Sharp Mid Kerry cruise into final as Feale Rangers fail to fire

Mid Kerry's David Roche with Seanan O’Caoimh of Feale Rangers

Kerry SFC semi-final: Mid Kerry 0-15 Feale Rangers 0-9 

Mid Kerry cruised into this year’s Garveys Kerry SFC final thanks to a facile victory over a Feale Rangers side who just failed to fire on the night in a wet and windy Austin Stack Park.

Mid Kerry had more potency in attack and they had a tight marking defensive unit at the back who managed to nullify Feale Rangers' best efforts. 

To Rangers' credit they never gave up and they kicked six unanswered points in the final 20 minutes but at that stage Mid Kerry had enough done to reach their second final in three years.

Mid Kerry did their work in the opening half and held a nine-point lead at the break, and that proved too much for a Rangers side that then fell 0-15 to 0-3 behind 10 minutes into the second half thanks to Mid Kerry points from Jack O’Connor (2) Liam Carey and Eanna O’Connor. 

Rangers thanks to three points from Barry Mahony and a brace from Eamonn O’Flaherty made the scoreboard more respectable but there was no doubt that Mid Kerry served a warning to either East Kerry or Dingle that they will be no pushover in the final. 

Feale Rangers had a good campaign despite losing at the semi-final stage as they hadn’t reached the last four since 2013 and providing they stick together they could be a force over the next couple of years. 

Mid Kerry were quickly out of the blocks, using the strong wind to their backs as they played towards the Horan’s end of the Austin Stack Park and they rattled off four points in as many minutes as Feale Rangers were slow to get into their stride.

Liam Carey started the blitz in the second minute when he kicked a fine point after Jack O’Connor and Eoin Clifford were involved in the build-up. Again it was Eanna O’Connor who set up Carey for a second point as the match-ups became apparent. Mike Breen put the shackles on Barry Mahony while Nathan Breen took up the dangerous Martin Stack and the tenacious Pa Kilkenny gave youngster Rory Mahony little or no leeway.

Eanna O’Connor added another while Mike Breen found Fiachra Clifford in space and so after five minutes Mid Kerry had raced 0-4 to 0-0 clear. 

Feale Rangers tried hard to penetrate the Mid Kerry defence but lost the ball in contact too many times to create a threat as Liam Carey added a point in the ninth minute. 

Feale Rangers eventually opened their account when David Keane was fouled and Martin Stack converted the free but back came Mid Kerry with a superb point from a fit-again Mike Breen who was having a superb game. 

Despite the efforts of Cillian Trant and Bryan Sweeney, Rangers could not make any inroads against the strong wind and David Keane did well to add a point in the 18th minute. 

But back came Mid Kerry and when the speedy Kieran Dennehy was fouled, Jack O’Connor converted the free. It was all Mid Kerry for the final ten minutes of the half with further points from Eanna O’Connor Keith Evans and two more in added time from Eanna O’Connor and midfielder Darren Houlihan.

Mid Kerry retired 0-11 to 0-2 in front and Feale Rangers, despite having the wind in the second half, faced an uphill task and it proved a bridge too far.

Scorers for Mid Kerry: E O’Connor (0-5, 2fs), L Carey (0-3), J O’Connor (0-3, 2fs), M Breen, D Houlihan, F Clifford, and K Evans (0-1each) 

Feale Rangers: B Mahony and M Stack (2fs) (0-3 each), E O’Flaherty (0-2).

MID KERRY: S Coffey (Beaufort); P Kilkenny (Glenbeigh/Glencar), P Wrenn (Milltown/Castlemaine), D Mangan (Laune Rangers); E Clifford (Laune Rangers), M Breen (Beaufort), N Breen ( Beaufort¬); C McGillycuddy) Glenbeigh/Glencar), D Houlihan (Cromane); Fiachra Clifford (Laune Rangers), E O’Connor (Milltown/Castlemaine) , K Evans (Keel); K Dennehy (Beaufort), L Carey (Beaufort), C Kennedy (Beaufort).

Subs: D Roche (Milltown/Castlemaine) for K Dennehy (39), J Brosnan ( Glenbeigh/Glencar) for P Wrenn ( 41), R Murphy ( Beaufort) for C McGillycuddy( 45), C Kennedy ( Beaufort) for D Houlihan ( 51), G Horan ( Milltown/Castlemaine) for L Carey ( 60).

FEALE RANGERS: C Keane (Listowel Emmets); D Maher (Duagh), E Browne (Listowel Emmets), A O’Connor (Duagh); C O’Keeffe (Finuge), G McCarthy (Listowel Emmets), N Collins (Listowel Emmets); B Sweeney (Listowel Emmets), C Trant (St Senans); T Scanlon (Duagh), B Mahony (St Senans), S Stack (Moyvane); D Keane (Listowel Emmets), M Stack (Moyvane), R Mahony.

Subs: S Ó Caoimh ( Duagh) for T Scanlon ( 39), E Flaherty ( Moyvane) for S Stack( 39), J McVeigh ( Listowel Emmett) for R Mahony( 44), D Lynch ( Listowel Emmets ) for M Stack ( 49), N O’Connor ( Duagh) for D Keane ( 53)

Referee: D Casey (Scartaglin)