Listowel Emmets win 17th North Kerry crown with victory over Castleisland Desmonds

North Kerry SFC final: Listowel Emmets 1-11 Castleisland Desmonds 0-8 

It was far from a classic North Kerry Final, a real slogfest played on a damp Moyvane sod, Listowel Emmets did what was needed to record their 17th North Kerry title, with Sean Keane’s goal the spark to set the scene in the opening half.

Emmets were a tad wasteful in the opening ten minutes, scoring just once from give chances, as Eddie Healy and Luka Brosnan swapped scores at either end. Emmets kicked into gear at the end of the first quarter, Sam Tarrant with a free for the lead, before Sean Keane blasted the top left corner past Steven Bartlett for a 1-2 to 0-1 lead.

Kian Downey ended an eleven minute wait for a score in reply, but Emmets with Keane in full flight, pushed 1-4 to 0-2 ahead by the 19th minute. Desmonds started to miss fire late in the half, Brosnan’s second cut the deficit to four points, however Healy kicked his second and final score of a tight half of football, to put Emmets ahead 1-5 to 0-3.

As the second half got underway, the narrative remained the same. Jack Enright pointed a 45 to draw first blood for Listowel, three minutes later his opposite number Bartlett was tasked with a 45. The first dropped short, the second led to a goal chance as Cian H O’Connor fired across for Adam O’Donoghue, a brave first by Enright in the Emmets goal cancelled out the danger.

At the other end Tarrant converted a second free and that looked like another big momentum shift for Emmets. By quarters end Emmets lead stood at seven points, Desmonds however were starting to slowly creep back.

Again scores proved tough to come by until Enright split the posts with another 45 in the 55th minute. Desmonds did get a late surge however, kicking three points in succession, a goal was needed to change the deficit and Emmets proved resolute at the other end.

Scorers for Listowel Emmets: S Keane 1-3, E Healy, S Tarrant (2f), J Enright (2 ‘45) 0-2 each, A Carey, A Kennelly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Castleisland Desmonds: L Brosnan, T Hickey (f) 0-2 each, K Downey, M Hickey, A O’Donoghue, S O’Connell 0-1.

LISTOWEL EMMETS: J Enright; M Kennedy, E Healy, C Pierse; J McElligott, G McCarthy, E Browne; JJ Grimes, D Leahy; P Walsh, S Keane, C Mulvihill ; S Tarrant, J McVeigh, A O’Rourke.

Subs: J Moriarty for P Walsh (40), A Kennelly for C Mulvihill (48), A Carey for A O’Rourke (53), S Gilbert for J McVeigh (60+1).

CASTLEISLAND DESMONDS: S Bartlett; L Curtin, I Brosnan, G Leonard; L Brosnan, R Burke, M Hickey; T Hickey, B Leonard; M Walsh, A O’Donoghue, A Donoghue; K Downey, PJ Curtin, D O’Connor.

Subs: D Finnegan for G Leonard, C H O’Connor for PJ Curtin (Both h/t), S Prendiville for K Downey (57), G O’Connor for A O’Donoghue (60). 

Referee: B Griffin (Clounmacon).