South Kerry coast into quarter-final

South Kerry easily swept aside the challenge of North Kerry side Feale Rangers

 

Kerry County SFC: South Kerry 2-16 Feale Rangers 0-5

Pre-match favourites South Kerry swept aside the challenge of North Kerry side Feale Rangers in a very disappointing and one-sided Garvey’s Super Valu County Senior Football Championship Round 1 match played at Milltown GAA Grounds on Saturday.

South Kerry were full value for their 17-point victory margin and comfortably marched into the quarter-final stages.

Aided by a strong breeze in the first half, South Kerry set about the task in hand with serious intent from the throw-in. 

At the first water break, they led by 0-5 to 0-0 and but for the assistance of the woodwork on a couple of occasions Feale Rangers would have found themselves further in arrears.  Eanna O’Connor and Niall O’Shea had contributed two points apiece to South Kerry’s total.

Corner forward, Jack McElligott, secured Feale Rangers' opening score when he pointed in the 18th minute but this was immediately cancelled out by a similar score from South Kerry full-forward, Daragh O’Sullivan. 

Then in the 21st minute came South Kerry’s first goal. Excellent corner forward Niall O’Shea secured possession about 45 metres out from the Feale Rangers goal and threaded a sublime pass through to corner forward, Dilan Donoghue, who finished clinically past James Barry in the Rangers goal.

Jack Daly and O’Shea added points and at half time South Kerry had a nine-point advantage on the scoreline, 1-8 to 0-2.

The North Kerry side needed a good start to the second half to give themselves a fighting chance, but it was centre half-forward, Eanna O’ Connor (son of Kerry manager Jack) who opened the scoring with a pointed free for South Kerry in the 32nd minute. 

Substitute Tom McCarthy kicked a point for Feale Rangers a minute later but South Kerry’s second goal arrived in the 38th minute. A high delivery from midfielder Jack Daly was brilliantly fielded on the verge of the Rangers' square by Eanna O’Connor and in one quick movement he slammed the ball to the net. This put South Kerry 12 points clear and there was way back for Feale Rangers.

Scorers for South Kerry: E O’Connor (1-5, 1 free); D O’Donoghue (1-0); N O’Shea (0-3, 1 mark); T Sugrue (0-2); R O’Shea, J Daly, C O’Shea, A Walsh, D O’Sullivan and D Daly (0-1 each).

Scorers for Feale Rangers: E O’Flaherty (0-2), D Lynch (1f), T McCarthy and J McElligott (0-1 each) 

SOUTH KERRY: P O’ Sullivan (Skellig Rangers); B Sugrue (Renard), F Clifford (Waterville), S O’ Connor (PiarsaighnaDromoda); G O’ Sullivan (PiarsaighnaDromoda), M Griffin (St. Michaels/Foilmore), R O’Shea (Skellig Rangers); R Wharton (Renard), J Daly (St. Mary’s); C O’Shea (St. Mary’s), E O’ Connor (St. Michaels/Foilmore), A Walsh (St. Mary’s); Ni O’Shea (PiarsaighnaDromoda), D O’Sullivan (Skellig Rangers), D Donoghue (PiarsaighnaDromoda).

Subs: D Keating (Skellig Rangers) for Daragh O’ Sullivan (inj)(28m), D Daly (St. Mary’s) for D Donoghue (46m), O Clifford (Waterville) for J Daly (46m), T Sugrue (Tuosist) for A Walsh (49), K Sheehan (PiarsaighnaDromoda) for C O’ Shea (49m).

FEALE RANGERS: J Barry (St. Senan’s); K Lyons (St. Senan’s), S T Dillon (St. Senan’s) N Collins (Listowel Emmets); C O’Keeffe (Finuge), S Stack (Moyvane), Donnacha Maher(Duagh); E O’ Flaherty (Moyvane), Barry O’ Mahony (St. Senan’s); G McCarthy (Listowel Emmets), Cillian Trant (St. Senan’s), Paudie Quille (St. Senan’s); J McElligott (Listowel Emmets), C Mulvihill (Listowel Emmets), D Keane (Listowel Emmets).

Subs: D Lynch (Listowel Emmets) for D Keane (25m), T McCarthy (Listowel Emmets) for Paudie Quille (25m), T Scanlon (Duagh) for Kieran Lyons (44m), S O’Keeffe (Duagh) for Ger McCarthy (44m), T Moloney(Duagh) for J McElligott (50m).

Referee: Donal Casey (Scartaglen).