Edgy Ballymacelligott through to another Premier JFC final, St Senan's await

Kerry's competitive third tier Premier JFC final will take place next Saturday at Austin Stack Park

Ballymacelligott's Cathal Dunne under pressure from Conor O'Sullivan and Cian Bradley of Listry in Sunday's Kerry Premier JFC semi-final in Castleisland. Pic: Tom O'Donoghue

BALLYMACELLIGOTT have worn the mantle of perennial Kerry Premier JFC favourites quite heavily and it showed Sunday as they struggled to hold off a late fightback by Listry in the semi-final in Castleisland.

After a power-packed start to the second half Ballymac led by eleven points but they looked vulnerable once a determined Listry side battled back with Ronan Buckley kicking five two-pointers in an 0-12 haul.

The sides were level on 0-3 apiece at the end of opening quarter with Ballymac turning the ball over with alarming regularity and on four occasions, they kicked the ball short into Listry keeper’s hands. 

Points from Donal Daly (free), Daire Keane, Micheál Reidy and Adam Sheehy kept Ballymac on level terms with Listry's Ronan Buckley, Conor O’Sullivan and Ruairi Murphy ruled the roost at midfield. Buckley kicked the first of his two pointers against the wind from the ground, added a point and with Cathal O’Donoghue kicking two nice points, Listry were certainly the happier at 0-6 apiece close to half time.

However Ballymac received a timely boost with their final attack of the half when referee Denis Kennelly awarded them a penalty for what presumably was a ball handled on the ground by a Listry defender. Either way Jack Joy buried the penalty to give Ballymac a 1-6 to 0-6 half-time advantage.

Ballymac were fired up on resumption with minor Máirtín McKivergan, introduced for the injured Daire Keane, transforming his side at midfield along with Aidan Breen as they hit an unanswered 2-3 in a ten-minute spell with goals from Adam Sheehy and Darragh Broderick to spirit them into a commanding 3-10 to 0-8 lead. But the old Mr Hyde clicked in and Ballymac didn’t score again until a Donal Daly free in added time. 

Meanwhile Listry decided to cut loose and Ronan Buckley kicked three two pointers from the 39th to 54th minute to close the gap to three. Jack Walsh reduced the deficit to two as Ballymac hung on desperately as Aaron O’Shea saw his two pointers drift just wide. 

Donal Daly pushed Ballymac three clear in added time but Ballymac turned another ball over, Listry bore down on goal, and won a free which Buckley drove too high in his attempt for a dramatic equalising goal.

Ballymac will now meet St Senans in the final next Saturday in Austin Stack Park (5.30). The latter were too physically strong for a young Keel side in Connelly Park on Saturday in the worst of the squally weather, winning 0-14 to 1-8. With Kerry panelist Cillian Trant and Paudie Quille at midfield, they led at half time 0-8 to 1-3, despite playing against the wind. 

Sean O’Connell kicked 0-5 in the opening half while Trant, Seanie McElligott and David Foran added points with Keel getting a fortuitous goal through David Couchman to keep them afloat. Keith Evans kicked two points but overall Keel was not at the races in the opening half.

They looked better in the second with Gearoid Evans introduced but the St Senans defence was tenacious, not least the Kennelly brothers, Conor and Alan, Bill Keane and Darragh Behan. When Tomas Dillon and Cathal Kennelly landed massive two pointers and Rory Mahony added one off the bench, St Senans were out of the woods and into next weekend's final - despite a late Gary Sayers two pointer.