February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Connie Kelly
Kerry awakened from its slumber but still came up short with Donegal. For those who stayed to see the last game at Dilboy Stadium in on Sunday, they were well rewarded. But it would have been hard to convince them at halftime when the scoreline read Donegal 2-4, Kerry 0-3, with Kerry being outplayed and outclassed all over the field.
The O’Brien brothers scored all three points for Kerry and Ricky Rush and Michael McGinty each scored 1-1 for Donegal. John Doherty added a further two points for Donegal for a 7-point lead at the interval.
As expected, Kerry made some changes, bringing in Neil Kelly at corner forward, a move that brought the side right back into the game.
Pat Fenton was fouled and Mark O’Brien sent one over for Kerry. Rick Burke came off injured after just eight minutes for Kerry.
Mark O’Brien had another point for Kerry to make it a 5-point lead for Donegal. Two minutes later Michael Ward found the back of the Kerry net and it looked all over for Kerry.
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But some excellent speed by Neil Kelly sent a bullet for the net only to come off the crossbar. Getting his own rebound, he made no mistake and stuck it in the back of the net. That seemed to get Kerry going again.
Kelly sent a beautiful pass to Mark O’Brien who was fouled just inside the box. O’Brien made no mistake with the penalty and now it was a game again. O’Brien added two more points from frees to tie up the game but Donegal came back with three unanswered points.
Once again it looked like Donegal had this game but one last effort by Kerry sent a ball up the wing to Pat Fenton. He beat his man and sent a bullet to the back of the Donegal net. Vintage football at its best. Extra time was needed.
In extra time, Donegal had that little extra over an injury ridden Kerry, scoring four points to Kerry’s one. It was a hard but very sporting game of football from two fine teams.
Hurling
The first hurling game of the season was a close one all the way with Tipperary shading Galway by just one point.
In a game with a lot of close marking, scores were hard to come by and at half time Galway led 0-4 to 0-3.
Paul Dillon for Galway looked very good, having played a football game earlier in the day with the Killes. He will be one to watch.
For Tipperary, Clinton Hennessy in goals had a good game, also Chris Dunn, Kenny Laurence and John Fealy played well. John Murray and the Morrissey brothers, Joe and Brendan, played well for Galway.
Final score Tipperary 0-10, Galway 0-9.
McAnespies win
The McAnespie machine kept on rolling with an easy win over a very respectable Wolfe Tones by a score of 1-14 to 0-4.
Galway lose
It was good to see Galway back after a year’s suspension. They got few breaks against Connemara Gaels, losing by a score of 2-12 to 0-1 Adrian Conway having the honor of scoring Galway’s only point.
Unlucky Cork
Last year’s winners of the Mawn Cup, The Killes, sent Cork packing on Sunday but Cork were very unlucky not to have pulled this one out.
A penalty in overtime by Mickey Barber gave the Killes a two point victory, with Cork playing without ace Mick Lynch and goalie Tadgh Lucy getting injured in the second half. Their forwards were under pressure all through the first half.
Mickey Barber for the Killes had a very good game scoring 2-2, two penalties and two points from frees. Add to that the frees by Jerry McMahon and Paul Dillon and you have a game where only one point from play by Paul Dillon for the Killes.
In the second half for Cork, Eugene Connally had a goal after four minutes of play and added a point 13 minutes later. Lar Bannon added a point and Brendan Harrington closed out Cork’s scoring with a point.
Final score Killes 2-5, Cork 1-6.
Ladies football
In ladies football, the Shamrocks were too strong for Inisfail, scoring an impressive 5-16 to nil.
April 25 schedule
Noon, Orla Benson Trophy, Tir na nOg vs. Roscommon; 1 p.m., Camogie, Emerald Isle vs. Eire Og; 2:15 p.m., Mawn Cup, Connemara Gaels vs. St. Columbkilles; 3:30 p.m., Fox Cup Hurling, Fr. Toms vs. Cork; 4:45 p.m., Mawn Cup, Aiden McAnespies vs. Donegal.