Credit Union Co League Div 1 Round 10 Preview
Division 1 of the Co League could hardly be any tighter. Rathmore lead the way on 13 points, but after our important win over Spa in Killarney on Friday night last, we are now in joint second place and sitting just one point behind the table-toppers. On Saturday next, July 27th, we play St Mary’s Cahirciveen at home in Strand Road, with throw-in at 7.30pm.
This is another “must-win” game as Rathmore have a home tie v Kilcummin and two of the three teams we share second place with, Austin Stacks and Dr Crokes also have home advantage for their games. Stacks will be fancied to beat Spa and Crokes look odds-on to overcome Na Gaeil.
Dingle are the other team sharing second spot and they face a tricky local derby away to An Ghaeltacht. So, a win over the table-proppers, St Mary’s is the minimum requirement and should be well within the compass of an O’Rahillys side that has overcome the loss of several key players to remain in contention for a league final spot.
Gary Kissane may return in goals and Ross O’Callaghan is in fine form at full back. Ryan Carroll and Cormac Coffey are looking very impressive at half back and Con Barrett and Shane Brosnan have been solid in midfield.
Sean Walsh is becoming more influential with each game and the youthful duo of Tom Hoare and Conor Hayes are proving a handful for defences in the inside forward line.
With Gavin O’Brien available and looking every ounce a county player, the signs are good for a Strand Road victory, but St Mary’s will be playing for their pride and must not be underestimated. All support welcome.
Credit Union Co League Div 1
Spa Killarney 1-11 Kerins O’Rahillys 5-6
This Round 9 game saw the opposing sides enter the game on 10 points each and needing to snaffle both points on offer in order to keep pace with table toppers, Austin Stacks who were one point clear of second-placed Rathmore, with both O’Rahillys and Spa another point further back.
So, victory was essential and defeat for either team would almost certainly end their quest for a league final berth. O’Rahillys were playing into a stiff wind in the opening half but started well, with Ryan Carroll curling a 35-metre free over the bar for the game’s opening score in the second minute.
The rain then started teeming down and driving into the faces of the Tralee men and Spa were quick to capitalise when they intercepted a Strand Road kickout and levelled matters from 35 metres.
Two minutes later, the Killarney side got their noses in front after working the ball down the left flank before converting from 25 metres, but a driving run from Con Barrett forced the concession of a free and Carroll stepped up again to split the posts from 30 metres to leave matters all square.
Spa went ahead again on the 11-minute mark when O’Rahillys failed to capitalise after a good spell of possession and the more direct Spa side worked the ball downfield and slotted their third point.
At that stage it also took some great defending by Carroll to prevent a goal for the home side after they turned over possession from a short kickout. This seemed to shake the Blues into action and they swept downfield and Tom Hoare was fouled at the expense of a penalty when he had the goal at his mercy.
The responsibility was again shouldered by Carroll, but he coolly slid the ball low into the left corner – sending the keeper the wrong way and O’Rahillys were 1-2 to 0-3 ahead.
The next six minutes saw Spa reduce the margin to a single point as they again took advantage of O’Rahillys failure to make possession pay to clip over a point and although Conor Hayes turned inside from a Carroll pass to kick a fine score after good counter-attacking play from Karl Mullins and Ross O’Callaghan, Spa’s direct approach paid dividends once more when a long delivery into the square was parried clear but fastened on by the home side and pointed.
Strand Road were fine tuning their attacking play though and in the 22nd minute a great passing move involving Carroll, Hayes and Mullins was finished off by Hoare when he fisted home at the far post.
Mike “Stam” O’Donoghue replied with a point from out near the side line for Spa, but Hayes was then fouled after another pass from Carroll and Hoare converted the free. The Blues followed up with a super passing move involving Sean Walsh, Hayes and Hoare which sent O’Callaghan bearing down on goal but the Spa keeper pulled off a fine save from point blank range.
Not to be outdone, O’Rahilly’s keeper Shane Foley matched that save with one of his own from a shot from 12 metres.
The Tralee side still had the greater share of the ball but in the final minute of the half, Spa once again completed a turnover and worked the ball downfield and the resulting point reduced O’Rahillys’ half-time lead to three points, Spa 0-7 O’Rahillys 2-4.
The first ten minutes of the second half were crucial in deciding the outcome of this game. O’Rahillys now had the wind at their backs, but from another delivery into the square, Spa were unlucky to see a fisted effort just run wide of Shane Foley’s right-hand post.
Strand Road took full advantage however and Kerry star, Gavin O’Brien made the first of several telling impacts when he played a give and go with Cormac Coffey and stormed through the middle of Spa’s defence before offloading to Hoare who drilled his shot into the bottom corner for his second goal of the day.
On the five-minute mark, Strand Road kept possession well, moving the ball from right to left and stretching Spa’s defence until Coffey was freed up to kick a point from 25 metres and this was followed by a point from a tight angle from Hoare and suddenly O’Rahillys were 3-6 to 0-7 ahead.
On 12 minutes, a fisted point for Spa reduced the margin to seven points, but the Killarney side seemed intent on trying to engineer the goal that would bring them back into contention and O’Rahillys seemed satisfied to bring bodies back into defence to negate that threat – but at the expense of their attacking game and the fluidity of their general play.
By the 23rd minute Spa had added another two points, but then Strand Road finally responded when they constructed a brilliant move, spearheaded by O’Brien, which isolated Mullins in front of goals, but Spa’s keeper dived to his right to prevent what seemed like a certain goal.
Two minutes later, Spa almost made the most of their reprieve and it took a close-range save form Foley at the expense of a “45” to maintain O’Rahillys’ five-point lead.
Then, in the last minute of normal time, a great steal of possession by Gearóid Dillane saw him offload to O’Brien who stormed through the centre of Spa’s defence and picked out Gearóid Savage who slammed the ball into the net in what looked like the seal on the victory.
Spa kept plugging away though and pointed a free before adding a goal in the third minute of injury time to reduce the margin to four points once again. However, it was Gavin O’Brien who made the final telling play of the game with another searing run that knifed through Spa’s rearguard and his pinpoint pass again found Savage who palmed into the net for the game’s final score.
Kerins O’Rahillys: S Foley; D Murphy, R O’Callaghan, S Collins; R Carroll (1-2, 1pen, 2f), K Mullins, D McElligott; C Barrett, S Brosnan; C Coffey (0-1) G O’Brien, S Walsh; P Griffin, T Hoare (2-2, 2f), C Hayes (0-1). Subs: G Savage (2-0), G Kissane, R O’Connor, G Dillane, J Keane, A Roche, B Scannell, D O’Sullivan, D O’Brien.
LADIES NOTES
U12 GIRLS
Girls, coaches and parents being kept busy with plenty of matches this summer is a good complaint! Milltown are hosting the next U12 girls blitz. Throw in at 6.30p.m. on Tuesday, July 23rd. The following week we are hosting, followed by Stacks and Na Gaeil are hosting the final week.
We would like to welcome Saoirse onto our team. You’ll have plenty of happy memories while playing with us.
U13 GIRLS SANDRA KEANE TOURNAMENT
Well done to the girls and their coaches who participated in the 6th Sandra Keane Tournament which is always an enjoyable day out.
Due to injuries, holidays etc. we were missing a few of our U13 girls. We played Scartaglin in our first game and were beaten. Next we played Mitchels and won well. We played Dr. Crokes in the Plate semi final but were very unlucky and were narrowly beaten. As a team the girls played out of their skin.
Thanks to our supporters on the day and also to our coaches Pádraig, Mary, Katie and Paddy and our photographer Brenda. Thanks to everyone involved in organising, running and sponsoring this great annual event.
U13 CHAMPIONSHIP
We are away to Scartaglin in the Championship quarter final. More details to follow.
U13 DEVELOPMENT
Training continues in Ballyrickard this Saturday at 11a.m. Please bring water and €2 each. All girls will be heading to the Mallow blitz on August 31st.
U14 GIRLS
Texts will be sent with training times.
Welcome to Sadhbh and Layla who have joined our team. You will make plenty of new friends and enjoy yourselves here with this fab bunch of girls.
U15 DEVELOPMENT
There was a great turnout in Caherslee last Saturday for training. Training continues next Saturday at 11a.m. Please bring €3, water and your mouthguard. All girls will be heading to the Mallow blitz on September 21st.
U16 GIRLS
We have a match this Tuesday. Details to follow.
U17 GIRLS
We have a match on Tuesday in Ballyrickard. Throw in at 7p.m.
SENIOR LADIES
Training continues on Tuesday and Thursday in preparation for the North Kerry League which will be commencing shortly. Texts will be sent.
LADIES BAG PACK
GarveysSu perValu have kindly given us a date for bag packing. It will be on Friday, August 2nd from 10a.m.-6p.m.
All money raised goes towards subsidising a day out before everyone goes back to school. As some of the girls are doing camp, we need others to volunteer for the morning shift. Please text Shirley (086) 8713552 for more details. Thank you!
CÚINNE NA NÓG
Juvenile Academy
Despite Kerry’s big game in Croke Park, there was a big crowd down in Ballyrickard at 11am on Sunday last for training. A huge welcome to all our new U6s. Each player at all age groups is improving their skills each week due to hard work and the dedication of their coaches. Parents watched on as always enjoying a warm cuppa and some home baking. Thanks to everyone for their contributions towards the home baking to date. Congratulations to our players of the week who are;
U6 Girls-Caoimhe Fitzgerald & Clodagh o Connor
U6 Boys – Jack Lawlor & Leo Fitzgibbon
U8 Girls- Keelan Walsh
U8 Boys- Darragh Hanlon & Kyle Capper
U10 Girls- Sophie Culloty
U10 Boys – Jamie O’ Keeffe
Next Academy training will take place on Sunday the 11th of August at 11am.
Summer Camp;
Camp will run from Monday, July 29th to Friday, August 2nd from 10.30a.m. – 2p.m. in Ballyrickard. This is for girls and boys from 4 years of age up to 14 years. The cost is €30 for one child and €50 for a family of 2 or more ( siblings).
You don’t have to be a club member to join in our wonderful camp or even have played football before. Everyone is welcome! For more details text Adrian (085) 1500199.
U14 Boys
We played away to Lispole/Annascaul in Lispole on Monday evening the 15th at 7pm. Final score was 2-17 to Annascaul/Lispole and 4-06 to Kerins O’Rahillys.
The U14s play a back game against Na Gaeil at home in Strand Road and if they are successful in this game they will proceed to a semi-final against Dingle in Dingle on Wednesday evening next.
U16 BOYS
We played Moyvane in the last round of the County League on Wednesday evening and secured a place in the semi-final after a great win with a score of 4-17 to 1-9. We hit the net on three occasions in the first half – two from the boot of Darragh O’ Connor and the third from Seán Healy after a fine run from the middle of the field, leaving the score at half time 3-08 to 0- 5.
The second half saw Jack Savage hit the net – announcing his return from injury, with great runs from Gearóid Meehan being the highlight of this half. Best for us on the night were Seán Collins in goals , Sam Pituch , Eric McMahon and Jerome Daly in defence and Darragh O’ Connor, Gearóid Meehan and Seán Healy up in the forwards. We now have a break for two weeks before the semi-final stages – dates and times to be confirmed.
Team and scorers – Seán Collins; Sam Pituch, Eric Mc Mahon, Jake Foley; TJ Heaphy, Jerome Daly, Ben Hanafin; Danny Hennessy (0-1 free), Jack Savage (1-03); Gearóid Meehan (0-2), Seán Healy (1-03), Ben O’ Brien (0-1); Darragh O’ Connor (2-3), Sam McCarthy (0-3), Alan O’Connor. Subs: Cormac Gallagher, Joe O’Sullivan, Kevin Molloy (0-1)
SNIPPETS from “top of the right”
· Congrats to David Moran and Tommy Walsh who were part of the Kerry squad in Croke Park for last Sunday’s thrilling draw v Donegal in the Super 8s.
· Speaking of Kerry – is there a finer sight than Gavin O’Brien in full flow? He was majestic at times in O’Rahillys’ victory over Spa in the Senior Co League.
· Happy 88th birthday to club legend, Micheál Kerins!
· Well done to the Kerry Junior panel on their victory over Galway to complete the five-in-a row and to the Kerry U20 hurlers who have qualified for the All Ireland B Hurling Final.
CONDOLENCES
All at the club wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Anne Devane (nee Walsh) of Annagh and Helena O’Keeffe (née Shine), Asdee West, Asdee. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.
