[ad_1]
This Kerry SFC semi-final marathon was a classic. It staggered this way before finally going down the loser path: Mid Kerry reversed a four-point deficit in overtime to book a surprise spot in the final against champions East Kerry in two weeks.
Division teams aren’t meant to have team spirit on their locker, but Mid Kerry wasn’t ready to retire, even when Gavin White targeted Crokes in the second overtime period. Crokes might consider his inability to close out the semifinal, but most of the credit must go to Mid Kerry, who last won the senior championship in 2008.
Gavan O’Grady, who returned to his best after a serious hamstring injury, scored a goal out of nowhere in 77 minutes before Jack O’Connor of Beaufort, a minor Kerry All-Ireland winner In 2018, he hit the winner in the 79th minute of play. . No one who has paid € 10 to view this cracker will seek a refund. More is a pity that there is no one in Austin Stack Park to witness this football exhibition.
Crokes won’t use his lost attackers as an excuse, not when they had outstanding displays from players like Micheal Burns and Kieran O’Leary, who claimed a 62-minute tie to force overtime at 2-16 apiece.
Mid Kerry must have thought her moment had passed. Two goals in the same number of minutes early in the second half had propelled them to a 2-11 to 1-8 lead (Beaufort’s pair, Ronan Murphy and Ciaran Kennedy on the goals), but a brilliant ten minutes from Crokes. They made them return to parity for the 46th minute, their goal coming from substitute Chris Doncel.
The two sides traded score for score in the fourth quarter with both attacks on fire. Neither of them could justifiably complain about the extra 20 minutes.
It looked like Crokes had delivered the decisive blow in the second period of overtime with a goal straight out of Crokes’s playbook – a super pass from man of the match Micheál Burns to Kieran O’Leary and ended with a perfectly timed run from Gavin. White. That edged Killarney’s men 3-19 to 2-18 up front.
However, a Carey free-kick kept Mid Kerry in touch before O’Grady’s brilliant finish as he fell. And there was still time for an O’Connor winner.
G O’Grady (1-8, 3 free), L Carey (0-4, 1 free), R Murphy (1-1), C Kennedy (1-0), D Mangan, P Kilkenny, D Roche, F Clifford, C Moriarty, C Teahan, J O’Connor (0-1 each).
M Burns (1-5), K O’Leary (0-5, 1 free), C Doncel (1-1), G White (1-1), B Looney, D Shaw (0-2 each), F Fitzgerald, J Buckley, M O’Shea (0-1 each).
S Cahillane (keel); J Brosnan (Glenbeigh-Glencar), P Wrenn (Milltown-Castlemaine), David Mangan (Laune Rangers); P. Crowley (Laune Rangers), M. Breen (Beaufort), P. Kilkenny (Glenbeigh-Glencar); C McGillycuddy (Glenbeigh-Glencar), R Murphy (Beaufort); D Roche (Milltown-Castlemaine), F Clifford (Laune Rangers), C Kennedy (Beaufort); G O’Grady (Glenbeigh-Glencar), L Carey (Beaufort), D. O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh-Glencar).
J O’Connor (Beaufort) by C Kennedy (50); C Moriarty (Milltoewn-Castlemaine) by Clifford (53); S O’Brien (Beaufort) by Roche (56); C Teahon (Glenbeigh Glencar) by D. O’Sullivan (64); K O’Sullivan (Cromane) by Wrenn (ET 3); G Horan (Milltown-Castlemaine) for Brosnan (half time ET); G Sayers (keel) for D Mangan (ET 13)
S Murphy; D Naughton, M Moloney, F Fitzgerald; D O’Leary, G. White, M. Potts; J Buckley, M. O’Shea; C Fitzgerald, M Burns, B Looney; K O’Leary, G O’Shea, D Shaw.
C Doncel for G O’Shea (half time); J Payne by C Fitzgerald (41); C O’Regan for O’Leary (42); An O’Sullivan for Buckley (43); B Falvey by Potts (56); M Potts for Shaw (half time ET).
P Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys).
[ad_2]