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Gavin O’Connor was in Killarney yesterday to see a recent rivalry renewed as Legion proved to be the scourge of Strand Road once more…
Barry John Keane and Legion’s Shane Brosnan scramble for the ball. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
Legion 0-9
Kerins O’Rahillys 0-8
FOR a third year in a row Legion have beaten Kerins O’Rahillys in the Senior Club Football Championship.
A battling 14 man Kerins O’Rahillys ran out of time to clinch an equalizer after scoring two late points to almost force a draw in this match played in Direen, Killarney on Saturday evening.
Continued below…
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The task of overcoming Legion was made even more difficult six minutes into the second half when Jack Savage got his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
O’Rahillys started and finished with inter-county men Barry John Keane, David Moran and Tommy Walsh, while Legion were without the services of James O’Donoghue (injured) and Jonathan Lyne who was serving a suspension.
Despite having the majority of the ball in this niggly encounter, O’Rahilly’s found it difficult to make it stick in the full-forward line and kicked twice as many wides than Legion – five to ten.
Along with these three successive club championship defeats, the Killarney side also knocked Strand Road out of last year’s County Championship at the quarter-final stage.
David Moran, comes away with the ball closely watched by Jack O’Neill and Conor Keane. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
Greg O’Connell got the first score of the match for Strand Road. This was replied withtwo points from Jamie O’Sullivan and Donal Lyne for Legion.
Barry John Keane pulled one back for O’Rahilly’s, but the more economical Legion hit back with two pointed frees from David O’Sullivan to leave the scores 0-4 to 0-2 in favour of the home side after 20 minutes played.
The Blues finished the half with scores from Jack Savage and Barry John Keane, while David O’Sullivan added another free for Legion to send his side 0-5 to 0-4 in front at the end of the half.
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A score had not been kicked in the second half before Jack Savage got his marching orders for a second bookable offence. The Kerry U21 captain was a big loss to his side but his teammates rose to the challenge.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Strand Road side had the lion’s share of possession for the rest of the half but struggled to turn it into scores.
O’Rahilly’s came so close to hitting the net in the 47th minute that would have turned the game on its head.
The goal chance was created by Barry John Keane who cut in from the sideline to lay the ball across the square for substitute Kieran O’Mahony, who attempted to tap it in soccer style but his shot was deflected tantalisingly over the bar by a Legion defender.
Legion responded with two scores from David O’Sullivan once again and midfielder Jamie O’Sullivan and they stretched their lead out to three going into the final minutes.
With the Killarney side dropping deep, they invited a wave of O’Rahilly’s attacks in the closing exchanges.
Persistent fouling was a hallmark of this match and Legion coughed up many to kill any chance of a Strand Road equaliser.
A Tommy Walsh free and a David Moran point were the final two scores of the match. Unfortunately for them and the new management of Morgan Nix and Micheal Quirke it wasn’t enough.
More photos below…
Scorers
Legion: David O’Sullivan 0-5 (4f), Jamie O’Sullivan 0-2, Donal Lyne and Peter McCarthy one point apiece
Kerins O’Rahillys: Barry John Keane 0-3 (2f), David Moran 0-1 (1. 45), Tommy Walsh 0-1 (1f), Greg O’Connell, Jack Savage and Kieran O’Mahony one point apiece
Legion
1. Brian Kelly
2. Chris Davies
3. Danny Sheahan
4. Podge O’Connor
5. Darragh O’Doherty
6. Damien O’Sullivan
7. Alan Moriarty
8. Jamie O’Sullivan
9. Shaun Keane
10. Jack O’Neil
11. David O’Sullivan
12. Donal Lyne
13. Peter McCarthy
14. Billy McGuire
15. Conor Keane
Kerins O’Rahillys
1. Gary Kissane
2. David Murphy
3. Danny O’Sullivan
4. Andrew Thompson
5. Cormac Coffey
6. Shane Brosnan
7. Cian Sayers
8. John C’Connor
9. David Moran
10. David McLoughlin
11. Barry John Keane
12. Greg O’Connell
13. Jack Savage
14. Tonmy Walsh
15. John Ferguson
James O’Donoghue relaying information to his teammates. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
Barry John Keane on the ball ahead of Podge O’Connor. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
Danny O’Sullivan is pulled to the ground. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
John C O’Connor tussling for possession with Legion’s Shaun Keane. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
David Moran is tackled by Legion’s Shaun Keane. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
