Underdogs Duagh claim Junior crown as they break Tarbert hearts

WINNERS: Duagh were crowned Kerry Junior Champions after a hard fought win over Tarbert in a bruising North Kerry affair under lights and in front of a big crowd at Frank Sheehy Park in Listowel. Picture: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

Kerry JFC final: Duagh 2-11 Tarbert 1-11

Duagh were crowned Kerry Junior Champions after a hard fought win over Tarbert in a bruising North Kerry affair under lights and in front of a big crowd at Frank Sheehy Park in Listowel.

Another year of heartbreak for Tarbert, who suffered a second successive county final loss, despite the return of Cillian Langan after his heroics in New York.

Duagh fully deserved their victory, as they set the tempo in the opening half when Ted Moloney and Kerry U20 star Cormac Dillon found the net inside 17 minutes. Tarbert through Cillian Langan, Andrew Doherty and John Coolahan helped leave a point between the teams approaching half time. Tarbert were now backing in the contest and Ben Sheehan’s wonder point make it 2-3 to 1-5 at the break, in favour of Duagh.

Duagh turned the screw early in the second half, with Dillon claiming a mark in the opening minute.

After eight minutes Duagh kicked on with Thomas Scanlon and Mikey Kelly pointing for a three point lead 2-6 to 1-6. Clinical from the word go Duagh missed one effort all game with two dropping short.

By the third quarter mark it was still advantage Duagh by three. Langan reduced that to one with two well kicked points by the 48th minute. Kirby and Dillon replied well and inside the final ten minutes Duagh had the confidence.

Former Kerry All–Ireland medal winner, 38 year old Anthony Maher was summoned to the midfield to help see out the game from the bench, winning every ball that came his way. Tarbert gallantly fought until till the end but painfully fell short. Duagh champions in 2002 and 2006 will now play Junior Premier in 2025.

Duagh set the tempo for a large spell of the opening half, despite a cagey start Michael Kirby kicked a point in the seventh minute for a 0-2 to 0-1 lead.

From then on until late in the half, it was all Duagh and three minutes later captain Aaron O’Connor made a swashbuckling run forward and slipped a pass off to Ted Moloney who rolled the ball into the bottom left corner. Seven minutes later the net bulged again, Thomas Scanlon firing long for Cormac Dillon who got the better of his marker and rifled to the roof of the net, 2-2 to 0-2 after 17 minutes.

Wides were adding up for Tarbert and 15 minutes after their opening score, as Langan kicked their second. Eight minutes later the gap was down to one point as Tarbert kicked a quick fire 1-2. Andrew Doherty kicked over their third point before floating a high dropping ball that John Coolahan fisted to the net. But it was never going to be their night and Duagh kicked on in the second half to claim a famous win with Cormac Dillon, a deserving recipient of Man of the Match.

Scorers for Duagh: C Dillon 1-4 (2m, 1f), T Moloney 1-0, M Kirby, L Sheridan 0-2 each, N O’Connor, M Kelly, T Scanlon

Scorers for Tarbert: C Langan 0-5 (2fs), A Doherty 0-4, J Coolahan 1-0, S Wren, B Sheehan 0-1 each Teams:

DUAGH: J Heffernan; J Moloney, A O’Connor, J O’Connor; S O’Caoimh, T Scanlon, D O’Brien; K Lucey, T Moloney; M Kelly, M Kirby, O Moloney; C Dillon, N O’Connor, M O’Connor.

Subs: L Sheridan for O Moloney (27), D Maher for J Moloney (h/t), K Buckley for N O’Connor (47), D O’Donoghue for M O’Connor (55), A Maher for M Kirby (57).

TARBERT: P Carmody; S Carrig, K Enright, C Egan; D Mulvihill, D Wren, B Sheehan; M Normile, S Enright; M Heaphy, S Wren, P Finucane; A Doherty, J Coolahan Langan.

Subs: D Stack for J Coolahan (45), P O’Connell for B Sheehan (60+1) 

Referee: F Clifford (Listry)