After numerous near Kerry misses, Ballymacelligott prove the only remedy is to keep trying

It was fitting in many ways that it was their talisman Aidan Breen who stepped up to secure the win with the final penalty - with a little help from a young man gone to his eternal reward 

AT LAST: Ballymacelligott players savour finally getting over the line and winning Kerry's third tier Premier JFC final at Austin Stack Park in Tralee on Saturday. They had lost in extra time and penalties in the previous two seasons. Pic: Don MacMonagle

Kerry Premier JFC final: Ballymacelligott 2-17 St Senans 3-14.

(Ballymac won 4-1 on pens AET)

THERE have been heart-breaking near misses, so few would begrudge Ballymacelligott finally reaching their holy grail with a Kerry Premier JFC title that promotes them to Intermediate in 2026. Given the rollercoaster of emotions they've been through with extra time and penalty losses in the past few years it was no surprise that it took both to finally see off St Senan's in an absorbing and dramatic final at Austin Stack Park on Saturday.

And how delightful it was that it was Ballymac’s talisman Aidan Breen who dispatched the fourth and last penalty to the St Senans net. One would have to spare a thought though too for the vanquished who scarcely deserved to lose this epic and would most likely have won it in extra time only for a self-inflicted wound that should never have happened. Ballymac had gone in front in the dying embers when Darragh Broderick got his fist to high centre from Darragh O’Regan and it ended up in the St Senan's net to give them a two point lead.

However while they were still celebrating - an echo of their 2023 final loss in extra-time to Listowel - St Senans worked the ball up the field and a one-two between Darragh and Conor Kennelly finished with the latter riflling the ball to the Ballymac net, giving them a one-point lead. Ballymac won the kickout but St Senans were called for a breach, having only two forwards up top, allowing Darragh Broderick equalise from the resultant free in front of goal.

And so to penalties, like Ballymac's 2024 semi-final loss to Firies. They showed no stress under the immense pressure this time, converting all four of their spot kicks via minors Mairtin McKivergan and Jack Joy, with Darragh O’Regan and Breen while only Seanie McGrath scored for St Senan's. It was a cruel way to end a final but the split season doesn’t allow for replays with the clubs wanting finals finished before Kerry's SFC starts.

Ballymac manager Ian Blake knows what losing finals can be like so he was glad that this Ballymacelligott side finally came out the right side of a rollercoaster. 

 “I said during the week, we don’t do things the easy way. We like to dig holes for ourselves and by God we dug a few ones here. But I did say that I have never seen a squad like them for never giving up," he said.

“We went down and got the goal and you would think that was it, but bang – St Senan's went up the field and rattled our net. Any other team would capitulate but not this bunch. There is a lot of talk about this and that in sport and life but if you look at what happened to poor Luke Silles (RIP), it's great to be able to say we won it for him, but all that puts this into perspective. It's only a game but he was here with us today. He must have been looking down on us because we needed someone to dig us out and I'd say Luke had a hand in our last goal.” 

St Senan's, thanks to first half goals from Seanie McGrath and Cathal Kennelly were level at 1-8 to 2-5 at the interval, having played against the wind, with Niall Collins finding the net for Ballymac. Collins again produced the last-gasp point in normal time to bring the final to the extra time and penalty crescendo. 

Scorers for Ballymacelligott: N Collins (1-2), D Daly (0-5, 3f), A Breen (0-4, 1tpf, 1f), D Broderick (1-1, 1f), D Keane (0-3, 1tp), J Joy and M McKivergan (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Senan's: S O’Connell (0-7, 2fs, 1tpf, 1tp), Conor Kennelly (1-2), Cathal Kennelly and S McGrath (1-0), R O’Connell (0-2, 1f), C Trant, D Kennelly and R O’Mahony (0-1 each).

BALLYMACELLIGOTT: C Leen; E Creedon, D O’Shea, E Moriarty; D Dunne, T Brick, C Dunne; A Breen, D Broderick; A Sheehy, M Reidy; J Joy, D Daly, N Collins.

Subs: M McKivergan for A Sheehy ( h/t), D Regan for D Dunne (41), S Rice for Broderick (56), J Kenny for Keane (70), D Broderick for Daly (79).

ST SENAN'S: R Kerins; M Keane, D Behan, A Kennelly; C Kennelly, B Keane, S T Dillon; C Trant, P Quille; C Kennelly, S McGrath, D Foran; S O’Connell, T Dillon, R O’Connell.

Subs: R Mahony for M Keane (41), S McElligott for Cathal Kennelly (50), D Kennelly for S O’Connell (57), Cathal Kennelly for Quille (66), S O’Connell for Cathal Kennelly, inj (71), T McKenna for S O’Connell, inj (74).

Referee: E Horan (Glenflesk).