Kerry JFC: Tarbert and Beale to contest all North Kerry Junior decider
THIRD TIME LUCKY: Tarbert are back in another Kerry JFC final. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
For the third year in a row Tarbert will contest the Junior Championship Final, as a strong opening half performance led the groundwork for a 3-15 to 1-15 win over Moyvane.
Tarbert held a 2-11 to 1-3 lead at the break, with Shaun Wren leading the charge with 1-8 of their tally. Two early two point efforts from Wren gave Tarbert an early buffer, before John Coolahan rattled the net for the opening goal after just five minutes, for a 1-4 to 0-1 lead. Wren would miss a penalty and at the other end Darragh O’Keeffe added to his earlier point with a goal that crept under the crossbar.
Tarbert kicked back into gear and after reeling off three points, found their second goal. Wren gathered a lofted ball inside and stuck it into the net, giving them a springboard going into the break. While Tarbert added the opening two scores of the second period, Moyvane rallied back through two-pointers from Shane and Donal Stack, to trail 2-12 to 1-8 by the 40th minute.
Darragh O’Keeffe landed a two-pointer and fisted a point seconds later to cut the gap down to six, but David Mulvihill picked out the top right corner of the Moyvane net minutes later to swing the momentum once again. Despite another two-pointer from Shane Stack, Moyvane could not retrieve the game as Tarbert earned bragging rights over their neighbours.
Tarbert will meet a Beale side who came good in the second half and defeated a fancied Cordal side 1-22 to 1-12 in the other semi-final in Ballymacelligott.
Cordal, with Killian Dennehy very much to the fore, began to gain the upper hand early on and a Seán Óg Ó Ciardubháin two point free and Seán Walsh minor made it 0-5 to 0-2 in favour of Cordal.
But Cordal, without their sidelined scoring star Philip O’Connor, began to lose the midfield battle and the darting runs of Barry O’Neill were carving open the Cordal defence.
Ian Mannix, with a brace of two-point frees, and Rob Stack, with his first two points of his 0-9 tally, were soon in control but a high ball that was not dealt with by Beale saw Brian Reidy finish to net. Cordal were back in front, 1-7 to 0-9. Conor Toomey slotted a free won by Barry O'Neill. Just before the break, O'Neill was hauled down in the square and referee Connie O'Connor signalled for a penalty. Up stepped Ian Mannix, but once again Cordal's player/manager Ó Ciardubháin dived across to make a brilliant save, as the sides retired 0-10 to 1-7.
But Beale assumed complete control in the second half and fired over seven points without reply in the third quarter thanks to Daithí Keane Tyrell, Ian Mannix and Owen Tydings before Rob Stack added four including a two-pointer.
Beale were now seven clear and it was left to their minor star Killian Dennehy to kick three frees. Jason Cronin converted a two-point free but Daithí Keane Tyrell added 1-1 for Beale and Rob Keane kicked a two-pointer from play with the final action as Beale prepare for a final with Tarbert which could well be played this coming weekend as North Kerry have a bye in SFC.
