Dingle complete five in a row as Tom O’Sullivan rules West Kerry

SUPER TALENT: Tom O'Sullivan scored six points for his club.. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Dingle 0-9 An Ghaeltacht 0-6  

Nobody does wind and rain like Gallarus does as An Ghaeltacht and Dingle struggled to stay upright in weather most foul for this West Kerry SFC final. 

Dingle once again came out on top of their deadly rivals to complete a five in a row for the town and three in row against An Ghaeltacht.

Both sides were missing key players with Mikey Geaney away on holidays, while Paul Geaney did not start but entered the fray at half time. Mark O’Connor wasn’t allowed play. An Gaeltacht were without their Kerry star Brian Ó Beaglaoich and Tomás Ó Sé was also away so it was even enough in terms of absentees.

But Dingle had the trump card in the shape of Tom O’Sullivan who may have been unfortunate in not picking up an All-Star this year but he was head and shoulders above everybody else as played as an extra forward with the wind in the opening half and then was back helping to keep An Ghaeltacht out late on.

Dingle had the wind the opening half and they kicked the opening six points, with Tom O’Sullivan four while Dylan Geaney and Darragh O’Sullivan kicked a point each. An Ghaeltacht were finding it hard to make any headway against the gale but they won two frees in the 25th and 26th minutes and Dara Ó Se converted both.

But Dingle added two more points from Tom O’Sullivan and Barry D O’Sullivan to lead 0-8 to 0-2 at the interval.

The rain disappeared and sun shone for the second half as the Three Sisters appeared but the wind never abated as Paul Geaney came on, and Dingle though adding one point in the second half from Tom O’ Sullivan in the 50th used all their experience and game management to curtail the home side. 

Three points in the third quarter is all that An Ghaeltacht could manage though, one each from Dara Ó Se, Pádraig Óg Ó Sé and An Ghaeltacht’s best player, Cian Ó Murchu.

Scorers for Dingle: Tom O’Sullivan (0-6, 4frees), D O’Sullivan, B O’Sullivan and D Geaney (0-1 each) 

Scorers for An Ghaeltacht: D Ó Sé (0-3frees), P J Mac Láimh, P Óg Ó Sé and C Ó Murchú (0-1 each) 

AN GHAELTACHT: S Ó Luing; C Ó Murchú, A Mac Amhlaoibh, F Ó Loingsigh; C Ó Coileáin, C Ó Gairbhí, PJ Mac Láimh; R Ó Sé, C Ó Beaglaoich; P Óg Ó Sé, D Ó Sé, S Ó Conchúir; C Ó Muircheartaigh, É Ó Conchúir, P Óigí Ó Sé 

Subs: G Mac an tSaoir for C Ó Coileáin ( ht), C Ó Riagáin for P Óigí Ó Sé ( 50), F Ó Cuanaigh ( 55), C ‘Vegas’ Ó Muircheartaigh , B Ó Murchú for C Ó Gairbhí (59) 

DINGLE: G H Curran; C Flannery, C L O’Sullivan, T L O’Sullivan; N Geaney, Tom O’Sullivan, M Flannery; D O’Sullivan, Billy O’Connor; M Flaherty, B O’Sullivan, Brian O’Connor; D Geaney, T de Brún, Cathal Bambury.

Subs: P Geaney for T de Brún (ht), S Óg Moran for M Flannery (43), R McCarthy for C Bambury (51) 

Referee: D Kennelly (Ballylongford)