Sudden death win for Legion in first Kerry county SFC shootout 

Conor Keane's winning penalty sent Killarney Legion into the last eight.

File pic of Stephen Stack, Killarney Legion manager 

Kerry County SFC: Spa 0-16 Killarney Legion 1-13 (AET, Legion win 5-4 on penalties) 

It probably isn't the best way to decide the outcome of a tense local derby but it took a penalty shootout and sudden death to send Killarney Legion to the next round of this year’s Garveys SFC after a close encounter with Spa at the Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Quality-wise, this opening round game was not a classic with Legion having a wide count of 13 while Spa bettered that by one.

Legion raced 0-3 to 0-1 clear inside the opening ten minutes thanks to two Jamie O’Sullivan points and another from Eoghan O’Sullivan — Evan Cronin replying with a free for Spa. Points from Michael Foley and Evan Cronin had the sides level at 0-3 apiece at the water break.

Legion began to take control soon after the resumption and added points through a William Shine mark and a James O’Donoghue free. O’Donoghue failed to score from play though he was always a threat.

But by half time Spa were 0-6 to 0-5 in front thanks to points from Niall McCarthy and Dara Moynihan as Legion huffed and puffed but could not blow Spa’s house down.

Spa still looked the more likely side to win this, at times dour, contest as they drew 0-9 to 0-7 clear by the second half water break, thanks mainly to the accuracy of the superb Evan Cronin.

Legion boss Stephen Stack needed to find inspiration from somewhere. It arrived in the shape a goal straight after the water break when Conor Keane dropped in a high ball into the Spa goalmouth for tall substitute Padraig Lucey to finish to the net. 

Evan Cronin leveled with ten minutes left and though Conor Keane gave Legion a one-point lead in the 59th minute, Ryan O’Carroll forced extra time with a late Spa point (1-8 to 0-11).

The sides were still tied at half-time in the extra period as both added two points. Rob Leen and Evan Cronin then swapped scores before former Kerry senior Jonathon Lyne appeared to have won the day for Legion. Again Niall McCarthy leveled for Spa before Billy McGuire put Legion in pole position once more.

However, Evan Cronin's eighth point ensured a penalty shootout would have to be utilised for the first time in Kerry SFC.

Each side scored four of their five penalties and so to sudden death and when Spa missed, Conor Keane sent Killarney Legion into the last eight.

Scorers for Killarney Legion: J O’Sullivan (0-4, 2 frees); P Lucey (1-0); C Keane (1 free) and J O’Donoghue (2 frees) (0-2 each); J Lyne, E O’Sullivan, W Shine (m), B McGuire and R Leen (0-1 each).

Scorers for Spa: E Cronin (0-8, 5 frees); M Foley (2 frees) and N McCarthy (0-2 each); C Tobin, D O’Donoghue, R O’Carroll and D Moynihan (0-1 each).

KILLARNEY LEGION: B Kelly; C Davies, D O’Sullivan, C Gammell; P O’Sullivan, J Lyne, K Slattery; J O’Neill, J O’Sullivan ; E O’Sullivan , C Keane, W Shine ; R O’Grady, S Keane, J O’Donoghue.

Subs: P Lucey for S Keane (H/T), D Lyne for W Shine (H/T), B McGuire for R O’Grady (45 mins), C Stack for N O’Mahony (47 mins), F Murphy for E O’Sullivan (53 mins), D O’Doherty for P O’Sullivan (56 mins), W Shine for J O’Sullivan (E/T), R Leen for F Murphy (H/T E/T), E O’Sullivan for J O’Neill (16 mins E/T), D Sheahan for J O’Donoghue (16 mins E/T).

SPA: J Devane; B Lynch, E Fitzgerald, S Lynch; S Cronin, D O’Donoghue , R O’Carroll; C Spillane, M McCarthy; N O’Mahony, M Foley, D Moynihan ; N McCarthy, E Cronin, D Spillane.

Subs: Cian Tobin for D Spillane (H/T).

Referee: S Mulvihill (St Senans)