By Jack Hennessy
06/05/2013
COUNTY DIV. 6 MINOR FINAL. Asdee/Bally 2-8 Waterville/Dromid 1-12. To lose any County Final is a heartbreak but to go down by a single point in injury time and knowing that victory could very well have gone our way is simply hard to take. One can also say some of the Referees decisions didn’t go in our favour; but the truth of the matter is that the spoils of victory should be on its way North instead South but a mixture of some sloppy play together with indiscpline that saw us loose one of our star players coming at a time when the game was in our court proved costly; however the players in fairness could not be faulted; they they gave their all and were most unlucky not to have at least send the game into extra time.The game itself played in Keel on Monday evening last, May 6th was a cracking contest with very little between two evenly matched sides that saw the game ebb and flow throughout; with the teams on level terms on no fewer that 7 occasions. Certainly the performance of Kerry Minor Fionan Clifford the South Kerry sides midfielder had a big bearing on his sides victory along with kicking the lead point in injury time he was to kick a further 6pts of his sides tally. The opening half was fast and furious with both teams well up for it. By the 6th mt Eoin Tydings who kicked 5pts in all from frees had the sides all square at 2pts all but a mt later it was Tadhg McEllistrim who got an opening and he split the uprights from close range to give his side the lead. However the South Kerry side hit a purple patch adding 2 points but when Graham O Sullivan got on the end of a defence splitting movement after 21mts to shoot to the net leaving it 1-5 to 0-3. Still the boys in blue hung in there and were rewarded for their tenacity and after a mix up in the opposing goalmouth Darren Murphy was on hand to smash the ball to the net. In fairness on two other occasions during this half goals should have been registered for Asdee/Bally but the ball would simply not cross the line. Darragh Keane got the final point of the half from long range to leave the scoreline reading. Watervill/Dromid 1-5 Asdee/Bally 1-4. The second half started brightly and Kieran O Connor saw his bullet like drive saved by an excellent keeper who later in this half made a series of top class stops. It was nip and tuck from here in; 1-6 each after 9mts but a mt later Darren Murphy this time was the provider when Tadhg McEllistrin saw his trusty left leg send the ball to the net and a 3pt lead. Dictating play around the middle third of the field Asdee/Bally were on form but were becoming sloppy in their play; giving away some handy frees that kept the South Kerry side in the picture. Still level by the 25th mt it was now anybodys game. Both sides had opportunities but good defences saw forwards having to work hard in their efforts for scores. 4mts left for play and Referee John Griffin of Glenbeigh/Glencar saw fit to reduce the North Kerry sides numbers with a sending off. Still Asdee/Bally came forward and it took some kindly interceptions by an overworked defence to keep them at bay. Then as the clock ticked into injury time a quick break out of defence that say Fionan Clifford win possession and he split the uprights for the winner deep into injury time. Overall well done to both Players and Management for a mighty effort. Team and scorers; Ryan Henry, Niall Dowd, Padraig O Neill, Scott Finlan, Sean Keane, Darragh Keane, 1pt, Kieran Kelly, 1pt, John Neville, Sam Dowd, Darren Murphy, 1gl, Tadhg McEllistrim, 1-1, Kieran O Connor, Owen Tydings, 5pts.(5f) Subs; Jack Mulvihill for Sam Dowd, Shane Mulvihill, Padraig Carrig.