Kerry SFC: Dingle gain revenge with convincing victory over Na Gaeil

Na Gaeil had beaten Dingle in the Kerry Club SFC semi-finals but with the West Kerry side having bodies back, they were always going to be more of a force. 

Paul Geaney score five points as Dingle progressed to the Kerry SFC quarter-finals with victory over Na Gaeil. Pic: Tatyana McGough

Kerry SFC round 1: Dingle 2-19 Na Gaeil 1-13 

Last year’s beaten finalists Dingle showed that they will be bang in contention for ultimate honours again as a convincing first half performance set up the platform for a comfortable Kerry SFC round 1 victory over Na Gaeil at a breezy Fitzgerald Stadium.

With the likes of Kerry stars Tom O’Sullivan and Dylan Geaney returning from injury and playmaker Paul Geaney controlling affairs from the ’40, the West Kerry side took advantage of the elements being in their favour in the opening 30 minutes.

In a repeat of the senior club semi-final of five weeks ago where Na Gaeil emerged victorious by the minimum margin, this repeat meeting was always likely to produce a different result with the westerners gaining some bodies, and the opposition losing key figures.

Diarmuid O’Connor (after his recent shoulder surgery), Oisín Maunsell and goalkeeper Conor Bohane were among the absentees for Na Gaeil and, with the wind at their backs from the outset, Dingle put the collective foot on the accelerator in the first half.

Dingle were already eight points to the good (0-10 to 0-2) when they struck for their opening goal in the 17th minute. As a result of a poor Na Gaeil kick-out, Tadhg de Brún put county lynchpin O’Sullivan through a gap, and he buried a left-foot drive with consummate ease.

Na Gaeil managed a solid initial response, and they were potentially jolted into life when they raised a green flag of their own in the 25th minute. Andrew Barry and Darragh Reen did the spadework, and Ruairí Ó hAiniféin was on hand to dispatch to the Dingle net.

Almost irked by the concession of the goal, Dingle went straight for the jugular once more. Paul Geaney caught the resulting restart, plied O’Sullivan, and he provided the assist for youngster Ned Ryan to rocket to the top corner with a stunning effort.

Trailing by 12 points (2-15 to 1-6) heading into the changeover, Na Gaeil were already facing a losing battle. The likes of the Barry brothers, Stefan Okunbor, Dara Devine and Jack Sheehan kept plugging away, but there was no way back.

Dingle played within themselves in the second half, with Dylan Geaney rusty on his return from injury. O’Sullivan finished with 1-2 in a virtual free role and, heading into next week’s quarter-finals, his successful re-appearance was the biggest plus.

Scorers for Dingle: P Geaney 0-5 (1tpf, 0-1f), T O’Sullivan 1-2, N Geaney 0-4 (1tp), M Flaherty 0-3, N Ryan 1-0, T de Brún 0-2, Brian O’Connor, C Bambury, C Flannery 0-1 each.

Scorers for Na Gaeil: D Devine 0-7 (2tpf, 0-1f, 1tp), R Ó hAiniféin 1-0, J Sheehan 0-2, J Barry, D Reen, S Okunbor, S O’Connor 0-1 each.

DINGLE: G H Curran; P O’Connor, S Óg Moran, T O’Sullivan; T Leo O’Sullivan, C Flannery, Brian O’Connor; Billy O’Connor, N Geaney; T de Brún, P Geaney, N Ryan; C Bambury, M Flaherty, D Geaney.

Subs: A O’Connor for de Brún (43), M Flannery for D Geaney (51), D O’Sullivan for N Geaney (51), C Keane for Billy O’Connor (54), M Boland for P Geaney (59).

NA GAEIL: J Rogers; N O’Mahony, E Doody, F Barry; E O’Connor, A Barry, P Doyle; J Barry, S Okunbor; J O’Connor, R Ó hAiniféin, S O’Connor; D Reen, D Devine, J Sheehan.

Subs: R O’Neill for Doody (18-22, temp), J Kearney for Rogers (26-27, temp), K O’Connor for S O’Connor (41), K O’Donovan for Doyle (43), C Lucey for Reen (51), O’Neill for O’Mahony (56), M Madden for Okunbor (59).

Referee: E Walsh (Rathmore).