Sean Teahan points Reenard to junior victory over Tarbert

Reenard celebrate victory Picture: Radio Kerry

Kerry JFC Final: Reenard 1-14 Tarbert 0-6 

Reenard won their first county title since 2001 when they were crowned Kerry Junior Football Champions in what was a comprehensive performance for the South Kerry outfit over Tarbert. Sean Teahan was in superb form all afternoon for his side, kicking 0-5 all from play.

Tarbert struggled in attack, missing their talisman Andrew Doherty who did come on in the second half kicking two points with a heavily strapped left knee.

Reenard took the lead after just six minutes and would not squander their advantage. Leading 0-8 to 0-3 at half-time, they rattled over the final six scores from Aodhan O’Neill free, Austin Murphy (2fs), Michael O’Leary, and Sean Teahan (2) as Tarbert started to wilt. As a contest it was over by the hour mark but into stoppage time Blaine McCarthy put the cherry on top, striking into the top left hand corner past Pa Carmody.

Despite starting on the back foot it was Reenard that controlled the early tempo in the contest. Brian Sugrue and Sean Teahan gave the South Kerry side a narrow lead after six minutes. That soon could have disappeared as Tarbert missed a goal chance at the other end.

Following a sideline ball sent to the square, Paddy O’Callaghan rose highest to bat the ball down into the path of John Coolahan, the teenage wing forward blasted his shot toward goal but it flashed wide. A serious let off for Reenard but it gave them the boost to add two quick points to lead 0-4 to 0-1 by the end of the quarter.

With driving rain descending on Austin Stack Park it made conditions even tougher for the North Kerry outfit as they were playing into the driving elements. William Galvin fisted over a point to put Reenard four clear, Mark Buckley replied for Tarbert to end a 17-minute wait for a score.

Tarbert had their second goal chance after 25 minutes, almost out of nowhere. Coolahan did well to carry toward the goal but with options limited he found O’Callaghan, Reenard were defending well in packs and with no option presenting itself, he struck for a point that dipped toward the goal and Reenard netminder Austin Murphy was quick to palm the effort away from landing in the net.

Into the dying minutes of the half Reenard stretched their lead to five points, the score itself had to be seen to be believed. Galvin turned over from a mistake in the Tarbert rearguard, he found Teahan who fisted for a point that struck the post. Donagh Quinlan latched onto the rebound but his effort also struck the post, Teahan with his back to goal struck a no look point to leave the score 0-3 to 0-8 at the interval.

Scorers for Reenard: S Teahan (0-5), B McCarthy (1-0), A O’Neill, A Murphy (0-2fs each), B Sugrue, D Quinlan, W Galvin, K Young, M O’Leary (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Tarbert: C Langan and A Doherty (0-2fs each), M Buckley and S Carrig (0-1 each) 

REENARD: A Murphy; A Curran, R Quinlan, C O’Shea; B Kelly, C O’Leary, K Casey; M O’Leary, K Young; B Sugrue, C O’Leary, A O’Neill; S Teahan, W Galvin, D Quinlan.

Subs: B McCarthy for D Quinlan (44), E O’Neill for C O’Shea (53), S O’Connor for W Galvin (54), B O’Sullivan for B Sugrue (57), J Kelly for R Quinlan (59) 

TARBERT: P Carmody; D O’Connor, K Enright, M Carrig; D Wren, S Enright, G Breen; S McDonnell, M Heaphy; J Coolahan, C Langan, M Buckley; P O’Connell, P O’Callaghan, G O’Sullivan.

Subs: M Normile for G Breen, A Doherty for G O’Sullivan (Both HT), F Carrig for J Coolahan (39), S Carrig for P O’Callaghan (49), D Foley for P O’Connell (55) 

Referee: J M Fitzgerald (Abbeydorney)