Oscar Traynor Cup , Kerry District League 4-3 Desmond League

Oscar Traynor Cup
Group 4 , Match 3
Sunday 25-01-2015
Kerry DL 4-3 Desmond League

Report and Pictures By Tommy Naughton

Kerry have advance to the second round of the Oscar Traynor Trophy with a home win over the Desmond League . In a game that had seven goals and four more disallowed it looked over after an hour with Kerry three goals up but in the end they just about hung on for the win .

The Desmond league started the better and within three minutes they broke through the offside trap with three players through with on David Hennessey to beat . Seanie Fitzgerald decided to go it alone with two players free inside him and his well struck effort was well saved by Hennessey with the rebound being cleared by the covering Steven Conway . Ger McCarthy was only inches away from getting on the end of a Sean Brosnan cross as Kerry tried to get a grip on the game . The Desmond league playing against a strong wind seemed to be the more likelier of the two teams to break the dead lock and nearly from a succession of corners but Hennessey again was alert to deny Sean McSweeney .

Paudie Quinn picked out the run on Sean Brosnan who mistimed his shot with only the keeper to beat and was easily saved . Quinn was now beginning to dictate the play and moments later he tested Gearoid Greaney in the Desmond goal with a long range effort which the keeper had to gather at the second attempt . Just after the fifteen minute mark Kerry got the break through and again it was Paudie Quinn pulling the strings . Quinn picked out Sean Brosnan with a long diagonal pass , Brosnan cut inside where his shot was blocked and rolled into the path of Gintarus Paketarus who make no mistake from six yards out .

Kerry were now in control and Greaney had to make a full length save from a Steven Conway free kick . Two minutes later and Kerry doubled their lead when Gintarus Paketarus intercepted a short goal kick and chipped the ball over the keeper into the corner of the net . From here to the end of the half Kerry sat back and let their opponents take control of the possession stakes . Eight minutes to the half and Aidan o Callaghan had to be brave when he through his body in the way of a goal bound shot from Seanie Fitzgerald , the ball broke to Pakie o Connor where David Hennessey had to dive bravely at his feet and touch the ball out for a corner with huge cries for a penalty form the Desmond League .

A minute to the break and the Desmond league put together the move of the half with Packie o Connor finishing the ball home only to see it disallowed with the off side flag going up . So Kerry were two goals up at half time in a game they had to win and all seemed to be going to plan .

The Desmond league again started the better and Hennessey had to be out quick to deny Seanie Fitzgerald minutes after the restart . A minute later and Aidan o Callaghan and Kevin McCarthy both had to be brave to block shots inside the penalty area . Kerry then taught they had put the game to bed when a quick counter attack saw Trevor Nagle finish with a strike to the near post but was disallowed to the confusion of many a player and spectator . Kerry didn’t seem to let this phase them as three minutes later they had their third when Con Barrett broke from inside his own half on a solo run , the tracking defender managed to get a touch of the ball back to his keeper but his pass was straight in to the feet of Barrett who made no mistake and the game looked to be over .

However credit must be given to the Desmond League who showed great character and never stopped going . Tony Quaid pulled a goal back with an unstoppable free kick from the right side which flew into the far top corner . Kerry then had to bring David Hennessey out field as their only sub left was keeper Kevin Moran to replace the injured Bryan Murphy . With thirteen minutes left it was 3-2 after a corner by Tony Quaid was carried into the net aided by the wind which was now behind the Desmond league .

A nervous ten minutes remained as the visitors where now on the front foot and Kerry just couldn’t keep the ball . Kerry added to their lead with six minutes remaining after Gintarus Paketarus volleyed home from a Sean Brosnan corner and that would be that or so everyone taught . Within a minute the Desmond league pulled a goal back again when Ray Lynch fired a low ball across the box which deflected of a Kerry Defender and found the back of the net . The final chance of the game fell to Sean McSweeney who saw his effort save by Kevin Moran .

So Kerry will now have a home second round tie against the group 1 runners up which will be the Champions Dublin Aul who are trying claim the trophy for the fifth year in a row or else the Defence Forces . Kerry know they will have to add to their squad for this game and not give away as much possession if they want to move onto the quarter finals .

Kerry DL ; David Hennessey , Steven Conway , Aidan o Callaghan ,Con Barrett, Kevin McCarthy , Sean Brosnan , Bryan Murphy , Paudie Quinn , Trevor Nagle , Ger McCarthy, Gintarus Paketarus . Subs , Daniel Clinton for McCarthy (45 mins), Genie Griffin for Nagle (63 mins) , Kevin Moran for Murphy ( 70 mins) .

Desmond League ; Gearoid Greaney , Dylan Kelly, Pakie o Connor , Mike o Keefe, Barry Lynch , Tony Quiad, Sean McSweeney, Anthony Molyneaux, Sean Fitzgerald, Ross Egan . Subs , Ray Lynch for Egan (68 mins) , Ray Brouder for O Connor (80 mins) .

Referee ; Stuart Templeman ,
Assistants ; Adrian o Shea & Kevin Cunningham .