Kerry Petroleum Senior Football Club Championship, Group 1, Round 1.
Templenoe 0-08, Spa 0-16.
Templenoe began their fourth consecutive season in the senior club championship with a disappointing display against a Spa side that were in control from start to finish.
The match was played before a large crowd on a sunny afternoon at Fr Breen Park. Templenoe opted to play against the breeze in the first half. Spa got off to a flyer with three scores from Dara Moynihan, Cian Murphy (mark) and Evan Cronin (mark) inside the first 5 minutes. Spa just seemed to be quicker to every ball and slicker with their decision making while Templenoe were struggling to get their hands on possession, but Templenoe did get one back with a point from play through Killian Spillane in the 6th minute. However, it was only a temporary reprieve, in the ensuing passages of play Spa upped their work rate again to tag on five unanswered points to make the score 0-01 to 0-08 by the end of the first quarter with Evan Cronin (2), Cian Murphy and Cian Tobin (2) all contributing.
Templenoe needed scores and fast, Killian Spillane did provide some hope with two points either side of a Cian Murphy white flag for the Killarney side. But again, it failed to ignite Templenoe into life. Mark Looney did well to save a goal bound shot from Cian Tobin before Evan Cronin skimmed the crossbar for Spa to increase their tally to ten points. Some poor shooting from Templenoe before the break did not help their cause, but credit to Spa they gave a near flawless display in front of the posts in the first half hitting only two wides compared to six from Templenoe. Evan Cronin extended Spa’s lead to eight points with a converted free ahead of the interval.
Half Time Score: Templenoe 0-03, Spa 0-11.
On resumption, Spa were off target with a free before Stephen O’Sullivan kicked a fine long-range score to keep Templenoe in the game. Shane Cronin countered with an equally good score for Spa, but Templenoe were finally starting to get into game more. Two points from Killian Spillane followed and then Brian Crowley on his first competitive game back from injury added another. This made the score 0-07 to 0-12 with plenty of time (22 minutes) remaining. However, on the day Templenoe were just not able to push on. Templenoe were short with their next two efforts and then disaster struck when Stephen O’Sullivan was dismissed after he received a second yellow card.
Although not quite as clinical in the second half, Spa seized the initiative again soon after with Dara Moynihan showing his class to restore their lead to six points. Templenoe with Tadhg Morley going on the offensive had a penalty appeal waved away and instead a free out was awarded to Spa after the referee consulted with his umpires. Evan Cronin capped a fine individual display by thumping over two more scores, he subsequently picked up a black card, but it mattered little. Gavin Crowley got his name on the scoreboard late on for Templenoe. With Templenoe forced to bring keeper Mark Looney out the field, Spa did their best to get a goal and Dan O’Donoghue nearly did only for Kieran O’Neill to deny him with a good stop from the line. The game ended with Spa’s Shane Cronin planting a placed ball over the bar from 45 metres out.
Final Score: Templenoe 0-08, Spa 0-16.
Scorers:
Templenoe: Killian Spillane 0-05 (2f), Stephen O’Sullivan 0-01, Brian Crowley 0-01, Gavin Crowley 0-1.
Spa: Evan Cronin 0-07 (2f) (1m), Cian Murphy 0-03 (1m), Cian Tobin 0-02 (1m), Shane Cronin 0-02 (1f), Dara Moynihan 0-02,
Wides:
Templenoe: 8
Spa: 7
Teams:
Templenoe: Mark Looney, Michael Hallissey, Kieran O’Neill, Mark Casey, Gavin Crowley, Tadhg Morley, Martin Reilly, Sean Sheehan, Adrian Spillane, Stephen O’Sullivan, Patrick Clifford ©, Colin Crowley, Killian Spillane, Brian Crowley, Aidan Crowley
Subs Used: Daniel Crowley, Kieran McCarthy, Ciaran Crowley
Spa: James Devane, Eric O’Donoghue, Eoin Fitzgerald, Brian Lynch, Liam Spillane, Shane Cronin, Eoin Cronin, Michael McCarthy, Dan O’Donoghue, Michael Foley, Evan Cronin, Dara Moynihan, Cian Murphy, Cian Tobin, Michael O’Donoghue
Subs used: Matt Lane, Timmy Moynihan, Mikey Moynihan, Luke O’Neill
