Dingle answer all the questions to subdue Templenoe

Dingle booked their place in the Kerry County SFC semi-final

Paul Geaney of Dingle

Kerry County SFC quarter-final: Dingle 0-20 Templenoe 1-9 

When Brian Crowley provided the assist for Stephen O’Sullivan to billow the net for Templenoe in the 37th minute of this Kerry County SFC quarter-final, giving the underdogs a one-point lead (1-7 to 0-9), serious questions were asked of hotly-fancied Dingle.

The response from the senior club champions was as emphatic as you could get. Outscoring the opposition in the remainder of the contest by 0-11 to 0-2 tells you everything about how the West Kerry side showed their mettle when they had to.

Conor Geaney, quiet in the first half, thundered into the picture, firing over five points, as Padraig Corcoran’s charges turned the screw to a considerable degree. There was no sense of panic whatsoever after the Templenoe green flag, just a composed and decisive upping of the gears.

Tom O’Sullivan had departed the picture at that stage, being replaced at the interval to undergo a head injury assessment, and by the time the Kerry defender returned to the fray in the 50th minute, Dingle had wrestled the momentum back, and were well on their way to victory.

O’Sullivan showcased his well-being with a point before the end as the winners cruised over the finishing line, helped in part by Templenoe running out of collective steam. Losing the influential Patrick Clifford down the home stretch was a blow, as was Adrian Spillane’s complete absence through injury.

To give them their credit, Templenoe were hugely competitive in the first half, eventually going in at the break two points adrift (0-7 to 0-5), with Killian Spillane kicking two stupendous scores from play – one off the right over his shoulder, the other a left-footed special from 40 metres.

Paul Geaney and Cathal Bambury were the shining lights up front for Dingle during the opening 30 minutes, with Billy O’Connor a very effective performer at midfield, alongside Mark O’Connor. Yet, following O’Sullivan’s excellent Templenoe goal, the game was really in the melting pot – for a brief moment anyway.

With Paul Geaney continuing to provide the leadership, Dylan Geaney buzzing around to great effect, Conor Flannery marshalling the troops at the back and Conor Geaney stepping up to the plate big-time, Dingle took complete control. They will be a tough nut to crack from here on in.

Scorers for Dingle: P Geaney 0-5 (0-2fs, 0-2mks), C Geaney 0-5 (0-1mk, 0-1f), C Bambury, D Geaney 0-3 each, M Flaherty, Brian O’Connor, T O’Sullivan, N Geaney 0-1 each.

Scorers for Templenoe: K Spillane 0-5 (0-1mk, 0-2fs), S O’Sullivan 1-0, A Crowley 0-2 (0-1f), D Crowley, C Crowley 0-1 each.

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

Subs: M Flaherty for T O’Sullivan (ht), M Flannery for D O’Sullivan (42), T O’Sullivan for C O’Sullivan (50), P Devane for Bambury (51), E Hoare for Billy O’Connor (60+2).

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

Subs: K McCarthy for Hallissey, inj (5-11), McCarthy for D Crowley (52), Ciaran Crowley for Clifford (54), J Sheehan for Ciaran Crowley, inj (60+2).

Referee: S Mulvihill (St Senans).