Garvey’s County Senior Football Championship, Group 1, Round 1.
Templenoe 2-13, West Kerry 0-18.
There may not have been a large attendance at Fitzgerald Stadium last Saturday, but those who did make the trip certainly got full entertainment value with a high scoring contest that went right to the wire. In the end it took a pointed free from Killian Spillane in injury time to separate the sides and the result also means that Templenoe maintains their proud unbeaten record in the opening round of the county championship since they debut season in 2020.
Templenoe opted to play with the breeze for the first half and the opening 6 minutes of the game saw Killian Spillane (2) trading scores with Dara Ó’Sé and Cathal Ó Beaglaoich. West Kerry then started to gain upper hand and dispel any notions that the district side might lack cohesion on their first competitive outing, by adding three more points to their tally by the quarter mark courtesy of Cathal Ferriter who might have had a goal and Dara Ó’Sé (2). In between, Killian Spillane fired over his first score from play to leave the score 0-03 to 0-05.
Then perhaps somewhat against the run of play a high ball in from Killian Spillane, broke kindly to Stephen O’Sullivan who had two goal bound efforts well blocked by the West Kerry defence, before Aidan Crowley had better luck with a scuffed shot to regain the lead for Templenoe. However, West Kerry remained undeterred and immediately hit back with Cathal Ferriter and Rob Ó Sé both splitting the posts before the bang in form Killian Spillane continued this scoring spree with two more points for Templenoe. Shortly before half time, Templenoe lost Adrian Spillane to injury, which was a big setback. Templenoe kept going though and then came their second goal which was to prove crucial in the finish, with Stephen O’Sullivan making a great burst forward before lobbing West Kerry keeper Sean Ó Luing for a truly spectacular goal. West Kerry were subsequently unlucky not to find the net themselves with a Cathal Ferriter effort hitting the base of the post, but they did have the final say of the half with Thomas O’Donnell finding the range to reduce the deficit to a goal.
Half Time Score: Templenoe 2-05, West Kerry 0-08.
Templenoe had to make further changes at half time after it emerged the unfortunate Kieran McCarthy who was only on the field a few minutes after he replaced Adrian Spillane had to also retire injured. Nonetheless, Templenoe did have good opening to the third quarter with Killian Spillane, Patrick Clifford and Sean Sheehan all raising white flags, while in between West Kerry had fine scores from Killian Falvey and Rob Ó Sé to leave them four points adrift. West Kerry then hit a purple patch with a brace of points from Dara Ó’Sé (2), James Crean and Killian Falvey to make it all square at 2-08 to 0-14 coming into the final quarter.
Gavin Crowley briefly restored Templenoe’s lead with an inspirational point, but West Kerry still had the momentum and they powered on with three more unanswered points through the boots of Cathal Ferriter, Cathal Ó Beaglaoich and the impeccable Dara Ó’Sé to put them two points to the good with Templenoe very much on the backfoot at this stage. Templenoe’s county players Tadhg Morley and Killian Spillane then took on responsibility to stem the tide with two important points to level the scores coming into the final stretch. It was edge of the seat stuff now and the game looked like it might be heading for a draw after Stephen O’Sullivan had a converted mark cancelled out by a Dara Ó’Sé free at the other end. But Killian Spillane was having none of it and when Templenoe earned one last free after a careful build up, he calmly slotted the ball over the bar for the narrowest of wins for Templenoe.
Final Score: Templenoe 2-13, West Kerry 0-18.
Scorers:
Templenoe: Killian Spillane 0-08 (5f), Stephen O’Sullivan 1-01, Aidan Crowley 1-00, Gavin Crowley 0-01, Patrick Clifford 0-01, Sean Sheehan 0-01, Tadhg Morley 0-01.
West Kerry: Dara Ó’Sé 0-07 (3f), Cathal Ferriter 0-03, Killian Falvey 0-02, Cathal Ó Beaglaoich 0-02, Rob Ó Sé 0-02, Thomas O’Donnell 0-01, James Crean 0-01.
Wides:
Templenoe: 4
West Kerry: 1
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: Kieran McCarthy. Daniel Crowley, Ciaran Crowley.
West Kerry: Sean Ó Luing, Michael Scanlon, Cormac Ó Cinnéide, Cathal Ó Luing, Pádraig Óg Ó Sé, Caolann Ó’Connell, Cathal Ferriter, Rob Ó Sé, Jason Hickson, James Crean, Thomas O’Donnell, Dara Ó’Sé, Killian Falvey, Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Cathal Ó Beaglaoich.
Subs Used: Donnacha Higgins, Maurice O’Connell, Noel Higgins.
Referee: Billy O’Shea (Keel).
Articles:
The Kerryman - https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/sport/gaa/kerry-sfc-templenoe-hold-off-hard-charging-west-kerry-for-victory/a1095153569.html
