Nick Lacey hits hat-trick as the Green set up tasty Dunloe Cup final clash with the Sem

The Green had led the game by just a point at the three quarters mark. 

Some superb two-pointers were scored at Lewis Road in the Dunloe Cup semi-final between Tralee CBS and Pobalscoil Inbhear Sceine. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Kerry Colleges Dunloe Cup (U-17A Football) semi-final: Tralee CBS 3-17 Pobalscoil Inbhear Sceine 1-11 

Tralee CBS produced a power packed final quarter to beat a gutsy PS Inbhear Sceine side in this Dunloe Cup semi-final at the Dr Crokes Grounds in Lewis Rd, thus setting up an old firm final clash next week with Frewen Cup winners St Brendans College.

The scoreline was not a true reflection on how close a contest this was for three quarters of the game, when Tralee CBS held a tenuous one point lead (2-8 to 1-10), but the Green pulled clear in the final quarter outscoring their opponents 1-9 to 0-1 as the wheels fell off the Kenmare wagon.

A feature of the game was a strong wind blowing into the scoreboard end and that saw some superb long range two pointers, with PS Inbhear Sceine kicking one in the opening half, but it was Green in the second half who kicked four that proved one of the major reasons why the Green won by a wide margin.

They also scored goals at crucial times with lively full-forward and Kerry minor elect Nick Lacey scoring a hat-trick and giving a man of the match display. Danny Kingston, whose mother is one of the legendary Murphy family from Kanturk, was excellent on the forty kicking 0-5 and he was taken down for a penalty in the 41st minute, which Lacey converted and changed the momentum of the game.

Michael O’Mahony was a thorn in the Tralee side in the opening half scoring a brilliant goal and kicking a two pointer from well outside the arc, while Aidan O’Sullivan looked dangerous on the edge of the square. 

Kenmare were leading 1-7 to 0-4 as the first half reached its conclusion and looked like adding a second goal when O’Mahony put Caoilean Desmond through and his momentum took him into the net. He slipped and the Tralee keeper collected and when the ball was transferred at pace to the other end, Nick Lacey rounded his marker and planted the ball in the Kenmare net. 

That was a six point turnaround and Inbhear Sceine probably knew a 1-7 to 1-4 lead was never going to be good enough with Tralee having the strong wind to their backs for the second half.

Two early Kenmare points from Michael Jones and O’Mahony gave them hope but the Green were now using the kick pass to telling effect. A Lacey two pointer from play was followed by two tap over frees after the ball was brought forward 50m and Kenmare were on the back foot.

Then came the match defining score when Danny Kingston cut through and was upended for a penalty and Nick Lacey clinically dispatched to the net, and Tralee CBS led for the first time since the opening minute.

Two booming two pointers from Sean Hickey and a goal set up by Darragh Murphy and finished by Nick Lacey saw Tralee CBS ease to victory and a crack at the Frewen Cup holders the Sem, is their reward.

Scorers for Tralee CBS: N Lacey (3-5, 1-0 pen, 3f, 1tp) S Hickey (0-6, 2tps), D Kingston (0-5, 1tpf, 1f), D Murphy (0-1) 

Scorers for PS Inbhear Sceine: M O’Mahony (1-5, 1tp), A O’Sullivan (0-2), R Mac Gearailt, M Jones, O O’Connor and C Kelleher (0-1 each) 

TRALEE CBS: J Collins ( Ballymac); E Mangan ( Austin Stacks), M Enright ( St Pats), D McMahon ( Ballymac); M Corridon ( Ardfert), J Rochford ( Ballyduff), F Brosnan ( John Mitchels); M O’Sullivan ( Churchill), R Hurley ( St Senans); T Lenihan ( Churchill), D Kingston ( Na Gaeil), M Quirke ( Ballymac); D Murphy ( St Pats), N Lacey ( Kerins O’Rahillys, S Hickey ( Churchill).

Subs: G Deasy ( Churchill) for M Quirke ( 51), O Brosnan ( John Mitchels) for F Brosnan ( 54), J Costello ( St Pats) for D Murphy ( 56), A Horgan ( Austin Stacks) for E Mangan ( 56), M Vansteenkiste ( Annascaul) for M Enright ( 59).

PS INBHEAR SCEINE: J Linnane ( Kenmare Shamrocks); D Crushell ( Kenmare Shamrocks), C Cronin ( Kenmare Shamrocks), R Daly ( Kenmare Shamrocks); J O’Shea ( Kilgarvan), R MacGearailt ( Kenmare Shamrocks), M Jones ( Kenmare Shamrocks); K O’Sullivan ( Kilgarvan), S O’Donoghue ( Kilgarvan); N O’Neill ( Templenoe), M O’Mahony ( Templenoe), C Desmond ( Kilgarvan); C Kelleher ( Kilgarvan), A O’Sullivan ( Kenmare), O O’Connor ( Kenmare).

Subs: D Tangney ( Kenmare) for C Desmond ( 45), J O’Shea ( Sneem) for C Kelleher ( 56), M Foley ( Templenoe) for M Jones ( 56), F O’Sullivan ( Tousist) for D Crushell ( 57), R Healy ( Kenmare) for J O’Shea ( 59) 

Referee: T McCarthy (Desmonds)