Kerry SFC: Early Dan Goggin goal the catalyst for facile St Brendan’s win

St Brendan's goalscorer Dan Goggin in action for his club, Na Gaeil in a 2019 Munster Championship match. Picture: Larry Cummins.

St Brendan’s 1-17 Legion 1-9

St Brendan’s were at their ease in securing a third consecutive Kerry SFC semi-final appearance this evening in Tralee.

Six clear after nine minutes and 11 ahead three minutes into the second-half, St Brendan’s were oh so comfortable in coming out on top in this one-sided quarter-final.

Their opponents did close the gap to five on 55 minutes, but having been reduced to 14 men a couple of minutes earlier following a black card to half-back Kieran Slattery, Legion never looked capable of mounting a comeback effort that would take them within reach of a far superior St Brendan's who could afford to significantly ease on the throttle in the second period.

In truth, it was game over at half-time, the divisional side 1-9 to 0-2 in front.

The writing was on the wall for the Killarney men as early as the ninth minute, Legion behind by 1-3 to 0-0.

Two Alan O’Donoghue points sandwiched a free from goalkeeper Eoghan O’Brien to send lively St Brendan’s three clear inside four minutes, this lead swelled to six on nine minutes when Dan Goggin, set up by O’Donoghue, blasted to the net.

Darragh Lyne belatedly opened Legion’s account on 10 minutes, Stephen Stack’s side then going a further 15 minutes without a score as they were outplayed in almost every department of the field by a more fluid and cohesive St Brendan’s. Not helping the Legion cause was the black card shown to Cian Gammell on 23 minutes.

Enda O’Connor and the penetrative James Duggan split the posts to leave St Brendan’s 1-5 to 0-1 clear at the first water break, with Duggan, Daithí Griffin, Goggin, and Andrew Barry on target in the second quarter to shove the gap out to double-digit territory turning around for the second period.

Legion did raise a brief gallop at the beginning of the second-half to cut the gap from 10 to six, but within touching distance they never got. Padraig Lucey bagged their goal on 36 minutes, with a handful of James O'Donoghue points (four frees) leaving the scoreline reading 1-14 to 1-9 coming down the stretch. And although not in danger of being caught, St Brendan's responded by quickly speeding off into the distance again thanks to points from subs Ivan Parker and Mikey Kelliher, and Andrew Barry's second of the evening.

Is this to be the season this St Brendan's team finally overcome the semi-final hurdle that tripped them up in 2019 and 2020?

Scorers for St Brendan’s: D Goggin (1-1); A O’Donoghue (0-3, 0-2 frees), J Duggan (0-3, 0-1 free); D Griffin, A Barry (0-2 each); E O’Brien (0-1 free); E O’Connor, J Barry, J Lenihan, M Kelliher, I Parker (0-1 each).

Scorers for Legion: J O’Donoghue (0-5, 0-4 frees); P Lucey (1-0); Jamie O’Sullivan (0-1 free), E O’Sullivan, D Lyne, C Keane (0-1 each).

ST BRENDAN'S: E O’Brien (Churchill); E O’Connor (Na Gaeil), T Wallace (Ardfert), D Bourke (Na Gaeil); F Barry (Na Gaeil), A Barry (Na Gaeil), T Kearns (John Mitchels); D O’Connor (Na Gaeil), J Barry (Na Gaeil); L O’Donnell (Churchill), D Griffin (Ardfert), F Mackessy Ardfert); D Goggin (Na Gaeil), A O’Donoghue (John Mitchels), J Duggan (John Mitchels).

Subs: M Kelliher (John Mitchels) for D Griffin (44); K Dwyer (St Pats) for Kearns, J Lenihan (Churchill) for Mackessy (both 46); I Parker (Churchill) for Duggan (50); M Walsh (J Mitchels) for Goggin (62).

LEGION: B Kelly; C Davies, P O’Sullivan, C Gammell; D O’Sullivan, J Lyne, K Slattery; P Lucey, J O’Neill; R Leen, C Keane, E O’Sullivan; D Lyne, J O’Sullivan, J O’Donoghue.

Subs: B Maguire for Leen (HT); D Doherty for Davies (34); R O’Grady for J O’Sullivan (45); P O’Connor for D O’Sullivan (46); D Sheahan for B Maguire (58).

Referee: B O’Shea.