Na Gaeil and Beaufort to contest Kerry IFC decider

Jack Barry was a key figure for Na Gaeil in this weekend Kerry IFC semi-final win over Desmonds

Na Gaeil, powered by their Kerry midfield pairing of Jack Barry and Diarmuid O’Connor, produced an impressive second half display to defeat Castleisland Desmonds (1-19 to 0-11) in the intermediate club championship semi-final at Austin Stack Park. It was an eye-catching performance from the Tralee side that lost Stefan Okunbor in the warm-up, no doubt much to the disappointment of Kerry boss Jack O’Connor, who was watching from the stand.

Desmonds held the upper hand in the opening exchanges and held a two-point lead by the first water break (0-4 to 0-2).

Having gone three points down early in the second quarter, Jerome Stack’s men thundered into the game. Three unanswered points from Darragh Carmody brought Na Gaeil within a point as Thomas Hickey threatened briefly. Another point by Carmody leveled it up before Diarmuid O’Connor gave Na Gaeil a 0-7 to 0-6 half time lead.

Desmonds started the second half well with a pair of points from Thomas Hickey (one a free) saw them retake the initiative. In the space of less than two minutes Na Gaeil retook the lead once more with a trio of points by Carmody – who bagged 13 in all, seven from play, by the end – to go 0-10 to 0-8 clear by 40 minutes. 

A brilliant goal from Diarmuid O’Connor saw Na Gaeil six clear by the second water break, 1-12 to 0-9, and it was game over for the Desmonds. The losers only managed a single point in the final quarter. Jack and Andrew Barry along with the superb Diarmuid O’Connor caught the eye as Na Gaeil sent out a warning that they will be hard to beat in the final.

Beaufort produced a solid and effective performance in returning to the Kerry IFC final after a 1-16 to 1-10 win over a fancied Rathmore on Sunday as veteran Aidan O’Mahony could not inspire the East Kerry side. Liam Carey was the star man for the victors as they overturned a 1-4 to 0-5 deficit at half-time.

Rathmore’s goal came from a rebounded Chrissy Spiers penalty in the 22nd minute but Beaufort hit 1-2 without reply early in the second period to take control of the game again. Kieran Dennehy’s 36th minute goal put them back in front and they never looked back from there as three unanswered points saw them win out by six points.

The 2020 runners-up Beaufort will face Na Gaeil, the side they beat in last year’s semi-finals as well as the side they beat in the Junior Premier final in 2018 whenever St Brendan's and Mid Kerry both exit the senior football championships.