Egan’s goals decisive as St Brendan's retain Kerry U21 crown
St Brendan's underage dominance in Kerry hurling continues apace as they added back to back County U-21 titles to two minor titles when they beat a gutsy Ballyheigue side in Austin Stack Park on Saturday night.
Ballyheigue looked the better side in the opening half and led by a point at the interval, but St Brendan's took over in the second half. Once Fionan Egan scored his second goal and Garry O’Riordan fired over four points from play, Ballyheigue just did not have the scoring power upfront. They were reliant on midfielder Felim O’Sullivan who scored 1-9 of their total.
Underdogs Ballyheigue made an explosive opening, racing 0-4 to 0-0 in front inside the opening five minutes thanks two points from Felim O’Sullivan and one each from the impressive Matthew O’Sullivan and Ballyheigue senior Padraig Kenny.
Despite some excellent positional play by Odhran Ferris and some galloping runs from Gary O’Riordan at midfield, St Brendan's were slow to settle as Ballyheigue were taking no prisoners.
Eoin O’Flaherty was denied a sixth-minute goal when Ballyheigue keeper Tuan Shorten made a superb stop at his right hand post.
O’Flaherty was fouled in the eighth minute and Fionan Egan opened St Brendan's account and this settled the Ardfert side as Gary O’Riordan and Tiernan O’Sullivan added points from play.
Dara Kearney was doing his best to keep St Brendan's at bay but he found Fionan Egan a tricky customer.
Donnacha Horgan then fired over a superb point on the run but St Brendan's had settled and by the end of the opening quarter the protagonists were on parity at 0-5 apiece thanks to points from Billy Doyle and Fionan Egan.
Ballyheigue were contesting every ball. Kerry senior Felim O’Sullivan added three unanswered points from two frees and a 65 to push the seasiders 0-8 to 0-6 up when Fionan Egan converted another free. Felim O’Sullivan pushed his side clear but then in the 23rd minute Ballyheigue were hit with a sucker punch when Fionan Egan slipped his marker and shot low to the net to level the contest. Still Felim O’Sulivan ensured that Ballyheigue led 0-11 to 1-7 at the interval.
St Brendan's took over in the second half but were guilty of some poor shooting as they added nine second half wides to their first half tally of three. But points from Egan, Liam Óg and Gary O’Riordan saw St Brendan's two clear and then Egan’s goal pushed them five up and Ballyheigue were never going to get back in the contest. They added just two Felim O’Sullivan points in the first 25 points of the second stanza before O’Sullivan saw his long range free elude everyone and end up in the St Brendan's net.
St Brendan's had a rock solid half back line with Hugh Lenihan the star at wing back. Gary O’Riordan gave a man of the match display at midfield and Fionan Egan was deadly up front. For Ballyheigue, Dara Kearney inspirational at fullback.
F Egan (2-6, 3fs), G O’Riordan (0-5), H Lenihan, L Óg O’Connor (’65), E O’Flaherty, T O’Sulivan and B Doyle (0-1 each)
F O’Sullivan (1-9. 1-6fs, 1’65), P Kenny (0-2), D Horgan and M O’Sullivan (0-1 each)
J Moriarty; A McDonagh, T O’Flaherty, B Leen; F O’Connor, O Ferris, H Lenihan; G O’Riordan, D O’Sullivan; L Óg O’Connor, K O’Mahony, E O’Flaherty; B Doyle, T O’Sulivan, F Egan.
D Flaherty for T O’Sullivan (60), S Power for D O’Sullivan (60), E Lawlor for B Doyle (60), R Hickey for K O’Mahony (60)
T Shorten; D Donnelly, D Kearney, B Leen; O Leen, D O’Sullivan, D Horgan; F O’Sullivan, M Harty; A Thornton, P Kenny, M O’Sullivan; W O’Sullivan, E Walsh, C Goggin.
R O’Halloran for M O’Sullivan (42), N Corridan for A Thornton (50)
M Hennessy (Ballyduff)
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