GARVEY’S COUNTY SFC ROUND 1
Kerins O’Rahillys 1-16
St Kierans 0-9
Tommy Walsh gave a efficiency so tremendous in driving Kerins O’Rahillys to a complete victory over St Kierans on Saturday night, that new Kerry boss Jack O’Connor should certainly have been left feeling various pangs of remorse as he watched on from the primary stand in Austin Stack Park.
The large full-forward completed the sport with six factors, three from play and three marks, and seemed frankly unmarkable all through, with Kerry senior panellist Brian Leonard and up-and-comer Luka Brosnan each having spells making an attempt to curb the massive man.
Walsh’s studying of the sport was merely immaculate and greater than that his sheer bodily presence meant he may brush his markers off seemingly at will.
Certainly these three marks he received confirmed simply what a boon they are often to his recreation. Definitely the massive attendance on the John Joe Sheehy loved his fielding, and purred with delight when he completed with aplomb.
St Kierans, as a divisional aspect, had been at all times going to be up towards it on this first spherical conflict, and with Walsh in that type of type the duty grew to become that a lot tougher.
On a tough night for Jimmy Keane’s males you possibly can actually inform they had been missing the cohesion and understanding of a membership aspect. Nonetheless for all that they managed to hold on in there successfully sufficient for a lot of the primary half with James Walsh and Adam Barry taking early scores.
Kerins O’Rahillys had been starting to push clear by the water break – 0-5 to 0-2 following a superb Tommy Walsh rating from play on eighteen minutes – however it was nonetheless nearly there for the district, in the event that they upped their recreation.
To be honest Kierans even had the sport again to a single level recreation following factors from Paul Walsh and Philip O’Connor by the twenty minute mark. That, nevertheless, was nearly as good because it bought for Keane’s males.
Strand Street started to actually discover their groove round now beginning with some extent from play by the impish Conor Hayes 24 minutes in. An extra three scores from Jack Savage (two, one from play) and Walsh had it 5 level recreation coming as much as half-time and, whereas a Paul Walsh free introduced it again to 4, it was onerous even at that stage to see a approach again for the district – 0-9 to 0-5.
And so it proved within the second half. A Tommy Walsh mark early within the half set the tone. Kierans did strike again with a Paul Walsh level from play shortly after, however there was one crew very a lot in management now with David Moran working the present from midfield, dropping again every now and then to gum up the works for any potential Kierans revival.
By the second water break it was out to a seven level recreation, double scores in favour of Strand Street – 0-14 to 0-7 – and shortly after it was out to 9 following factors by Savage (a free) and Hayes (help sub Shane McElligott).
Strive as they could – they usually did strive – there was by no means actually any approach again into this from Kierans. Luka Brosnan did pressure a merely good save from Shane Foley with simply three minutes of peculiar time remaining, however even then it wouldn’t be sufficient.
Because it was, a purpose did arrive. Albeit for Strand Street with Moran selecting out Savage, who discovered himself in a two on-one scenario together with Barry John Keane, earlier than delivering the coup de grace.
Strand Street march on. St Kierans, in the meantime, will really feel they by no means bought an opportunity to get going in any respect on this 12 months’s championship what with the quick preparation time and the lack of so many vital gamers.
ST KIERANS: Seán Óg Ó Ciardubháin, Shane Fitzmaurice, Brian Leonard, Michael Reidy, Michael Walsh, Maurice Hickey, Luka Brosnan, Adam Donoghue, James Walsh (0-2), Philip O’Connor (0-1), Aidan Breen, Daniel O’Shea, Paul Walsh (0-4, 2f), Vinny Horan, Adam Barry (0-2, 1f) Subs: Michael Hannafin for M Reidy, half-time, Thomas Hickey for V Horan, half-time, Seamus Brosnan for D O’Shea, 38, Cian O’Connor for A Breen, 52
KERINS O’RAHILLYS: Shane Foley, Donagh Buckley, Ross O’Callaghan, Cormac Coffey, Darragh McElligott, Shane Brosnan, Cian Sayers, David Moran, Seán Walsh, Tom Hoare, Jack Savage (1,5, 3f), Gearóid Savage, Barry John Keane (0-1), Tommy Walsh (0-6, 3 marks), Conor Hayes (0-4) Subs: Diarmuid O’Sullivan for T Hoare, 40, Shane McElligott for G Savage, 52, Conor O’Sullivan for J Savage, 60, Daniel Bowler for S Walsh, 61
REFEREE: Billy O’Shea (Keel)