North Kerry SFC: Ballydonoghue need injury-time winner to seal final berth from battling Beale

McMUNN’S NORTH KERRY SFC

Beale 0-12

Ballydonoghue 1-11

Ballyduff was once again the venue for this much talked-about North Kerry semi-final replay, where huge attendance was once again present for the clash of these two outstanding sides, who gave us so much enjoyment in the drawn game that could have gone either way.

So no excuses: a pitch fit for any occasion, a place in the final for the winners in a game that had to finish on the day and fair dues to both teams they didn’t disappoint, leaving it all on the field and providing those rival supporters with a belter of a game.

Sometimes replays can often be one sided and dull, but if anything this replay probably rose to new heights. It was intense stuff throughout, end-to-end football and some outstanding football played by both teams and once again only a kick of the ball separated them when referee Mike Hennessy blew for full-time as Jack Kennelly added his seventh point in the 10th minute of injury time.

Beale, however, will rue the late injury time wides that sailed just wide of the post that could very well have forced the game into extra time. Again credit all players for their super effort but the two players that stood head and shoulders over their teammates were Robert Stack of Beale and the free scoring exploits of Jack Kennelly of Ballydonoghue. They were simply magic.

It was a perfect day for football as both teams had very little changes to the match programme. Jack Foley and Robert Stack exchanged points by the second minute and it was clearly evident from this early stage that this was going to be the order of the day with plenty hard-hitting, but I must say all within the rules.

Jack Kennelly scorer supreme was causing endless problems for his marker and fired over from close range. Darragh Buckley who continued his form from the drawn game with his unerring free taking split the uprights making it Beale 0-2 Ballydonoghue 0-3.

Jason Foley, who lined out at centre-back, took off from that position and when a goal looked on from a powerful shot Beale’s custodian Joe Downey was equal to the task making a superb save to turn the ball over the bar.

Robert Stack was lording the midfield exchanges despite Brian Ó Senancháin who also had a powerful game, but Stack pointed and a minute later was fouled and again Darragh Buckley duly obliged.

By the 21st minute Beale had taken the lead with Eric Daly and Ian Mannix putting their side two ahead and playing well. Jack Foley narrowed the gap to a single point but a late burst by Robert Stack saw Beale ahead at the break; Beale 0-9 Ballydonoghue 0-6.

On resumption and only thirty seconds in Ballydonoghue with Jack Kennelly this time from 35 metre out on the sideline kicked an inspirational point.

Both sides were off target, but in the fourth minute Beale had a real chance of a goal, but after great work Eric Daly saw his low shot just drift wide of the post.

However, just over a minute later Jack Kennelly won possession and laid off to the inrushing Jason Foley and with still much to do he sent a ground ball into the corner of Cian Lynch’s net.

Beale didn’t go away and between the 12th and 15th minute the sides were all square; 1-8 Beale 0-11. Beale did kick a couple of wides, but it was Jack Kennelly from frees that had his side two points to the good with ten minutes remaining.

Robert Stack narrowed to a point as Philly Blake saw his shot for an equaliser go to the wrong side of the post. This was Beale’s last score, but that didn’t stop them from going forward.

Ballydonoghue introduced former All Ireland Junior and Minor star Michael “Mitch” Foley, who was not fit enough to start, but he certainly steadied the Ballydonoghue ship when needed.

Due to a number of stoppages there were ten minutes of injury-time played and with Ballydonoghue just a point ahead and always the chance of a Beale score. However, not for the first time in this match Jack Kennelly sealed the issue with that late point.

As already stated a cracker of a game from the very start. But there are a few players on both sides that must be singled out for their contribution; Ballydonoghue had Brian Mason Conor Kennelly and Brendáin O’Neill in defence, Brian Ó Seanacháin in midfield, while Jack Kennelly, Tadhg O’Carroll and Mikie Nolan shone bright while for Beale, Joe Downey was solid in goals, Johnny O Sullivan, Darragh Buckley, Barry O’Neill, Robert Stack, Fionnan Toomey were among a very talented side that augurs well for the future.

BALLYDONOGHUE: Cian O’Mahony, Mike Gogarty, ason Foley (1-1), Declan Behan, Brian Mason, Conor Kennelly, Brendan O’Neill, Brian Ó Sheanacháin, Jack Foley (0-2), Kevin O’Donnell, Darragh Sheehy, Tadhg O’Carroll, Mikie Nolan, Jack Kennelly (0-8, 4f) Jack Behan Subs: Diarmuid Behan for D Behan, Jack Sheehy for K O’Donnell, Robbie Foley for M Nolan, Michael Foley for J Behan

BEALE: Joe Downey, Joe Finch, John Griffin, Shane O’Connor, Johnny O’Sullivan, Philly Blake, Fionnan Toomey, Robert Stack (0-5, 2f), Neilus Mulvihill, Barry O’Neill, Conor Toomey, Dáithí Toomey, Darragh Buckley (0-4, 1f), Ian Mannix (0-2), Eric Daly (0-1) Subs: Jack O’Sullivan for D Toomey, Bernard O’Callaghan for I Mannix (inj), Shane Joy for J Griffin

REFEREE: Mike Hennessy (Ballyduff)

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