Geaneys and O'Sullivan inspire Dingle but victory over Spa comes at a cost

While Dingle march into final against Kenmare Shamrocks serious looking injury to Barry Dan O’Sullivan is a cause for concern

2-9-2023: Dingle's Conchuir O'Geibheannaigh bursts past Spa's Eoin Cronin in the Kerry Senior Club Football Championship Semi-final in Spa Field, Killarney on Saturday. Pic: Don MacMonagle

Kerry Petroleum Senior Club Championship Semi-Final: Dingle 2-18 Spa 1-12 

A comprehensive display of power and precision by Dingle proved far too good for a Spa team who fell eight points behind at half time and could never recover. 

It is Dingle who reached the Senior Club final where they will face Kenmare Shamrocks next Friday night. But victory may well have come at a cost to Dingle as they lost Kerry senior midfielder Barry Dan O’Sullivan who fell awkwardly at the throw in and had to be carried off the pitch with a serious-looking ankle injury. Worse was to follow for Dingle in the 19th minute when Barry’s brother Darragh was forced off but his injury did not appear as serious.

But this was Dingle in full flow and making a statement with the Geaney family and Tom O’Sullivan in scintillating form. Mikey Geaney was the conductor as he dictated play from the pocket in front of his defence. With cousin Paul in swashbuckling form, creating and finishing with deadly accuracy, Spa were on the back foot from the very outset. Then when you throw in the brothers Dylan and Conor Geaney along with probing deliveries from Tom O’Sullivan, Spa did not know what hit them.

Dingle had 1-3 on the board at the end of the opening quarter before Spa even registered a score. Points from Mikey Geaney, Cathal Bambury and a Paul Geaney mark, was followed by a Mikey Geaney penalty in the 14th minute after a Spa defender handled in the square.

Mikey Moynihan finally opened Spa’s account in the 16th minute but with Conor Flannery putting the shackles on Dara Moynihan, Spa only managed two more points in the opening half, a free each from Evan Cronin and Michael Foley. But Dingle were simply carving open the Spa defence at will with points from Mikey Geaney, Paul Geaney, Dylan Geaney, Tom O’Sullivan, Conor Geaney with two frees, left Spa with a mountain to climb as they trailed 1-9 to 0-4 at half time.

Two early Dylan Geaney points and a goal from man of the match Paul Geaney saw Dingle move 2-11 to 0-4 clear and it was game over.

Spa never gave up and points from Ciaran Spillane, Dara Moynihan, Shane Cronin, Michael O’Donoghue plus a late Cian Tobin goal only added respectability to the scoreline as Cathal Bambury and Conor Geaney added further to Spa’s miserable evening.

Scorers for Dingle: P Geaney and M Geaney (1pen) 1-2 each), C Bambury (0-4), D Geaney and C Geaney (0-3 each), T O’Sullivan (0-2), B O’Connor and E Hoare (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Spa: E Cronin (0-4, 2fs), C Tobin (1-0), M O’Donoghue (0-2), L Spillane, S Cronin, M Foley (1f), D Moynihan, M Moynihan and C Spillane (0-1 each) 

SPA: J Devane; E O’Donoghue, E Fitzgerald, B Lynch; L Spillane, S Cronin, Eoin Cronin; G Vaughan, D O’Donoghue; M Foley, Evan Cronin, D Moynihan; M Moynihan, C Tobin, M O’Donoghue.

Subs: M McCarthy for S Cronin (inj 40), S Lynch for E Cronin (42), C Spillane for M O’Donoghue (47), L O’Neill for M Foley (54), T Cronin for E O’Donoghue (56) 

DINGLE: G Curran; C Flannery, C O’Sullivan, T ‘Leo’ O’Sullivan; D O’Sullivan, T O’Sullivan, Brian O’Connor, B O’Sullivan, Billy O’Connor; M Geaney, D Geaney, B Devane, C Geaney, P Geaney, C Bambury 

Subs: M Flannery for B O’Sullivan ( 1 inj), E Hoare for D O’Sullivan ( inj 19), M Boland for B Devane ( 47), B Kelliher for Billy O’Connor ( 56), C Keane for P Geaney ( 64).

Referee: D Clifford (Laune Rangers)