Interview with Moyvane and Feale Rangers John Mulvihill

An Interview with Moyvane and Feale Rangers John Mulvihill

Lockdown seems to have brought out the creative spark in people.  With more free time on my hands I decided it was time to resurrect the sports blog and start off what I am affectionately going to call a series of Pods-casts!

First up is my good friend and one of Moyvane's top defenders over the years John Mulvihill.  John is adamant that this interview should have taken place years ago when the blog was first active but sure good things come to those who wait!

The powers of Zoom meant that we had a good chat about his time in the game and his response to the "Start, Bench and Sell" game is well worth reading on for!

PS: John, thanks for taking the time for this interview.  How has lockdown been treating you?

JM: (Laughing) It's like there is no lockdown here, it's all work and no play!  Thankfully the weather has been good so I have been busy enough on the farm.. Like everyone else, we have watched a few series on Netflix.  No spare time means less time to be thinking about the virus in general so that's a good thing

PS: What is your earliest sporting memory?

JM: Badminton and Football would have been my two main sports growing up.  My earliest memory would have been starting off playing both at 10/11 years of age.  I enjoyed athletics too and most importantly made a lot of friends out of them all

PS: Who would have been your sporting hero growing up?

JM: (Without hesitation) Jack O'Shea.  The spurt of growth never came my way to become a midfielder! I was only 5ft 9 1/2 (the 1/2 being crucial) but I loved watching him play when I was growing up.  It just shows how good he was that he won Footballer of the Year on four occasions in what was the golden era for Kerry football

PS: When did you first start to play?

JM: I think it was under 12's in football but I also played the badminton at that time under Madge Groarke and athletics under Jimmy Lenihan

PS: Did you always see yourself playing in the backs?

JM: I didn't to be honest, that's where most footballers are put when they have two wonky feet!!  I just wanted to play, it didn't matter where I played.  I just wanted to have fun playing with my friends which is what it should be about.  It's probably got a bit too serious now.  I remember playing one game ever as wing forward for the seniors, I got a big bang in the head in that game, got whip lash, so that was the end of my stint in the forwards!  My favourite position was centre back, you are involved in everything and you can control everything around you

PS: Who was your best or favourite trainer and who had the biggest influence on your game?

JM: Sean Walsh would have been our trainer for most of underage and when we got to senior we had several different trainers. The best trainer at senior level was probably DJ Mulvihill, he trained us in 2003 when we won the North Kerry Championship.  The pitch in Moyvane was being repaired at the time so we trained in Clounmacon.  He kept changing the training sessions around which was exactly what we wanted.  The biggest influence would probably have been Denis Connor, as chairman he had a big influence on all the younger players coming through.  He was a players chairman 

PS: When did you first play for the Moyvane senior team?

JM: I played in an invitational tournament in late 1995, I broke my hand shortly after and missed out on my 18th birthday celebrations!!  I played my first full year in 1997.  We played in Division 3 of the County League at one stage but for most of my time we were competing in Division 4.  I remember Ardfert beating us in Moyvane one year by a point and then they went on a run through the divisions up to Division 1 so the margins in Division 3 and 4 were small.  Our priority was always the North Kerry Championship which probably effected our county league performances but that has changed a bit now with the County Junior Championship etc and the possibility of getting a run to Croke Park.  We thought the Christmas celebrations were better for us though!

PS: Any superstitions before games?

JM: No, move on!  I only used the favourite socks and boxers on a night out!!

PS: (Deviating slighty) Tell us something we don't know about you?

JM: (long pause).... I'd say you know everything,and what you don't, I won't be telling!!

PS: Did you have much success at Minor and U21 level?

JM: We won a Minor B in 1995 against Tarbert.  After going to school in Tarbert and listening to then beforehand tell us that if they didn't beat us by ten points they would give us the cup, we turned them over in Finuge that day which was a good kick up the ass for them! We won a North Kerry Intermediate with the juniors in 1996, Declan Kennelly kicked a point in Tarbert that day that wasn't a point and won the game against Ballylongford, there was war at the time over it!  We lost three Under 21 North Kerry Championship finals in my four years.  The first against Duagh when the jerseys didn't arrive and against Listowel in 1997 and 1998.  I was captain in 1998 so that was a sickener.  Brian Scanlon scored a goal off me but he took about 10 steps without hopping or soloing the ball!!  It's good to talk about these things!

PS: North Kerry Championship successes in 1999 and 2003

JM: My first North Kerry Championship game with Moyvane was in 1997 when we lost to Ballylongford.  We were leading 0-4 to 0-3 going in to injury time, that was how bad the game was, and Bally reeled off two points and beat us!  That was probably one of my biggest disappointments.  We beat Tarbert in the 1999 final in Ballybunion.  It was massive to win that medal.  The celebrations were good after!  So many good players had gone before without winning any so that was sweet.  Maurice Kearney and Eamon Stack reversed the captain and Man of the Match awards from the 1995 final win. There were a couple of barren years then until 2003.  We actually won the North Kerry League that year too.  We went on a roll in the autumn as we were in a relegation battle in the County League.  We won three games in a row to stay up, that gave us serious momentum going in to the championship.  We beat Castleisland who were a Division 1 team in the final.  I was corner back in 1999 and centre back in 2003.  We also won the County Novice in 2005 against Na Gaeil in Austin Stack Park.  That was a memorable occasion playing there with all the people you grew up with

PS: Where do you keep all your medals?

JM: They are in a press here at home. I must sort them out and get them framed now that I'm retired!

PS: When did you start playing with Feale Rangers?

JM: I didn't play Feale Rangers minors.  I got called in to the U21's in 1997 and we ended up winning the County Championship that year without training once!!  And we did the same in 1998! We beat Laune Rangers in 1997 who had Mike Frank Russsell, Pa Sheehan on their team and we beat South Kerry in 1998.  We had some exceptional players, driven by Eamon Fitzmaurice, Paul Galvin etc.  Tadgh Kennelly actually played in 1998 before he went to Australia.  A lot of that team then would have joined the Feale Rangers senior team then in 1999 that lost the county final to East Kerry by a point.  Between 1999 then and 2007 it was very hard to get Feale Rangers going.  In 2007 then the biggest change was that Jerome Stack took over the training of the team and Eamon Fitzmaurice had just retired from the Kerry set up so he drove us on.  It started slowly, we lost the first game, I was injured for the first few rounds, but then we got momentum through the back door and beat Kilcummin in the semi final.  There was a six week break then to the final as Eamon Fitz and Noel Kennelly got married so that gave me the chance to train hard and I was picked to start the final.  It was a dour game, we beat South Kerry 1-4 to 0-6.  It was notable because no South Kerry forward scored from play that day! It was commitment that won us that final.  We got to the semi final again in 2009 but were beaten by Dr Crokes in the semi final even though I thought we had a better team at that time.  We probably should have won another but I am grateful to have the one!

PS: There has been articles recently in the local papers about amalgamating the two divisional sides in North Kerry.  What would your own views be on it? 

JM: Yeah, I think they should give it a try.  Football at the moment in North Kerry is at a low ebb.  I know there is a lot of young talent coming through but it should be tried for a few years and see what happens.  You need the clubs rowing in behind the players and all talk together and see how they can improve things for the better of football in North Kerry.  When I played there was an expectation to train with Feale Rangers and also train with the club, you can't train every night so there needs to be common sense used between the managers of all clubs involved

PS You got the opportunity then to play with the Kerry Juniors

JM: I played with the Kerry juniors in 2004 on the back of the 2003 North Kerry Championship win.  Three of us from Moyvane were brought in, myself, Jackie Mulvihill and Eddie Bowler.  We all got game time but it didn't work out very well as we lost to Cork in Killarney

PS After all these years now is your chance to set the record straight, did you drop that ball against Cork??  The myth says that you did?? 

JM: Pause......Laughter..... I didn't drop it, I have such a big chest, it bounced off it!!  Unfortunately for me it landed straight in to the hands of a Cork forward and in to the back of the net!  As I said many times after, it would have been a lot worse if it had happened in a North Kerry Championship final.  That was my only year involved but it was an eye opener as to the commitment that the Kerry players make

PS: When did you retire?

JM: I finished up in 2015.  I had to go for a keyhole operation in my knee earlier that year and I didn't get back until August or so.  The time and commitment was getting harder and harder with the farm and with my father getting older I just had to call it a day.  For the last three or four years I played I didn't go back until after St Patrick's day due to the workload on the farm and in case I got injured.  The miles were on the clock too

PS: Any regrets after finishing up?

JM: (With Certainty) - No, none at all, I gave 100% for the time I was playing

PS: Mixing things up a bit, lets play the Start, Bench and Sell game.  You take three very similar players and decide who you would start, who you would bench and who you would sell.  A tough one but your three players are Colm Cooper, Maurice Fitzgerald and David Clifford

JM: Seriously!! Do I have to answer this question?  How are you supposed to sell any of those boys?  (Pause)....I would start David Clifford, bench Maurice Fitzgerald and sell the Gooch.

Clifford has it all, he has it in the feet, he has it in air, he is strong, he pretty much has everything.  Poor old Gooch though! It's a brutal question to ask anyone but a good one!

PS: Any ambitions of management in the future?

JM: This will be my third year involved with the Moyvane/Tarbert Under 21's.  We haven't had much success to date so my management career has not gone too great so far!  Last year I was involved with the Feale Rangers under 21's who got to the County Final but were beaten by a cracking East Kerry side.  I missed that final so I have a 100% winning record from the one game I had with them! As for going forward I would love to get involved more but the time commitment needed is difficult with the farm, especially to be manager.  I'd annoy myself if I wasn't able to give 100% commitment

PS: What does the future hold for Moyvane as you see it?

JM: It looks very bright in the medium to long term with all the good underage teams coming through.  It will probably take 2-3 years before they start coming through and after that with the experience of a few older heads you would hope that they would have the makings of a very good team.  In 5 years time you would hope they would be going up the divisions in the County League and contesting North Kerry Championship finals again and possibly even a County Junior Championship which should be the main aim in a few years time.  The underage teams in Moyvane have been a joy to watch over the past few years to be fair and it's a credit to all the trainers and managers who are putting in a massive effort

PS: Is there any changes you would like to see made to the game at the moment?

JM: I think the rule about the advanced mark is a joke.  It is only slowing up the game. Also, if they could do something about all the handpassing, maybe limit it to three handpasses or something like that.  There is nothing better than seeing a forward being marked tightly and then having the skill to get away from the marker, the advanced mark is taking the real skill and enjoyment away from it

PS: To finish up, with all the restrictions of Covid 19 at present, when everything does get back to some bit of normality, if you had a chance to go for pints, but could only have four people with you, who would you take and why?

JM: (Laughing) I'd pick David Clifford, Maurice Fitz and Gooch just to discuss your question from earlier! And I'd pick you to explain, so the four of ye!!  Failing that it would be Julia Roberts, Charlize Theron, Penelope Cruz and Cheryl Tweedy!  Purely because they are very intellectual human beings!!

Thanks to John for his time and for the laughs during this interview which are good to have during these difficult times

Fossa to edge through at second attempt

21-10-2016

Of the three county final competitions played last weekend the County Junior Final would have had the least profile of the three but probably ended up being the most exciting with supporters from both sides on the edge of their seats through eighty minutes of heart stopping action.

The passion, skill level and never say die attitude of both sides was a credit to the players themselves and their management teams and we now look forward to a repeat of it on November 6^th.

When previewing any replay, and trying to determine the winner this time around, the most important factors to take in to the account are which team will learn the most from the original encounter, but more importantly, which team will improve the most from it.

Fossa, who were free scoring all year in their successful Division 4 league campaign and also through this competition, were quick out of the blocks again in the drawn game and after their second goal midway through the first half had given them a six point lead, it looked like they would go on to dominate the North Kerry side.  But Beale slowly but surely got to grips with the task at hand, and through their physicality, and no shortage of character, they restricted the Fossa side to a mere seven more scores before the end of normal time.

Fossa will once again look to midfielder Matthew Rennie, who was influential all through in the drawn game, to be the link from defence to attack but who is also well capable of popping up and taking his own score.  Full forward and captain Domhnaill O’Sullivan will also hope to get more involved  the next day and lead his charges from the front but most importantly Fossa will hope that they can get more of a return from the dynamic Paudie Clifford.  Clifford was well marshalled by Jeremy King in the drawn game, an indicator of the damage Beale realised he could do, but if he can escape those shackles a little more in the replay then Fossa will be in a lot stronger position. 

Beale started slowly in the drawn game but once they got to grips with the task, based on their greater championship experience, particularly their recent North Kerry Championship success which was noted by John Evans after the game, they looked like the more likely winners.  Ger O’Gorman was outstanding throughout and his accuracy from placed balls was a major asset.  You would imagine Fossa will have noted the large free count against them and he will not get as many opportunities the next day.  James McMahon, prior to going off injured, showed all his experience and Beale will hope that it was nothing too serious and he will continue to marshal his troops in the replay.  Jeremy King should continue his man marking job on Clifford considering the success of this switch.  And in Kerry minor Cormac Linnane, if they can get more and better ball to him, Beale may just have the man to kick them to victory this time around. 

Fossa expect to have Shane Malone, and possibly Colin Davidson, back from injury for the replay and these extra additions will no doubt strengthen their hand.   For Beale, as mentioned, James McMahon’s fitness will be key to them but the game time got by substitutes Ian Blake and Darragh Buckley, who kicked two great scores, in the drawn game should also strengthen their forward options in a big way.

As with the first game, this replay is a difficult one to call.  Beale’s game plan in the drawn game worked very well, and if they can tighten up and prevent the goal opportunities this time around, they should be very well placed.  However, if Fossa can reduce the free count against them, and in turn the influence of Ger O’Gorman, and get Paudie Clifford on the ball more, I take them to be lifting the Con Brosnan cup at the second attempt.  

Fossa and Beale stalemate after extra time thriller

15-10-2016

Fossa                                                    3-10

Beale                                                    1-16

The general consensus heading in to this Junior Club final at Austin Stack Park was that although Beale would bring the traditional North Kerry spirit and doggedness to the game, Fossa would just have that extra bit of firepower and guile to get them over the line.  If only sport was that predictable!

In what was an absorbing contest throughout both sides must have felt they had won, and lost, this game at differing stages, Beale equalising in the 7^th minute of injury time at end of normal time through wing back Philly Blake and Fossa reeling off three unanswered points in the second half of extra time to force a replay.

Although Beale took an early lead through wing forward Ger O’Gorman, who was unerring all afternoon from placed balls, it was Fossa who struck the first major blow with a goal from corner forward Tadgh O’Shea in the 4^th minute, after a flowing move which went the length of the pitch.

Fossa were slick in their passing in these early stages with Beale a little slower and more ponderous.  O’Gorman converted once again and this was cancelled out by midfielder Matthew Rennie, who was industrious throughout, before Fossa struck for their second goal in the 14^th minute through Paudie Clifford.  He was well marshalled by the experienced Jeremy King all through but got away from his clutches on this occasion.

Kerry minor Cormac Linnane had been Beale’s only real outlet up to this point but he was continually being crowded out.  Slowly but surely however they began to get to grips with the Fossa game plan and started to dictate matters themselves.  After another free by O’Gorman in the 19^th minute they reeled off a further three unanswered points between the 26^th and 28^th minutes from Ian Mannix, Linnane and full forward Barry O’Mahoney to leave Fossa ahead by 2-3 to 0-6 at the break.

      

Beale continued this momentum early in the second half and hassled and harried the Fossa defence, forcing turnovers and capitalising accordingly.  With Clifford and O’Gorman exchanging frees, the latter scored his first from play in 37^th minute to reduce the deficit to 2-4 to 0-8.  Fossa’s wide count had risen to eight at this stage, they would hit thirtheen in total over the eighty minutes played.

O’Gorman again was on target before he rubberstamped his man of the match credentials by taking a pass from James McMahon, bore down on goal and finished emphatically past Colin Myers to give Beale a two point lead by the 42^nd minute, 2-4 to 1-9.

Domhnall O’Sullivan replied before Beale lost the experienced Paul Collins on a black card in the 48^th minute after a body check on Clifford off the ball.  O’Gorman was again on target before Beale lost another of their experienced leaders in James McMahon through injury in the 54^th minute and you wondered if they would have the where with all to close out the game now.

It looked like they may just do until, in the final minute of normal time, Rennie caught a great ball in the Beale square and was hauled down by corner back Johnny O’Sullivan and Fossa had a great chance of stealing it at the death.  Clifford converted expertly and we wondered if Beale would get one last chance to equalise.

Not only did they get that chance, converted again by O’Gorman, but with the excessive added time, Fossa looked to have won it once more through Tadgh O’Shea before Blake intervened at the death to take game to extra time.

It looked like Beale’s greater championship experience would steer them to victory in extra time as they took a two point lead at the break through scores from O’Gorman again, who else, and substitute Darragh Buckley.

But credit the character of Fossa.  After only scoring six points in the whole of normal time, and after Buckley pushing Beale’s lead out to three, they reeled off the final three scores in extra time through O’Sullivan, O’Shea and the influential Rennie to take the game to a replay. 

The mood in both camps after the game was one of relief to still have another chance at winning but also some regrets that they could not close it out on the day.  Beale manager Patie O’Mahoney was diplomatic after but a little baffled as to where the added time in extra time came from “We won and lost that game on a few occasions out there today but so did they.  It was an up and down game all through, any team could have grasped it in normal time and extra time.  I am a bit baffled as to why three minutes of injury time was added at the end of extra time.  Overall, however, no team probably deserved to lose on the day.  Our big players stood up and we came back well after conceding two bad goals in the first half from our point of view.  I am most pleased that we never gave up and if we hold on to ball better the next day we will be there or thereabouts again”

Fossa manager John Evans was also relieved to be in a position to fight another day but was fulsome in his praise of the bottle of his charges “ the experience of Beale got them back in it, held them together, but we came from behind three times.  We are a young team but we have great bottle, great to see that.  The free count against us was high, we will have to look at that.  I am thrilled though that as an inexperienced team we survived the pressure and fought back.  We have a few guys coming back from injury for the next day, it’s a learning curve for this team but all to play for again in the replay”

Main Man: A toss up between Fossa’s Matthew Rennie and Beale’s Ger O’Gorman, but for his scoring return which kept Beale in the game all through, the accolade goes to O’Gorman

Talking Point: The decision to penalise Paudie Clifford for a throw ball in lead up to a possible crucial goal for Fossa in extra time, but more so the added time by referee Ger Lynch at end of normal time and especially at end of extra time.

Teams & Scorers:

Fossa: Colin Myers, Colm Walsh, Kevin McCarthy, Anthony Wharton, Darragh Rice, Mark Dennehy, Daniel O’Keeffe, Fintan Coffey, Mathew Rennie (0-2), Mikey O’Shea, Lorcan Daly, Paudie Clifford (2-1, 1f, 1pen), Tadgh O’Shea (1- 4, 2f), Domnhaill O’Sullivan (c)( 0-2, 1f), Daniel O’Connell

Substitutes: Michael O’Keeffe for Mikey O’Shea, 37 Shane Malone for Daniel O’Connell 41 Cillian Bellew for Michael O’Keeffe, H/T. E/T  

Beale: Sean Dee, Killian Walsh O’Boyle, Colm Kissane, Johnny O’Sullivan, Shane Joy (c), Paul Collins, Philly Blake (0-1), Jeremy King, Neilus Mulvihill, Daniel Ellis, James McMahon (0-1, 1f), Ger O’Gorman (1-8, 6f, 45) Ian Mannix (0-1), Barry O’Mahoney (0-1), Cormac Linnane (0-1)

Substitutes: Shane Hanrahan for Daniel Ellis, H/T Ian Blake for Barry O’Mahoney, 38 Darragh Buckley for Colm Kissane, 45 Daniel Ellis for Paul Collins (Black)48 Cillian Courtney for James McMahon, 54 Mathew Moran for Johnny O’Sullivan (Black)60 Jamie Culloty for Jeremy King, 76      

Referee: Ger Lynch, Ballymacelligott

Fossa show extra firepower to edge out Scartaglen

02-10-2016

Fossa                                                    2-07

Scartaglen                                           0-07

In this hard fought and keenly contested encounter Fossa continued their impressive year by advancing to the final of the Junior Football Championship by seeing off fellow division four rivals Scartaglen.

In a wind swept Pairc Eamon in Farranfore (which was in great shape considering the recent inclement weather) John Evans charges struck for goals at crucial stages in both halves and this allowed them to keep the Scartaglen challenge at arms length.  Paudie Clifford was their go to man throughout and was pulling all the strings before his dismissal on a second yellow for an off the ball incident mid way through the second half.  Wing back Daniel O’Keeffe was also very prominent and corner forward Tadgh O’Shea finished with an impressive personal tally of 1-3.

For the vanquished Scartaglen side they defended resolutely and their counter attacking game kept the Fossa defence on their toes all through.  Mike Coakley and Padraig Reidy impressed along with midfielders Daniel Murphy and Mike Horan but unfortunately they struggled to get any major return from their inside forward line.

Both sides exchanged scores in the early moments through Mike Horan and Domnhaill O’Sullivan before Scartaglen’s Brian Hanrahan had a goal bound effort in the 8^th minute which was well blocked by the Fossa defence. 

Tadgh O’Shea edged Fossa ahead but Daniel Murphy levelled up once more from a free to leave the sides all square by the 15^th minute.

Fossa increased their wide tally to four shortly after before in the 21^st minute they struck for a very well worked goal.  The ball was moved through the hands of a number of players before Clifford palmed the ball down to the in rushing midfielder Fintan Coffey who finished emphatically to the net.  O’Sullivan tagged on a free almost immediately and now Fossa looked to have got a run on their opponents with a four point lead by the 23^rd minute.

Clifford was then booked for hauling back his marker and this would come back to haunt him later in the game.  Horan converted a free to keep Scartaglen in touch before O’Sullivan showed good alertness to follow up on a shot by Clifford which was blocked to give Fossa a 1-4 to 0-3 point lead at the break.

With the wind firmly at Scartaglen’s back at the start of the second half they hit the ground running and had the deficit cut to a single score by the 36^th minute with points from Brian Hanrahan, Horan once more and a rousing score from Coakley after being fed by the hard working Pa Rahilly.

Fossa seemed a little rattled by this early onslaught but midfielder Matthew Rennie settled the nerves with a curling effort from play before corner forward O’Shea tapped over a further free in the 43^rd minute to extend the lead to three points once again.

The decisive score of the game then arrived in the 45^th minute, when after great approach work by Clifford , he laid off to O’Shea on his shoulder and he gave keeper David Kerins no chance.  Scartaglen really had a mountain to climb now and it was hard to see them overcome it when working so hard for their scores and a forward line that was just not firing.

They never gave up however, and after Clifford was dismissed in the 49^th minute after referee Peter Lyons consulted his umpires, centre forward Pa Rahilly converted to leave Fossa five ahead entering the final five minutes.

O’Shea completed his impressive tally with a fisted effort, and try as they might, Scartaglen could lust not pierce the dogged Fossa defence.  Fossa played keep ball in the final moments to advance to what should be a cracking final meeting with Beale.

Man of the Match: Tadgh O’Shea, Fossa

Teams & Scorers:

Fossa: Colin Myers, Colm Walsh, Kevin McCarthy, Anthony Wharton, Darragh Rice, Mark Dennehy, Daniel O’Keeffe, Fintan Coffey (1-0), Mathew Rennie (0-1), Mikey O’Shea, Lorcan Daly, Paudie Clifford, Tadgh O’Shea (1- 3, 1f), Kenneth Clifford, Domnhaill O’Sullivan (c)( 0-3, 1f)

Substitutes: Michael O’Keeffe for Kenneth Clifford, 32 Damien Dennehy for Anthony Wharton, (Black) 52 Daniel O’Connell for Daniel O’Keeffe, (Black) 57 Brian Myers for Mikey O’Shea, 58

Scartaglen: David Kerins, Alan Horan, Brendan Rahilly (c), Ger O’Connor, Aaron Gallagher, Mike Coakley (0-1), Padraig Reidy, Daniel Murphy (0-1, 1f), Mike Horan (0-3, 1f), Brian Hanrahan (0-1), Pa Rahilly (0-1), Tom Forde, Kieran Herlihy, Niall Casey, Hugh O’Connor

Substitutes: Sean P. O’Connor for Alan Horan, (Black) 57 Thomas Fortune for Hugh O’Connor, 59 William O’Connor for Kieran Herlihy, 59 Jack Walsh for Aaron Gallagher 61 

    

Referee: Peter Lyons, Cromane

McCarthy goals seal it for Emmets

14-08-2016

Listowel Emmets                               2-11

Waterville                                          0-07

The final scoreline gives a fair reflection of Listowel’s dominance of this game throughout but it took two quality goals from midfielder Tom McCarthy at the end of both halves to close the game out.

Shorn of key attacker Conor Cox and Jack McQuire in defence, the home side made little of their absence and hit the ground running from the off.  They were full of energy throughout and the visitors were just not able to live with them on the day despite the best efforts of Fionan Clifford, Niall Fitzgerald and sub Keith Moran.

Midfielder McCarty’s two goals stood out and he was involved in all that was good about the Listowel play on the day.  Corner forward Sam Tarrant also impressed, in the first half in particular, and was a willing outlet for the impressive approach play of his teammates.

Listowel started the more determined and were winning the majority of the breaks around the middle.  They raced in to a three points lead by the 7^th minute with scores from Cathal Keane, Tarrant and Cormac Mulvihill, who was unlucky to see his effort flash over off the crossbar.

Waterville keeper Seamus O’Shea produced a great save to deny David Sheehy before both sides exchanged wides and Waterville had still not opened their account by the 20^th minute.

Sheehy extended Listowel’s lead and Waterville were left cursing their luck as they hit the upright on two occasions in quick succession and also dropped efforts in to the keepers hands.

Centre back Darragh Leahy galloped forward to get his name on the score sheet before Waterville finally opened their account in the 29^th minute through Niall Fitzgerald.  They looked to have limited any further damage before the half time break until McCarthy intercepted in midfield and was on hand to take the final pass and bury to the net to give the home side a commanding 1-07 to 0-1 lead at the whistle.

Sub Keith Moran and Bryan Murphy exchanged points at start of second half before Listowel keeper Keith Hughes denied Greg Gibson a great goal chance which would have given Waterville a lifeline.

Maurice Whelan and Moran once more pointed to leave Listowel still leading by 1-09 to 0-3 by the 41^st Minute.  Waterville were slowly starting to create more openings in the Listowel defence, and after midfielder Oran Clifford had converted a free,  corner forward Stephen O’Dwyer had a great goal chance in the 49^th minute but he blazed over.

Noel Kennelly had now entered the fray for Listowel and he showed his experience and composure by tapping over in the 51^st minute with his team now leading by 1-11 to 0-6.  The game’s only real controversy then arose shortly after when Waterville appealed for a penalty for a possible foot block on a goal attempt by full back Daniel O’Dwyer but to no avail.

Midfielder Clifford did kick a further point from play before his counterpart McCarthy had the last say with another top quality finish to the net to leave Listowel comfortable ten point winners in the end. 

Man of the Match: Tom McCarthy, Listowel

Teams & Scorers:

Listowel Emmets: Keith Hughes, Jake Moriarty, Brendan Guiney, Darragh Broderick, Tom Melvin, Darragh Leahy (0-1), Cathal Keane (0-1), Tom McCarthy (2-0), Darren Halpin, Denis Walsh, Bryan Murphy (0-1), Maurice Whelan (0-1), David Sheehy (0- 2), Cormac Mulvihill (0-2, 1f), Sam Tarrant ( 0-2, 1f)

Substitutes: Noel Kennelly (0-1) for Darren Halpin, 44 John Heaphy for Cathal Keane, 48 Sean Gilbert for Cormac Mulvihill, 57 Darren Halpin for Tom McCarthy, 60

Waterville: Seamus O’Shea, Adam O’Dwyer, Daniel O’Dwyer, Michael Cronin, Alan O’Dwyer, Fionan Clifford, Greg Gibson, Cormac O’Sullivan, Oran Clifford (0-3, 1f), Sean Cathal O’Sullivan, Niall Fitzgerald (0-1), Cillian Clifford, Stephen O’Dwyer (0-1), Paddy Curran, Sam O’Dwyer

Substitutes: Keith Moran (0-2) for Sean Cathal O’Sullivan, H/T JV O’Dwyer for Paddy Curran, 43 Greg O’Mahoney for Cillian Clifford, 44  

  

Referee: Donal Casey, Scartaglen

Na Gaeil’s second half surge blows Firies away

16-07-2016

Firies                                                   1-05

Na Gaeil                                              2-13

With a dominant second half performance Na Gaeil preserved their one hundred percent record in the division while also cementing their promotion push for next year.

Played in a constant drizzle and with slippery underfoot conditions, the visitors restricted the home side to a solitary score in the second half with Dan O’Connor’s goal in the last ten minutes killing off any hope of a Firies comeback.

Firies had to line out without Jack Sherwood due to injury and his influence was sorely missed in the second half when the tide began to turn against his team.  Na Gaeil were workmanlike throughout with Seamie O’Neill, Ian McCarthy and sub Ger O’Connor particularly to the fore.

The game started slowly with unforced errors on both sides before Na Gaeil hit a purple patch, kicking five unanswered scores by the 11^th minute and looking in full control.  The home team needed to respond and after Na Gaeil keeper Timmy Culloty pulled off a point plank save they were not to be denied in the 15^th minute when Edward Kerrisk fisted across goal and James O’Donoghue side footed to the net.

Firies were beginning to get a foothold in the middle of the park now and the incisiveness of the Na Gaeil play in the early stages was now starting to wane.  Midfielder Padraig de Bruin, with driving runs, kicked two curling efforts to reduce the deficit to the minimum by the 24^th minute.

Kerrisk levelled and then put Firies ahead to leave the Na Gaeil supporters scratching their heads as to how their team had now lost all their momentum.  It looked like the sides would go in level at the break but Na Gaeil countered at speed and Diarmaid Herlihy was on hand to hammer the ball to the net to give visitors a major shot in the arm.

And the Tralee men dominated from start to finish in the second half with Firies restricted to speculative shots at goal.  Corner forward O’Neill pushed the lead out to six by the 43^rd minute before Conal Murphy responded for Firies which turned out to be the home sides last score of the game.

Eoin Walsh and sub Ger O’Connor added further scores from play before midfielder Dan O’Connor’s goal finished off a very clinical second half performance by the visitors.

Firies must now pick themselves up for what is probably a make or break game in their push for promotion away to Ballymacelligott next weekend while hoping that Na Gaeil do them a favour at home to Skellig Rangers. 

Teams & Scorers:

Firies: B. O’Rourke, D. Shea, J. O’Mahoney, A. Courtney, D. Kerrisk, J. Donoghue (1-0), P. Browne(c), D. O’Connor, P. De Bruin (0-2), E. Kerrisk (0-2, 1f), I. Crowley, W. Courtney, C. Murphy (0-1), C. O’Shea, S. Burke

Substitutes: N. McCarthy, S. Flynn, E. O’Rourke

Na Gaeil: T. Culloty, P. Daly, D. Brazil, D. Sheehy, E. Sheehy, D. Culloty (0-1)(c), C. Lyons, D. O’Connor (1-0) E. O’Neill, E. Walsh (0-1), I. McCarthy(0-2, 2f), D. Seymour(0-2), D. Herlihy (1-1), J. Lohan, S. O’Neill (0-4)

Substitutes: G. O’Connor (0-2), O. Doody

Referee: Martin Boyle, Milltown/Castlemaine

Mid Kerry come back from the dead to stun Dingle

22-05-2016

Mid Kerry                                            3-14

Dingle                                                   2-15

With 16 minutes remaining in this game Dingle held a thirteen point lead and it looked certain that they would cruise in to the next round of the competition.  Mid Kerry had lost their captain and talisman Darren O’Sullivan through injury early in the second half and their challenge seemed to have disappeared with him.

However, with a never say die attitude and substitutions which changed the momentum of the game, Mid Kerry chipped away at the Dingle lead and what happened from there to the end of normal time was one of the greatest comebacks seen in this competition for many a day.

When Peter Crowley saw his effort skim the bar and go over in the final minute of normal time, the lead had been cut to six but it looked like it was too little too late for Mid Kerry.  But they kept driving forward and when Gavin O’Grady goaled the miracle was on and in the last play substitutes Padraig Doona and Tommy Cahill combined for the latter to smash the ball to the net and take a stunned Dingle to extra time.

All the momentum was now with Mid Kerry, and even though the first period of extra time was even, they pushed on in the second half to cap off a scarcely believable victory and leave Dingle to curse the magnitude of their collapse.

Dingle dominated the early exchanges with Mark O’Connor operating as a third midfielder and raced in to a 1-5 to no score lead with points from Paul Geaney and Conor Geaney and a superb goal from Mikey Geaney after a crisp passing movement.

Tom O’Sullivan was doing a good marking job on Darren O’Sullivan who seemed to be nursing his right hamstring from early in the game.  Conor Geaney was coming to the fore for Dingle and after Donnchadh Walsh and Liam Carey had opened Mid Kerry’s account, Geaney tapped in for Dingle’s second goal in first half injury time after great work in the build up by Paul Geaney.  Dingle now led by 2-3 to 0-6 and looked in total control.

Mid Kerry moved Donnchadh Walsh to midfield at start of the second half to see if they could stem the Dingle flow there but it looked to have no impact as Dingle drove forward and extended their lead to 2-10 to 0-3 by the 44^th minute with further scores from Matthew Flaherty, Paul Devane and a Conor Geaney brace.

Darren O’Sullivan had been withdrawn by now but the other Mid Kerry substitutes were slowly beginning to make an impact and in particular Mike Breen who was starting to win a lot of breaking ball around the middle and taking on the Dingle defence.  A Donnchadh Walsh goal in the 47^th minute looked immaterial as Paul Geaney, Breandan Kelleher and a Mikey Geaney free had pushed the Dingle lead out to 2-13 to 1-7 by the 56^th minute.

However, Peter Crowley, showing the drive needed, kept the pressure on and with Gavin O’Grady converting it set us up for the grandstand finish which took the game to a scarcely believable extra time.   

Kelleher and substitute Caolim Teahan exchanged scores in the first period of extra time before Mid Kerry’s momentum drove them home in the second period with Crowley again to the fore and a booming effort from Teehan finally settling matters to give Mid Kerry a famous two point victory.  

Main Man: Mike Breen, Mid Kerry

Up to the mid point of the second half this accolade would only be going to a Dingle player, with Conor Geaney in particular impressing.  However, Mid Kerry’s substitutes changed the momentum of this game and none more so than Breen.  He broke the Dingle stranglehold in midfield and his driving runs created the openings in the Dingle defence that led to the dramatic finish

Teams & Scorers:

Mid Kerry: Michael Moriarty (Beaufort), Pa Kilkenny (Glenbeigh/Glencar), Nathan Breen (Beaufort), Ger Hartnett (Beaufort), John Tyther (Laune Rangers) (0-1), Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)(0-2), Aaron Cahillane (Keel), Colin McGillycuddy (Glenbeigh/Glencar), Ronan Murphy (Beaufort) (0-1), Padraig Doona (Beaufort)(0-01), Liam Carey (Beaufort)(0-1), Tommy Cahill (Glenbeigh/Glencar)(1-0), Gavan O’Grady(Glenbeigh/Glencar)(1-4, 2f), Donnchadh Walsh (1-1), Darren O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh/Glencar)(c)

Substitutes: Mike Breen (Beaufort) for C. McGillycuddy, 29 Daniel McBeth (Laune Rangers) for A. Cahillane, 29 Caolim Teehan (Glenbeigh/Glencar) (0-2) for D. O’Sullivan, 37 Jack Brosnan (Glenbeigh/Glencar) for J. Tyther, 50 Bernard Murphy (Glenbeigh/Glencar) (0-1) for L. Carey, 58 Fergal Griffin (Glenbeigh/Glencar) for D. McBeth 62 Kieran Courtney (Glenbeigh/Glencar) for P. Doona, 72 C. McGillycuddy for T. Cahill, 72

Dingle: Gavin H. Curran, Tom Leo O’Sullivan, Patrick O’Connor, Conor O’Sullivan, Matthew Flaherty (Joint Capt) (0-1), Tom O’Sullivan, Breandan Kelleher (0-2), Barry O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Sullivan, Paul Devane (0-1), Mikey Geaney (Joint Capt) (1-1, 1f), Conor Geaney (1-4, 1f), Aiden O’Connor (0-1), Paul Geaney (0-4, 1f) , Mark O’Connor (0-1)

Substitutes: Patrick Devane for T. O’Sullivan, 50 Michael Flannery for C. Geaney, 52 Gavin Curran for M. Flaherty 55 Brian Devane for P. Devane, 58 Michael Slattery for D. O’Sullivan, 60

Referee: Tom Moriarty, Legion

Talking Point: Plain and simply, Mid Kerry’s miraculous comeback.  Whether it was good fortune or a Dingle collapse, it had all those lucky to witness it chatting about it on way home after the game