O’Connor brace helps MTU Kerry return to Sigerson

A general view of the Trench cup. Pic: Brendan Moran,Sportsfile

Trench Cup final 

MTU Kerry 3-12 DKIT 2-10

MTU Kerry needed to dig deep in a pulsating finish to be crowned Trench Cup champions and move back up to Sigerson football next year. 

It was very much a case of moving goalposts as the MTU Kerry pitch was deemed unplayable for a 4.30pm throw, so off to Caherslee for a 5.15pm throw in but again the match officials deemed the Kerry GAA grounds unplayable. 

One final effort and it was Ballyduff GAA who came to the rescue.

Darragh O’Connor struck two goals, one in each half, and along with Eoin Carroll finding the net in that opening period, it proved vital in getting Brian Scanlon’s charges over the line.

DKIT finished the tie with 14 players, but it did not look like that in those closing moments. 

They pressed MTU for every second and despite Peter McStravick netting twice in the second half, it was a third successive Trench Cup final defeat for the Dundalk side.

As both teams took a while to settle in Ballyduff, MTU kicked into gear when Eoin Carroll found the net after 17 minutes.

That goal propelled the host college into a 1-2 to 0-2 lead, Keith Evans playing a crucial part in that lead. 

DKIT hit back to cut the gap to two by the 20th minute as Jay Hughes and Shane Slevin added points.

MTU finished the half stronger but two missed goal chances could have seen hold a bigger lead at the interval. 

O’Grady missed a sitter earlier in the half and would later see a penalty saved by Shane Garland.

O’Grady would add a free a short while later. 

The score of the game arrived at the end of normal time, a move started by the MTU kickout, Sean Brosnan carried after Carroll did well to field, finding Eddie Healy, he exchanged passes with Donagh O’Sullivan. 

In the finish, it was Darragh O’Connor with a sublime finish to the net for a 2-7 to 0-5 lead to MTU Kerry side.

MTU resumed in sparkling form with tormentor-in-chief Evans kicking a point and a second O’Connor goal appeared to have given them an unassailable lead.

DKIT had Shane Slevin black-carded and Jay Hughes red-carded in the second half, but despite the numerical disadvantage they never threw in the towel. 

McStravick struck for a goal to reduce the MTU lead 3-11 to 1-5. 

Momentum was with the Dundalk men and after Jamie Murphy curled over a free, the ball fell kindly 15 yards out for McStravick to bury a shot low to cut the deficit to just seven points. 

MTU needed to be composed in those final minutes and managed to hold on. MTU Kerry are back at the top table, and deservedly so.

Scorers for MTU Kerry: D O’Connor (2-1), R O’Grady (0-5, 3fs), K Evans (0-3), E O'Carroll (1-0), E Healy, E Boyle, C O’Sullivan (0-1 each).

Scorers for DKIT: P McStravick (2-0), J Murphy (0-4, 2fs), H Corcoran (0-2), H Butterly, J Hughes (1f), S Slevin, L Stafford (0-1 each). 

MTU KERRY: C Melia (Shamrocks, Offaly); L Chester (Austin Stacks), J Nagle (Austin Stacks), S Brosnan (Ardfert); E Healy (Listowel Emmets), P O’Leary (Gneeveguilla), E Looney (Dr Crokes); E Boyle (Ballyduff), A Heinrich (Austin Stacks); K Evans (Keel), D O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), E Carroll (Austin Stacks); D O’Connor (Kerins O’Rahillys), R O’Grady (Killarney Legion), T Cronin (Kenmare Shamrocks).

Subs: C Horan (Austin Stacks) for D O’Sullivan(45), C O’Sullivan (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Looney (45) , E O’Shea (Fossa) for O’Grady (52), W Galvin (Renard) for Evans (58), S McCarthy for D O’Connor (60+4) 

DKIT: S Garland (Donaghmoyne); C O’Neill (Sean O’Mahony’s), T Óg Duffy (Crossmaglen Rangers), G Browne (Roche Emmets); T Rice (Sean O’Mahony’s), S Healy (Naomh Mairtin), L Stafford (St. Colmcilles); P McStravick (Dundalk Young Ireland), L Gray (St.Patrick’s); S Slevin (Latton Rangers), T Gray (Naomh Mairtin), C Fleming (Mattock Rangers); H Butterly (Stabannon), J Hughes (Dreadnots), J Murphy (St.Patrick’s).

Subs: S Callahan (St.Mary’s Ardee) for T Rice (28), F Tipping (Na Piarsaigh, Louth) for C O’Neill (37), H Corcoran (Drumbaragh Emmets) for Butterly (40), J McArdle (Dromintee) for T Gray (41), C Shields (St Patricks Donabate) for L Stafford (49).

Referee: C Maguire (Clare).