Kerry SHC: Ballyduff and Causeway reach semi-finals but were pushed all the way

Kerry SHC Quarterfinal roundup 

Mikey Boyle Ballyduff (Green).

Two exciting finishes to both SHC quarter-finals at Austin Stack Park this afternoon saw Ballyduff almost throw away a seven-point lead when Abbeydorney struck for two injury-time goals from Jack Sheehan and Stevie O’Sullivan which closed the gap to a single point but as ever Kerry’s Joe McDonagh star Mikey Boyle settled the Ballyduff nerves with a superb long range point, as Ballyduff fell over the line on 0-26 to 3-15 scoreline.

There were times in this game when Ballyduff appeared to be in cruise control as they led 0-9 to 0-4 at the first water break (yes, unofficially, they were back) thanks to 0-4 from Podge Boyle, points from brother Mikey and a point each from the Goulding brothers David and Kevin. It was Michael O’Leary, effectively on one leg due to a knee injury who kept Abbeydorney in touch. 

Ballyduff led 0-14 to 0-7 at halftime and raced 0-18 to 0-8 five minutes after the restart with two more Kevin Goulding points and one each from Kieran O’Carroll and another from Kerry wing-back Eoin Ross.

But Abbeydorney refused to throw in the towel with Michael Slattery hitting the Ballyduff net and Mike O’Leary and Jack Sheehan adding points, suddenly the lead was down to four, 0-21 to 1-14 in the 52nd minute. But Podge Boyle who finished with 0-13 (8f’s) pushed Ballyduff to a 0-25 to 1-15 lead as the clock ticked into four minutes of added time and Ballyduff just survived that late two-goal Abbeydorney salvo. 

Ballyduff will now play Crotta O’Neills next Friday evening in the first semi-final.

Youthful Ballyheigue fell to 14 men Causeway on a 3-16 to 2-16 scoreline but Ballyheigue shot 12 wides and that profligacy in front of goal cost them dearly.

Dan Goggin was the star of the Causeway win as he scored the first of his three goals inside a minute before Gerard Leen received a straight red in the sixth minute for an off-the-ball incident and Causeway looked in some bother. But a string of wides and another Goggin goal, left them trailing 2-4 to 0-5 at the water break with Philip Lucid (0-2) and one each from Nathan Guerin, Brian O’Riordan and Michael Leane getting the loser's points.

By halftime Causeway led 3-9 to 0-8 thanks to Dan Goggin completing his hat-trick but a third-quarter blitz from Ballyheigue outscoring the fourteen men 2-3 to 0-2 with Micheal Leane scoring a goal from the penalty spot and Nathan Guerin netting the second it was only a three point lead at the water break 3-11 to 2-11.

Causeway then sprung Brandon Barrett off the bench and he along with Tommy Casey resurrected Causeway’s challenge and they got their side into the semis with a meeting next Saturday with champions and bitter rivals Kilmoyley.