 Shannon Rangers 0-9

Although the result turned out as expected, Kenmare Shamrocks needed the experience of Paul O’Connor and the craft of Stephen O’Brien to allow them survive a stern examination from Shannon Rangers on home turf, especially after Sean O’Shea went off injured at half-time with an apparent ‘dead leg’.

The Kerry No 11 continued on despite going down injured during the first period, registering three points before his club made the decision to take him off at the break. 

The hosts led by 0-7 to 0-3 at half-time in Fr Breen Park but the visiting North Kerry side put in a gutsy display. 

Jack Kennelly was their scorer-in-chief with 0-5, all coming from set-pieces as he had a 25th-minute penalty palmed over the bar by Shamrocks goalkeeper Kieran Fitzgibbon.

Despite remaining behind in the period up to the third quarter, points from substitutes Paul Kennelly and Darragh Keane had Shannon Rangers level after 51 minutes of play at 0-9 apiece — and a surprise result appeared on the cards.

Kenmare stayed focused though and finished off with three points from O’Connor and a third in the game from Stephen O’Brien, who had a tough personal duel with Brendan O’Neill. O’Brien’s point was a moment of coolness as he decided to fist over from close range after both O’Connor and Cian O’Sullivan had done great work in the build-up to put him through. 

Shamrocks’ Kevin O’Sullivan and Shannon Rangers’ Mark Buckley had a great battle at midfield, though the former went off injured late on due to a clash of heads with team-mate David Cronin.

Kennelly had one late goal chance for the visitors, but his effort was expertly blocked down by substitute James McCarthy — and that led to the insurance score by O’Connor at the other end from a free.

The Kerry Senior Club finalists now await the fitness of their key men ahead of the quarter-finals, with Dan McCarthy out longer-term with a cruciate.

Scorers for Kenmare Shamrocks: Paul O’Connor (0-5, 3f), S O’Brien & S O’Shea (2f) (0-3 each), K O’Sullivan & T Murnane (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Shannon Rangers: J Kennelly (0-5, 3f, 1m, 1p), J O’Sullivan, M Buckley, P Kennelly; D Keane (0-1 each) 

KENMARE SHAMROCKS: K Fitzgibbon; D Crowley, C O’Sullivan, T O’Sullivan; M Murnane, D O’Shea, M Crowley; K O’Sullivan, S O’Sullivan; T Cronin, S O’Shea, T Murnane; M McCarthy, P O’Connor, S O’Brien 

Subs: S O’Leary for S O’Shea inj (H/T), J McCarthy for M Murnane (48), D Cronin for M Crowley (53), K Price for Cronin (57) and K Reidy for K O’Sullivan (60 +2) 

SHANNON RANGERS: D O’Shea (Ballydonoghue); T McEllistrim (Ballylongford), J Foley (Ballydonoghue), B O’Neil (do); D Wren (Tarbert), S Enright ( Tarbert), M McEllistrim (Ballylongford); M Foley (Ballydonoghue), M Buckley (Tarbert); J O’Sullivan (Ballyduff), B Ó Seanacháin (Ballydonoghue), K Enright (Tarbert); J Kennelly (Ballydonoghue), Ciaran O’Connor (Ballylongford), C Linnane (Beale) 

Subs: P Kennelly (Ballydonoghue) for C O’Connor (H/T) and D Keane (Asdee) for K Enright (49) 

Referee: T Moriarty (Killarney Legion)