Kerry SCFC: Killian Spillane guides Templenoe to the summit

Nine years after they began their rise up the Kerry football ladder from Novice (Junior B) level, Templenoe have qualified for the Kerry Senior Club final after victory over Dingle

LEADER: Killian Spillane scored five points for Templenoe. File pic: Don MacMonagle

Kerry Petroleum Senior Club Football Championship semi-final 

Templenoe 0-14 Dingle 0-10 

Nine years after they began their rise up the Kerry football ladder from Novice (Junior B) level, Templenoe have qualified for the Kerry Senior Club final after they ground out a four point victory against a Dingle side who found themselves on the back foot from early on after a red card.

A major talking point occurred in the opening minute when Dylan Geaney was shown a straight red following an incident with Templenoe’s John Rice. Referee Padraig O’Sullivan consulted with his umpires before making the decision, which changed the tactics to two mass defensive walls at either end.

The hosts actually didn’t go ahead until the 20th minute of play and they were lucky in the eighth minute not to concede a goal as some high balls from Dingle were causing their defence difficulties. 

Aidan Crowley put them in front for the first time at 0-4 to 0-3 and they finished the first half with unanswered points from Killian Spillane, Aidan and Colin Crowley to lead by 0-8 to 0-5 at half-time.

Paul Geaney got the first score of the second half in the 37th minute but crucially Dingle never came closer than two points to their opposition from here. Barry Dan O’Sullivan threatened a goal for the visitors in the 45th minute after a great ball in from Tom O’Sullivan but he blazed his effort over. 

Barry Dan along with Niall Geaney were amongst Dingle’s better performers on the night as Killian Spillane stood tall for Templenoe when they needed him.

He caught an inviting and probing ball from Gavin Crowley in the 52nd minute that led to an important mark. Tadhg Morley was defensively solid in the closing stages when the hosts needed someone to calm their nerves. 

Dingle had one final goal chance on the stroke of 60 minutes but Templenoe goalkeeper Mark Looney was vigilant in getting possession of a ball Barry Dan O’Sullivan tried to play across the face of goal.

There were no scores in the five additional minutes of stoppage time as Templenoe celebrated a major achievement in only their third year as a senior club in Kerry. 

Dingle will be disappointed to have not won in the Roughty Valley area having beaten Kenmare Shamrocks further up the road the previous week but they will wonder what might have been had Dylan Geaney been allowed stay on the pitch after that incident.

The Kerry SFC will be the focus for both now as Templenoe face South Kerry in their first Group game on the weekend of September 11 while Dingle will face Spa in their first Kerry SFC game.

Scorers for Templenoe: K Spillane (0-5, 1f, 1m), S O’Sullivan (0-3, 3f), A Crowley (0-2, 1f), J Rice, G Crowley, S Sheehan and C Crowley (0-1 each).

Scorers for Dingle: B O’Sullivan (0-3, 2f), G H Curran and T O’Sullivan (0-2, 2f each), N Geaney, P Geaney, R McCarthy (0-1 each). 

Templenoe: M Looney; B Crowley, K O’Neill, J Rice; P Clifford, T Morley, G Crowley; S Sheehan, A Spillane; M Casey, J Crowley-Holland, C Crowley; S O’Sullivan, A Crowley, K Spillane. 

Subs: C Hallissey for S O’Sullivan (46) and T Spillane for C Crowley (59). 

Dingle: G H Curran; M Flannery, C O’Sullivan, C Flannery; P O’Connor, T O’Sullivan, N Geaney; G Durrant, B O’Connor; R McCarthy, B O’Sullivan, M Flaherty; D Geaney, P Geaney, M Geaney. 

Subs: T De Brún for B O’Connor (57).

Referee: P O’Sullivan (Firies).