Kerry Petroleum Senior Football Club Championship, Round 2:
Templenoe 1-11, Kenmare 3-06.
Templenoe and Kenmare served up a pulsating contest last Friday evening that ebbed and flowed and could have gone either way. Indeed a draw would probably have been the fairest outcome, but in the end it was late-late goal from Paul O’Connor that earned Kenmare the win by the narrowest of margins.
It was a historic occasion for Templenoe, with the Club hosting our first ever game at Senior grade. It was also the first meeting between the Templenoe and Kenmare Senior teams since the County Intermediate Final in 2016. The Covid-19 restrictions were once again in place but no doubt about it, everyone lucky enough to have attended the match or viewed the game on-line got their full entertainment value with both sides putting in plenty of hits throughout the match that was every inch a local derby.
Kenmare had the wind to their backs for the first half on an evening that was mostly dry. But Templenoe had the livelier start with Killian Spillane opening the scoring from a free for the first of his eight points. Sean O’Shea almost equalized a minute later, however his effort went wide of the posts. Kenmare though were now settling into the game and then in the 5th Minute Michael McCarthy put through midfielder Kevin O’Sullivan who was sprinting forward for Kenmare’s first goal, giving keeper Mark Looney no chance. Templenoe replied with another pointed free from Killian Spillane, but worse was to follow for the home side, when Kenmare’s other Midfielder Fionan O’Sullivan got forward to find himself in a bit of space before firing home Kenmare’s second goal. Kenmare went on to consolidate their position with points from Paul O’Connor and Kevin O’Sullivan, to make the score 0-02 to 2-02. Templenoe’s position did not get any better before the first half water break with John Spillane and Danny Cahalane both getting sin binned, while corner back Michael Hallissey had to retire with a shoulder injury.
Templenoe emerged from the first water break in more determined fashion raising their intensity levels to dominate the second quarter. Killian Spillane got a much needed score for the home side following a lovely delivery from Gavin Crowley. Then minutes later Stephen O’Sullivan added another point. Meanwhile, Kenmare had their turn to pick up a black card with Kevin O’Sullivan getting sent ashore for his 10 minute spell on the sideline. In contrast Templenoe were soon restored to their full complement of players on the pitch and then the game really came to life when Gavin Crowley did very well to intercept a ball bound to Kenmare’s dangerman Sean O’Shea, before launching a high ball into the goal that was finished to the net by Adrian Spillane. Dara Crowley hit back with a point for Kenmare before half time, but it was Templenoe who were going into the break re-energised and they could have been in an even stronger position had they not squandered a few chances.
Half Time Score: Templenoe 1-04, Kenmare 2-03.
There was a small bit of rain during the interval, but this was not going to in anyway take from the game. On resumption, Killian Spillane showed beautiful skill and balance to get around two Kenmare defenders, before planting the ball over the bar to bring Templenoe within a point of their rivals. The contest then took another twist when Sean O’Shea became the fourth player to be sin binned. Templenoe’s Colin Crowley was off target with 45, but Templenoe did equalize in the 36th minute with Killian Spillane striking over a free with his left boot. Less than a minute later the same player called the mark after receiving a pass from his brother Adrian before popping another ball over the bar, this time with his right leg. Templenoe were now back in front and the home supporters were getting more and more hopeful of a famous victory. However, Kenmare remained focused and Paul O’Connor tied the scores again in the 39th minute. Further scores were exchanged between Killian Spillane and Paul O’Connor before Sean O’Shea, despite good pressure from the Templenoe defence managed to split the posts after his initial effort was blocked to score his first and only point in the contest. Kenmare carried a slender lead going into the 2nd half water break 1-08 to 2-06, but unlike Fitzgerald Stadium at the same stage the previous Friday evening, this match was far from over.
Soon after play resumed, Killian Spillane tied the scores again from a placed ball effort to keep the game on a knife edge, before Stephen O’Sullivan pointed to put Templenoe back in the lead. However, Templenoe then suffered a setback when John Rice received a second yellow card to reduce the hosts to 14 men coming into the closing minutes. But when substitute Cian Hallissey calmly fisted the ball over the bar near the finish to give Templenoe a 2 points cushion, it looked like the win was secured. However, somewhat similar to the previous weekend against Kerins O’Rahillys, Kenmare kept fighting to the end. Then deep in injury time a dangerous ball in towards the Templenoe goal, looked initially to have been kept out by Mark Looney and his defence, before the vigilant Paul O’Connor struck the ball to the net to bag Kenmare the spoils.
Credit to both sides for producing a thriller of game. Although the final result went Kenmare’s way, Templenoe will still take great encouragement from this performance and will hope to have better luck against Kerins O’Rahillys away in the final round of the group stages.
Final Score: Templenoe 1-11, Kenmare 3-06.
Scorers:
Templenoe: Killian Spillane 0-08 (0-04f, 0-01M), Adrian Spillane 1-00, Stephen O’Sullivan 0-02, Cian Hallissey 0-01,
Kenmare: Paul O’Connor 1-03 (0-02f, 0-01M), Kevin O’Sullivan 1-01, Fionan O’Sullivan 1-00, Sean O’Shea 0-01, Dara Crowley 0-01.
Teams:
Templenoe: Mark Looney, Michael Hallissey, Kieran O’Neill, John Spillane, Gavin Crowley, Danny Cahalane, John Rice, Sean Sheehan, Adrian Spillane, Tom Spillane, Brian Crowley, Josh Crowley Holland, Stephen O’Sullivan, Killian Spillane, Colin Crowley.
Subs: Martin Reilly, Cian Hallissey.
Kenmare: Kieran Fitzgibbon, Dara Crowley, James McCarthy, Tommy O’Sullivan, Shane O’Sullivan, Dara O’Shea, Mark Crowley, Kevin O’Sullivan, Fionan O’Sullivan, Stephen O’Brien, Dan McCarthy, Tommy Cronin, Michael McCarthy, Sean O’Shea, Paul O’Connor
Subs: Tom Murnane, Matt Murnane, Sean O’Leary, Rory O’Sullivan.
