Paul Madden’s charges suffered the narrowest of defeats in an enthralling contest at Austin Stack Park, Tralee as Kerry club champions Kerrin’s O’Rahilly’s edged out Eire Óg of Ennis in the Senior Munster Club Football Semi-Final.
The Kerry men got of to an electric start on home turf raiding for 1-01 inside the opening minute , with Jack Savage pointing inside the opening twelve seconds before full-forward Tommy Walsh got on the end of a long delivery for Kerin’s O’Rahillys to fist the ball to the back of Shane Daniel’s net bringing the Townie custodian’s clean sheet record to an end after seven matches.
However Eire Óg responded strongly to the concession of an early goal with Captain Gavin Cooney kicking the next two points in a row , quickly followed by a Mark McInerney effort to put the minimum between the sides.
The most dramatic moment of the first half came on the twenty minute mark as one of the standout attractions of the tie, two time all star with Kerry David Moran received his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
Kerrin’s O’Rahilly’s managed their numerical disadvantage well however outscoring Eire Óg by 0-03 to 0-01 in the aftermath of Moran’s dismissal, as the Townies were left to rue a total of six first half wides. At half time Kerrin’s O’Rahilly’s led by 1-04 to 0-04.
The Kerry club champions replicated their early form on the restart as Gavin O’Brien and Jack Savage pointed in quick succession to stretch their lead out to five points. The Townies would require something special to remain in contention at this juncture and Éinne O’Connor duly obliged as the half-back linked up with Oran Cahill to provide a stunning finish to the back of the Kerrin’s O’Rahilly net.
Spurred on by their green flag, the Townies rallied for what was almost an epic comeback as a further brace of scores from Gavin Cooney in addition to contributions from Philip Talty and a late effort from Cirán Russell left just the minimum between the sides.
In the frantic final moments Mark McInerney collected a second yellow card as the sides finished with fourteen men a piece and unfortunately for Eire Óg the elusive leveller would not arrive, as it finished in Austin Stack Park, Kerin’s O’Rahilly’s 1-09 to Eire Óg’s 1-08