Kenmare Shamrocks strike late to stun Templenoe in local derby

An injury-time goal from substitute Shane O’Sullivan was the difference. 

LOCAL HEROES: Sean O'Shea of Kenmare Shamrocks breaks through Templenoe's defence in Kenmare on Sunday. Picture: Don MacMonagle

Kenmare Shamrocks 2-7 Templenoe 0-12 

Cranky. Ferociously competitive. What else did you expect? An injury-time goal from substitute Shane O’Sullivan stunned Templenoe in this local derby as Kenmare Shamrocks made it two wins from two in Group A.

One of the least travelled sides in the Kerry Senior Club Championship, Templenoe returned to Fr Breen Park looking to bounce back from a 0-16 to 0-8 Spa defeat. They started brightly and roared into a three-point lead thanks to a mark from the electric Stephen O’Sullivan and a Killian Spillane double.

Sean O’Shea began at full forward with Tadhg Morley for company and kept his club in the contest during the opening half. It was his pass to Jimmy Lehane that got the home outfit off the mark and he followed it up with a gorgeous skied effort and a free, perfectly judging the wind twice in his own back garden.

At the other end, O’Sullivan finished with four points and should have had an early goal only to flash an effort wide. That became a theme. Templenoe hit five first-half wides as well as two short and one off the post. They missed two scoreable frees in the second half as well. It would later haunt them.

In a tie with both teams allowing the opposition to go short, the terms meant there was turnovers aplenty. Stephen O’Brien was bottled up and pinged for fouling the ball and by the time Colin Crowley landed a fine score at the other end, Templenoe led by four.

A terrific Kevin O’Sullivan handpass sent Jimmy Lehane through for an immediate reply as he coolly slotted past Mark Looney. At the turnaround it was all level.

O’Brien pushed Kenmare in front to kick off the second half, but they then endured a scoreless spell that lasted until the 50th minute. Templenoe kicked on with Killian Spillane rattling off three in a row, two from play, and working a free short to Martin Reilly.

They looked set to run out deserved winners until a war cry sounded from the sizeable contingent on the hill. Sporadic flashpoints and overzealous tackles late on added to the fervour. With the clock in the red, O’Brien strived to become the late saviour and unleashed a long-range shot. It was blocked and broke kindly, with O’Sullivan perfectly placed at the back post to palm the handpass across the goal home.

Scorers for Kenmare Shamrocks: Jimmy Lehane 1-1, Sean O’Shea 0-3 (1 free), Shane O’Sullivan 1-0, Micheal McCarthy 0-1, Stephen O’Brien 0-1, Kevin O’Sullivan 0-1.

Scorers for Templenoe: Killian Spillane 0-6 (2 frees), Stephen O’Sullivan 0-4 (1 mark), Martin Reilly 0-1, Colin Crowley 0-1.

Kenmare Shamrocks: K Fitzgibbon; D Crowley, T O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan; D O’Shea, T Cronin, J O’Regan; D Haillssey, J McCarthy; D Ciuciu, S O’Shea, J Lehane; S O’Brien, K O’Sullivan, M McCarthy.

Subs: T O’Sullivan (Atlantic) for D Hallissey, P O’Connor for M McCarthy (44), D O’Connor for T O’Sullivan, S O’Sullivan for O’Shea (50), D Allman for J Lehane (57).

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

Subs: K McCarthy for P Clifford (temp 52-55), J Rice for M Hallisey (60).

Referee: S Mulvihill (St. Senans)