Injury time goal snatches victory for Sem and breaks Sceilge hearts
FETCH: St Brendans John Kelliher climbs for the ball against Mercy Mounthawk. The midfielder had a huge say in another Kerry derby on Wednesday afternoon.. Pic: Alan Landers.
Although this was down as a Round 2 game, it was the opening match in the Corn Uí Mhuirí for both St Brendans and Colaiste Na Sceilge.
And it turned out to be to be an extremely absorbing contest in Keel.
The South Kerry school were competitive and committed throughout but looked to be out of contention when it came to the three St Brendans goals that had the Killarney school 3-11 to 0-14 ahead after 53 minutes.
Two goals from substitute Kieran Corcoran in the space of a minute had Sceilge level as they looked like pulling off a huge comeback win at that point.
Although the game nearly boiled over, the Sem gained an injury time chance to win the contest. After the ball slipped past the Na Sceilge defence, Callum Cronin buried a second goal for himself to the net in what proved to be a match winning score.
Cronin had a bit of fortune as well for his first goal in the 23rd minute as he attempted to kick a point before it dropped into the net.
Their opponents still led at half-time by 0-10 to 1-6 as Ian O’Sullivan finished with 0-9 (7f) on the day for Na Sceilge.
They were in front by 0-12 to 1-8 on the scoreboard in the 42nd minute when a long ball from Sem midfielder John Kelliher, intended for their full-forward line, took a deceptive bounce in the breeze and went over Cian O’Sullivan into the Na Sceilge net.
Kelliher scored a second goal for himself three minutes later as the Sem’s lead was 3-9 to 0-13 at one instance.
A draw would definitively have been a fair result as despite six goals being conceded there was some outstanding saves at both ends by the Sem goalkeeper Shay O’Meara as well as O’Sullivan for Na Sceilge.
Luck was just not with the South Kerry school in the same way it was for their opponents.
J Kelliher (2-2), C Cronin (2-1), A Hennigan and A O’Neill (2f) (0-3 each), J Moynihan and C Courtney (0-1 each).
I O’Sullivan (0-9, 7f), K Corcoran (2-0), J Clifford, O Breen, E Daly, B O’Donoghue and K O’Shea (0-1 each).
S O’Meara (Dr Crokes); M Lynch (Dr Crokes), S Fitzgerald (do), L Daly (Kilcummin); C Keating (Dr Crokes), K O’Shea (Kilcummin), E Kelly (Glenflesk); D Ryan (Fossa), J Kelliher (Glenflesk); T Moynihan (Spa), A O’Neill (Renard), A Hennigan (Dr Crokes); C Cronin (Glenflesk), J Moynihan (Glenflesk), C Courtney (Dr Crokes).
L O’Neill (Spa) for C Courtney (46) and P Moynihan (Kilcummin) for T Moynihan (60 +3).
C O’Sullivan (Skellig Rangers); S O’Driscoll (Renard), P Mangan (Dromid Pearses), B O’Sullivan (Renard); O O’Sullivan (St Michaels/Foilmore), A Coffey (St Marys), K O’Donnell (St Michaels/Foilmore); T O’Sullivan (St Marys), M Lynch (Valentia); O Breen (Derrynane), K O’Shea (St Marys), J Clifford (St Michaels/Foilmore); E Daly (Valentia), I O’Sullivan (St Michaels/Foilmore), B O’Donoghue (St Marys).
D Reardon (Skellig Rangers) for T O’Sullivan (50), K Corcoran (Renard) for B O’Donoghue (51), T Kelly (Renard) for (52) and M Kavanagh (St Michaels/Foilmore) for K O’Donnell (55).
M Hickey (Milltown/Castlemaine).
