Kerry SFC: Emphatic and clinical second half display see Kerins O’Rahilly’s into last four

Tommy Walsh kicked 0-2 for Kerins O'Rahillys

Kerins O’Rahilly’s 2-16 Dingle 0-13

Kerins O’Rahilly’s are the first team into the bowl for the Kerry SFC semi-final draw following this hugely impressive last eight display.

With Dingle having kicked four unanswered points at the beginning of the second-half to tie proceedings at 0-8 apiece on 37 minutes, the Kerins O’Rahilly’s response was equal parts emphatic and exceptional.

Instead of being unnerved by the early flood of Dingle white flags that wiped out their first-half body of work, Kerins O’Rahilly’s killed Dingle’s momentum and their comeback effort by kicking 1-4 without reply to return to the sideline for the second water break 1-12 to 0-8 in front.

Indeed, between the 38th and 55th minute, the winners outscored their opponents by 2-7 to 0-1 to open up an unassailable 2-15 to 0-9 lead.

Following Paul Geaney’s levelling point on 37 minutes, a pair from Jack Savage either side of a Tommy Walsh fisted point quickly shoved Kerins O’Rahilly’s back out to three in front. This lead doubled on 43 minutes, Tommy Walsh fetching a David Moran free before offloading to Conor Hayes who applied the finish.

Walsh, so quiet in the first-half, was superb in the second, adding a mark to his aforementioned point and goal assist. Goal number two was supplied by Gavin O’Brien following a marvellous over-the-top pass from Barry John Keane.

Dingle did kick four late points, the outcome long since decided, mind.

Kerins O’Rahillys’ packed defensive set-up and smart counter-attacking play were the key factors in their 0-8 to 0-4 interval lead.

William Harmon’s charges were three clear inside six minutes, Kerins O’Rahilly’s capitalising on a knee injury to Mikey Geaney that left Dingle operating with a man less early on in proceedings. Geaney was eventually subbed off in the sixth minute after failing to run off his injury.

Barry John Keane accounted for two of those early Kerins O’Rahilly’s points and his tally from play stood at three when referee Seamus Mulvihill sounded for the first water break, at which juncture the Strand Road men led 0-5 to 0-1.

A Paul Geaney free was Dingle’s sole score in the opening quarter, with Geaney remaining their sole first-half contributor until Conor Geaney landed Dingle’s fourth point of the half three and a half minutes into first-half stoppages. Summing up their first-half frustrations in the opposition half of the field was the fact that their first point from play did not arrive until the 30th minute.

Kerins O’Rahillly’s were effective in flooding their defence with blue shirts on each occasion Dingle pressed, but during the brief period after the first water break where Dingle punched holes in the opposition defence, it was a mixture of last-gasp defending and Dingle wastefulness that saw no chunk taken out of Kerins O’Rahilly’s scoreboard advantage.

Corner-back Donagh Buckley made a vital interception to prevent Dylan Geaney getting in for goal, with goalkeeper Shane Foley producing a superb stop to deny Paul Geaney shortly after. Both Geaneys also kicked a wide apiece during this fleeting spell of Dingle dominance to compound their woes.

Scorers came easier to Kerins O’Rahilly’s, with Conor Hayes most lively in punishing Dingle mistakes. He finished the half with two points to his name. Half-back Darragh McElligott also got forward for a fine score.

They were made to endure a nervy opening to the second-half as Dingle raced back on level terms, but Kerins O'Rahilly's response thereafter bodes well in their bid to reach a first county final since 2008.

Scorers for Kerins O’Rahilly’s: J Savage (0-6, 0-4 frees); C Hayes (1-2); G O’Brien (1-1); BJ Keane (0-3); T Walsh (0-2, 0-1 mark); D McElligott, D Moran (0-1 each).

Scorers for Dingle: P Geaney (0-7, 0-4 frees); C Geaney (0-3, 0-1 free); D Geaney, B O'Sullivan, T O'Sullivan (0-1).

KERINS O'RAHILLY'S: S Foley; D Buckley, R O’Callaghan, C Coffey; C Barrett, S Brosnan, D McElligott; D Moran, T Hoare; G Savage, J Savage, C Barrett; C Hayes, T Walsh, BJ Keane.

Subs: S McElligott for G Savage (54); S Walsh for C Hayes (55); D O’Sullivan for G O’Brien (56); J Daly for Barrett (59).

DINGLE: G Curran; P O’Connor, C O’Sullivan, T O’Sullivan; M Flaherty, M Geaney, A O’Connor; B O’Sullivan, B O’Connor; T de Brún, N Geaney, G Durrant; C Geaney, P Geaney, D Geaney.

Subs: M Flannery for M Geaney (six mins, inj); M Ashe for de Brún (46); C Moriarty for Durrant (53); D O’Sullivan for C O’Sullivan, P Mac a’tSíthigh for L O’Connor (both 59).

Referee: S Mulvihill.