Watch and read: Beaufort outclass Kerins O'Rahillys, Fossa claim top spot

After back-to-back victories over Glenflesk and Castleisland Desmonds and, despite losing Kingdom midfielder Sean O’Brien to a cruciate knee ligament injury, Beaufort produced the goods.

Former Kerry manager Peter Keane’s Beaufort maintained their 100 per cent winning record in the county intermediate football championship with a stunning demolition job (1-23 to 0-12) on an outclassed Kerins O’Rahillys at Strand Road in Tralee.

After back-to-back victories over Glenflesk and Castleisland Desmonds and, despite losing Kingdom midfielder Sean O’Brien to a cruciate knee ligament injury, the Mid Kerry men produced some sensational passages of play in this Group 4 encounter.

With in-form attackers Ciarán Kennedy and Liam Carey again leading the charge, as they have done in the previous two weekends, Beaufort built a nine-point lead by the break (1-13 to 0-7). There was no way back for the beleaguered hosts after that.

Kerins O’Rahillys goalkeeper Ruairí Kennedy denied his namesake Ciarán, and Darragh O’Connor, with point-blank saves as the visitors dominated from the outset. The goal finally arrived in the 29th minute with Carey setting up Kennedy for a clinical finish, his fifth green flag in three games.

The Tralee men were never really at the races. Tomás Kennedy kicked a two-pointer in the second half, but they were again too dependent on Darragh O’Connor up front. A 0-12 total, for the second successive outing, was never going to suffice.

By the final whistle, Kennedy (1-5) and Carey (0-5) had 1-10 from play between them, with Fergal Hallissey (0-8, six from placed balls) and Darragh O’Connor (0-3) also impressing. Youngster Fionn Kennedy was very impressive at midfield.

With Beaufort topping the group and ensuring home advantage in next week’s quarter-finals, there was tremendous drama to decide the runners-up spot. O’Rahillys, Desmonds and Glenflesk all finished on two points after the latter’s defeat in Castleisland.

Despite that two-point loss (2-12 to 1-13), Wayne Quillinan’s Glenflesk advanced to the last eight courtesy of a -3 scoring difference, with Kerins O’Rahillys on -6, and Desmonds finishing bottom on -17 and heading into the relegation play-offs.

There was nothing between the protagonists in the opening 30 minutes in Moanmore, with the hosts leading by two (1-5 to 0-6) at half-time. John Kelleher and Patrick D’Arcy had braces for Glenflesk, but Adam O’Donoghue’s 14th minute goal was the difference.

The second half ebbed and flowed, with Castleisland Desmonds gaining a firm grip on the contest after Thomas Hickey found the net in the 45th minute. At that stage, Glenflesk were six points adrift (2-10 to 0-10) and in big trouble.

Kelleher and D’Arcy took their tallies to 0-3 apiece, with the Roche brothers, Dylan and Darragh, also chipping in. Callum Cronin’s goal in the 60th minute put the cat among the pigeons, and Luke Crowley soon fired over the equaliser for the East Kerry men.

However, Castleisland Desmonds were not to be denied a home triumph to finish their group campaign. Goalscorer O’Donoghue had been outstanding all evening, and his last-gasp two-pointer from play, as part of his 1-6 personal haul, sealed the two points for the North Kerry men.

With all the excitement of Group 4, the conclusion of Group 1 was much more run of the mill. With Fossa and Ballymacelligott already safely through to the knock-out stages, their meeting at the East Kerry venue was all about nailing the top spot.

Ted O’Gorman’s growth as an influence for Fossa continued as he kicked two points before the break in a man-of-the-match performance as the hosts built a seven-point lead by half-time (1-11 to 0-7), with the efficient Harry Buckley notching the goal.

The Clifford brothers (Paudie 0-3, David 0-2) were also well involved before the break, as Donal Daly (0-3) and braces from Niall Collins and Jack Joy, kept Ballymacelligott in contention, with the All-Ireland junior champions battling hard.

Indeed, Ballymacelligott raised three green flags in the second half – Michael Quirke, Tadhg Brick and Collins all on the mark – but Fossa were too strong. In the end, last year’s beaten finalists emerged victorious by six points (1-25 to 3-13).

David and Paudie Clifford chipped in on the resumption with three orange flags in a shared 0-12 between the pair, while youngsters Jack Hallissey and Fionn Doyle were others to impress as Fossa gain home venue next weekend.

Meanwhile, in the other Group 1 fixture, it’s Gneeveguilla who avoid the relegation play-offs after the East Kerry side held off a late rally from Glenbeigh/Glencar to edge home by three points (1-16 to 1-13) in a meeting that had plenty on the line.

Gneeveguilla did the damage in the opening half, leading by seven points (0-10 to 0-3) at half-time. Cornelius Buckley had 0-4, with Connie and Padraig O’Connor raising orange flags, but the Mid Kerry men fought back on the changeover.

Initially, the leaders remained in cruise control, especially after Oisín O’Leary’s 39th minute goal, with Paudie O’Leary shooting 0-3, but, with Liam Smith excellent, former Kerry star Darran O’Sullivan making a comeback, and Tadgh O’Sullivan finding the net, a 12-point deficit was reduced to three by the final whistle.

Footage courtesy of Clubber TV.