Kerry SHC round-up: Ballyduff top group, Kilmoyley exit early for first time since 1999

OUT: Kilmoyley manager Fergie O'Loughlin during a match. Pic: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile.

Ballyduff, St Brendans and Ballyheigue were the big winners after the final round Kerry SHC double header at Austin Stack Park on Sunday afternoon.

As for Kilmoyley, who top the roll of honour with 26 SHC titles, they make an early exit along with the unlucky Shane Conway led Lixnaw.

In fact, Kilmoyley have not missed a quarterfinal since 1999 and only three years in the same period have the Lerrig side failed to contest the semi-finals.

Kilmoyley simply had to beat Ballyheigue in their Group 2 meeting but instead they had to be satisfied with a 2-12 to 1-15 draw, which allowed Ballyheigue to progress as they had already drawn with Causeway while Kilmoyley were beaten by 2-21 to 0-18 by same opposition.

Philip Lucid, Graham Slattery and Coin Walsh gave Ballyheigue a good start, but Ronan Walsh drilled an eighth minute penalty into their net to level the contest.

Colin Walsh then rattled the Kilmoyley net as Paudie O’Connor tried manfully to keep Kilmoyley in the contest.

Lucid with a free from his own 45 restored Ballyheigue’s advantage but again Daniel Collins (carrying an injury) finished to the net.

Daire McCarthy came alive for Kilmoyley with two points, but Nathan Guerin responded in kind for Ballyheigue as they retired 1-9 to 2-5 in front at half time.

The sides were still level at the end of the third quarter (2-9 to 1-12) thanks to points from Philip Lucid and Colin Walsh while David McCarthy and Jevon Carey, along with a Daire Nolan free for Kilmoyley.

Lucid with his fifth point saw Ballyheigue move three clear, but Kilmoyley refused to throw in the towel and late points from Carey, Flaherty and Jordan Brick ensured a share of the spoils, although that ultimately meant heartbreak for Kilmoyley.

The second game from the Group 1 meant either St Brendans, who were playing Ballyduff, or Lixnaw who had only one point, were exiting the SHC.

St Brendans needed the win to make sure and after a two-goal salvo from Earnan Ferris in a blistering opening spell, they raced 2-7 to 0-3 in front inside the opening ten minutes.

Ballyduff were not at the races as Liam OG O’Connor and Fionan Egan piled on the scores to lead by eleven points at half time (2-14 to 1-6).

But Ballyduff brought on young John Curtin and a Dylan Costello goal before a succession of points from Podge Boyle, John Curtin, and Darragh Slattery saw them close the gap as St Brendans were relying on Fionan Egan from frees.

The gap was down to two when Eoin Flaherty burst through to blast the ball to the Ballyduff net and the margin was five. But in a chaotic finish Luke Rochford billowed the net, Podge Boyle and John Curtin levelled the contest at 1-19 apiece before Curtin then gave Ballyduff the lead.

There was still drama as Seamus O’Halloran was through on goal for Ardfert and he went for a green flag instead of a levelling point while at the other end, Luke Rochford could have kept Lixnaw in the championship but shot wide, so Ballyduff hung on to 1-20 to 1-19 win.

In the end, St Brendan’s advanced in second spot, if only by the skin of their teeth, having scored more than Lixnaw cumulatively (4-39 to 3-34). Both Lixnaw had identical score difference and a point each from their first-round draw.

Meanwhile on Friday night, Crotta O’Neills defeated a gutsy Tralee Parnells 3-17 to 2-12 in Group 3 to qualify along with Abbeydorney for the knockout stages.

It was a close contest in the opening half as Crotta O’Neills led 0-10 to 0-7 at the short whistle, thanks to a six-point haul from young Evan O’Sullivan playing in his first SHC game this year.

Darragh Reen had fired over two fine points for the Tralee side that have yet to win a game in the senior championship since their elevation three years ago from the intermediate grade.

But Crotta, thanks a brace of goals from James Sheehan and Evan O’Sullivan’s accuracy, moved 2-12 to 0-7 clear by the 40th minute.

And then Kerry senior star Jordan Conway ended Parnell’s dreams with a goal for the ages in the 51st minute and despite an injury time Oisin O’Brien goal, Crotta O’Neills made the quarterfinals with eight points to spare.

The draw for the knockout stages of the SHC were made after the Ballyduff/St Brendans game.

Two of the group winners Causeway and Ballyduff get byes to the semis.

The quarter-finals will be played next Saturday at the Austin Stack Park see Crotta O’Neill’s face St Brendans and Ballyheigue take on Abbeydorney.