Major shock in Kingdom as Rathmore demolish title favourites East Kerry

Nobody could have predicted a 14-point hammering as East Kerry's vaunted attack was well held.

Cian Dineen of Rathmore in action against Darragh Lyne of East Kerry during their Garvey's SuperValu Senior County Football Championship quarter-final in the Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, on Saturday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

Kerry SFC quarter-final: Rathmore 1-20 East Kerry 0-9 

Rathmore were always considered capable of taking down East Kerry in this opening Kerry SFC quarter-final, played at sun-drenched Fitzgerald Stadium Saturday afternoon. But nobody could have predicted a 14-point hammering.

There were some hopes East Kerry would drag themselves off the canvas in the second half when Ruairi Murphy and David Clifford had quick points. But the former champions failed to score for the rest of the game while rampant Rathmore added 0-14 without reply. In truth the margin of victory did not flatter the winners.

It now throws the SFC wide open with both Dr Crokes and East Kerry fallen through the trapdoor. With Mid Kerry and West Kerry the only divisions left, a club side could now win the championship outright.

Rathmore were hungrier, controlled the middle third, defended heroically and never allowed East Kerry’s dangerous attack, including David Clifford and Paul O’Shea, any room.

Dan and Paul Murphy, the three Ryan brothers, Cathal, Mark and Shane, Alan Dineen and Ciaran Collins were awesome as Rathmore got stuck in from the outset and never relented.

Although David Clifford may have registered the first score in the second minute, Rathmore were the quicker to settle in dominating breaking ball and possibly should have been more ahead at half-time. The Ryan brothers were a key feature to their first-half performance, Shane able to come out the field after the return of their goalkeeper William Casey from injury as Mark Ryan also returned to their starting line-up on his own return from injury.

The club side went 0-3 to 0-1 up on their former team-mates after 10 minutes before Clifford put over a two-pointer to level the game. Paul O’Shea may have followed his cousin in registering another two-pointer, but Rathmore really clicked into gear from here as Paul Murphy and Ciaran Collins combined for Mark Ryan to finish to the net in the 14th minute for a lead of 1-3 to 0-5. 

William Casey stopped Ruairi Murphy from getting a goal for East Kerry and David Clifford was also well blocked near the goalmouth.

Paul Murphy and Cian Dineen finished off the first-half scoring for Rathmore with points, sandwiching an East Kerry point from Phillip O’Leary. The score stood at 1-6 to 0-7 at the break as Rathmore had nine missed chances in the first period.

After the two early East Kerry scores, Rathmore simply blitzed East Kerry with 13 scores including a two pointer from a Shane Ryan free and 0-5 from Ciaran Collins, while Paul Murphy added two more including a free as East Kerry appeared to throw in the towel. Credit though must go to Rathmore for a sensational performance.

Scorers for Rathmore: C Collins (0-6, 2f), M Ryan (1-1), P Murphy (m) & S Ryan (1tpf) (0-3 each), C Ryan and P Moynihan (0-2 each), C Dineen, F Murphy, B Friel and M Reen (0-1 each) 

Scorers for East Kerry: D Clifford (0-5, 1tp, 1f), P O’Shea (0-2, 1tp), R Murphy and Phillip O’Leary (0-1 each) 

RATHMORE: W Casey; C Dineen, D Murphy, F Holohan; A Dineen, P Murphy, F Murphy; A Moynihan, C Ryan; B Friel, S Ryan, B O’Keeffe; M Reen, C Collins, M Ryan. 

Subs: D Rahilly for P Murphy (Inj, 49), P Moynihan for B O’Keeffe, J Moynihan for M Reen (both 52), C O’Connor for A Dineen (58) 

EAST KERRY: B Kelly (Killarney Legion); D Fleming (Killarney Legion), J Sherwood (Firies), K O’Sullivan (Fossa); N Donohue (Firies), D O’Brien ( Glenflesk), D O’Callaghan (Kilcummin); R Collins (Gneeveguilla), Paudie O’Leary (Gneeveguilla); R Murphy (Listry), D Lyne (Killarney Legion), M Keane (Kilcummin) ; D Clifford (Fossa), P O’Shea (Kilcummin), Philip O’Leary (Kilcummin) 

Subs: E O’Shea (Fossa) for M Keane inj, 12), C Lynch (Glenflesk) for D O’Callaghan (Temp, 25-26), Darragh Roche ( Glenflesk) for Paudie O’Leary (38), C Lynch ( Glenflesk) for N Donohue (42), J Horgan (Firies) for Phillip O’Leary (47), C Gammell (Killarney Legion) for J Sherwood (52) 

Referee: B Griffin (Clounmacon)