Templenoe get over the line despite St Brendan's fightback

A three-goal blitz was the difference for the club side. 

HANGING ON: Templenoe's Tadhg Morley.

Templenoe 3-7

St Brendan's 1-12 

They were hanging on for dear life at the finish, with their lead whittled down from eight points to the bare minimum, but Templenoe crawled over the line to record a vital victory over St Brendan’s in this Kerry SFC Group 4 Round 2 encounter in Ardfert.

The club outfit, who blew a six-point cushion to end up being pegged back for a draw by South Kerry last weekend, almost allowed the same thing to happen again but, despite a late, late goal from midfielder Joe Lenihan for the hosts, the divisional side’s spirited comeback just came up short.

After a nondescript opening half, at the end of which St Brendan’s led by two points (0-5 to 0-3), it was a three-goal blitzkrieg from Templenoe in a five-minute spell on the resumption that turned this contest upside down – rocking their opponents to the core with gut-wrenching blows.

Excellent wing-back Patrick Clifford rocketed home the first green flag in the 32nd minute, and this was followed by two on the bounce from top scorer Stephen O’Sullivan. St Brendan’s, inspired by Rob Monahan and Daithi Griffin, fought back, but two monster Aidan Crowley long-range frees near the end were priceless commodities for a nervy Templenoe.

Scorers for Templenoe: S O’Sullivan 2-2 (0-2fs), P Clifford 1-0, K Spillane, A Crowley 0-2(fs) each, D Cahalane 0-1.

Scorers for St Brendan’s: R Monahan 0-4, J Lenihan 1-0, D Griffin 0-3 (0-1f), A O’Donoghue 0-2, I Parker (f), N O’Driscoll, D O’Callaghan (f) 0-1 each.

TEMPLENOE: M Looney; J Sheehan, K O’Neill, B Crowley; P Clifford, T Morley, K McCarthy; T Spillane, A Spillane; M Casey, D Cahalane, C Crowley; S O’Sullivan, A Crowley, K Spillane.

Subs: H Granville for C Crowley (38 mins), MF O’Connor for T Spillane (56 mins), G Crowley for B Crowley (60 mins).

ST BRENDAN’S: S Broderick (John Mitchels); T Kearns (John Mitchels), M Walsh (John Mitchels), E McElligott (Ardfert); S O’Connor (John Mitchels), F Mackessy (Ardfert), J Mortimer (Churchill); R Monahan (Ardfert), J Lenihan (Churchill); A O’Donoghue (John Mitchels), D O’Callaghan (St Pat’s), D Griffin (Ardfert); N O’Driscoll (Ardfert), I Parker (Churchill), L O’Donnell (Churchill).

Subs: E McCarthy (Churchill) for O’Connor, inj (11 mins), D O’Sullivan (Churchill) for O’Driscoll (50 mins), E Ferris (Ardfert) for Parker (50 mins), M Kelliher (John Mitchels) for O’Callaghan (52 mins), J Horgan (John Mitchels) for Walsh (54 mins).

Referee: P Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys).