Kerry: Legion start impressively in IFC as Listry begin Premier JFC quest with win 

Veteran James O’Donoghue, Conor Gammell and Conor Keane were all introduced for Legion against St Mary's

Former Kerry underage star William Shine got the ball rolling for Killarney Legion with an early goal against St Mary's

KERRY'S inter-county squad get another week to soothe the pain of their All-Ireland final defeat but championship grades got underway in the Kingdom over the weekend with one IFC tie and the first round of games in the county's junior football champinships.

In the second tier Intermediate Championship, Killarney Legion had it pretty easy in the end when they beat St Mary’s in Killorglin by 2-19 to 0-12.

The crucial score of the opening half arrived in the second minute when former Kerry underage star William Shine found the St Mary’s net. Finbarr Murphy and Ryan O’Grady both kicked two points apiece as Legion led 1-8 to 0-8 at the interval.

Two early St Mary’s points left the bare minimum between them but Killarney Legion, probably getting a wake-up call, went on a scoring spree and outscored the South Kerry side 1-11 to 0-2 for the remainder of the half.

Ryan O’Grady ended up with 0-6 for the game, with the winners ending up with ten different scorers. Cian Gammell and Eoghan O’Sullivan had two points each, while the Legion had a few secret weapons who were introduced from the bench.

Veteran James O’Donoghue, Conor Gammell and Conor Keane were all introduced. Gammell scored a point and Keane showed why he was so highly rated at underage, scoring 1-2.

At Premier JFC level, one of the favouriites Listry travelled to Mountcoal to play last year’s JFC champions Tarbert. The north Kerry side were in it at the three-quarters stage but, when they tired, Listry took advantage and won 1-20 to 1-9. Listry, who are managed by John Evans, should be making the latter stages.

Tarbert had to line out without former Kerry underage stars David Mulvihill, Shaun Wren and Michael Coolahan. By half-time, Listry were three points ahead, 0-8 to 0-5, with Ronan Buckley kicking 0-5 from placed balls, and dangerous full-forward Padraig O’Donoghue notching a brace . Tarbert stayed in touch with fine two-pointers from John Coolahan (free) and Jack Sheehan.

In the second half, the Murphy brothers, Ruairí and Eanna, upped the tempo with Eanna scoring 0-2 while Ruairí kicked five points in that period.

Listry looked home and hosed after 43 minutes as they led 0-13 to 0-5 but Tarbert staged a fightback with Donal Finucane’s punched goal and a Coolahan point. That had the margin reduced to three, 0-14 to 1-8, after 51 minutes.

Listry reset and dominated the final ten minutes, adding 1-6 to their opponent’s 0-2, with Padraig O’Donoghue getting their match clinching goal in the 58th minute and ending up with a personal haul of 1-4.

Brosna, even without the services of Paul Walsh and Adam Barry, proved too strong for a flat Currow side without Cathal Brosnan in a Premier JFC Group 3 game played in Castleisland. Brosna won on a 2-15 to 1-14 scoreline.

A Danny Moriarty goal in the 12th minute and the midfield dominance of the O’Sullivan brothers, Damian and Jack, saw them lead 1-5 to 0-6 at the break with Daniel O’Shea’s two pointer keeping Currow in touch.

Currow fought back but then Brosna struck for the killer goal when a high ball was fumbled by the keeper and Kieran O’Donnell planted it in the net. Conor Lane added a quick point and suddenly Brosna were 2-9 to 0-10 in front.

Currow never gave up and reduced the deficit to a point before Brosna rallied and three unanswered points, from O’Donnell, Cahill and Shane O’Sullivan ensured a vital win.

A stunning climax to a hard-fought Group 2 encounter in Cromane on Saturday saw Barry O’Dwyer emerge as the Waterville hero after his last-gasp goal, eight minutes into injury-time, broke St Pat’s hearts as they looked poised for victory. It ended 1-14 to 1-13.