Dingle 1-09 Kenmare Shamrocks 0-11
Fourteen-man Dingle secured their first Kerry Senior Club Football Championship title since 2015, taking home the Michael O'Connor Cup for only the second time in the club's history after a cracking game of skill, passion, and determination at Austin Stack Park.
In a physical and free-flowing game of football in a very warm, but cloudy, in Tralee, an 18th-minute Dylan Geaney goal proved to be the difference at the break as Dingle held the narrowest of winning margins – 1-04 to 0-06 – at half-time.
After the mist and rain fall at the break, both sides were level twice in the final 30 minutes before an injury-time Dylan Geaney mark secured the win for Dingle.
As expected, Dingle started the stronger of the two sides and opened up an early three-point lead after Paul Geaney, hoping to impressive Kerry manager Jack O’Connor in the stand, slotted over three frees inside four minutes.
Dingle grew in confidence after this, and Geaney, who had superbly linked up with returning Australian rules footballer Mark O’Connor and Micheál Ó Flannúra, had his shot on goal blocked before Kenmare hit the West Kerry men on the counterattack.
At the other end, David Ciuciu hit a low, dipping shot but his effort was pushed onto the post by Dingle goalkeeper Gavin H Ó Curráin. Kenmare thought it had crossed the line for a goal, but referee Billy O’Shea quickly dismissed such calls.
However, by the time Conor Geaney scored Dingle’s first point from play in the 12th minute, Pádraig Ó Corcoráin’s charges were four points ahead – 0-04 to 0-00.
A lovely curling Sean O’Shea score – Kenmare’s first point of play – made it a two-point game midway through the half – 0-04 to 0-02.
Dingle almost had the game’s opening goal a minute later, but Cathal Ó Bambaire could only watch on as Kenmare captain Kieran Fitzgibbon pushed his effort on goal onto the post before Shamrocks cleared.
The West Kerry men did have their goal two minutes later. With 18 minutes on the clock, Ó Bambaire played an inch-perfect ball through to Dylan Geaney who coolly drilled the ball into the back of the net to put five points between the sides.
However, it was to be Dingle’s last score of the half as momentum strangely quickly swung in Kenmare’s favour.
Seven minutes before half-time, Sean O’Shea hit the crossbar after a short kick out was intercepted as Dingle keeper Gavin H Ó Curráin was off his line.
As half-time fast approached, Kenmare scored four points without reply to narrow the deficit to just one point as Stephen O’Brien and Sean O’Shea each slotted over two points each – a perfect response to Dylan Geaney’s 18th minute goal.
At the interval, nine of the 10 points notched up were scored by three of the inter-county players on show – Paul Geaney (0-03), Stephen O’Brien (0-02), and Sean O’Shea (0-04).
Heading into this final, Dingle overcame Rathmore and Kerins O’Rahillys after an opening defeat to Dr Crokes before beating Spa with nine points to spare in the semi-final.
Kenmare, in search of their first championship final since 1983, set up their third final in four years after group game wins against Na Gaeil and Templenoe, before defeating Dr Crokes in the semi-final.
After the restart, misty conditions made for more difficult playing conditions in the final half hour, and with Kenmare continuing with their dogged and hard-hitting tackling, Dingle were struggling to find space on the ball.
When Sean O’Shea tapped over a point from close-range midway through the second half, Kenmare took the lead for the first time - 0-10 to 1-06.
The Kerry star had his side two points ahead three minutes later, but despite going to 14 men in the 50th minute after Liam Ó Conchúir saw red, Dingle scored the last three points of the game without response from Kenmare.
After Conor Geaney levelled with a free two minutes from time, a late Dylan Geaney mark secured the win for Dingle.
Dingle: Gavin H Ó Curráin; Conchúir Ó Flannúra, Conchúir Ó Súilleabháin, Tomás Ó Súilleabháin; Mícheál Ó Flannúra, Tomás Ó Súilleabháin, Brian Ó Conchúir; Marc Ó Conchúir, Liam Ó Conchúir; Mícheál Géibheannaigh, Dylan Ó Géibheannaigh (1-03, 0-01m) Brian Ó Dubháin; Conchúir Ó Géibheannaigh (0-03, 0-02f), Paul Geaney (capt) (0-03, 0-03f), Cathal Ó Bambaire
Subs: Niall Ó Géibheannaigh for Ó Dubháin (39 minutes), Maitiú Ó Flaitheartaigh for Conchúir Ó Súilleabháin (42 minutes), Pól Ó Dubháin for Mícheál Ó Flannúra (56 minutes)
Kenmare Shamrocks: Kieran Fitzgibbon (capt); Dara Crowley, Tommy O’Sullivan, Cian O’Sullivan; Dara O’Shea, Tommy Cronin, Darragh O’Connor; David Hallissey, James McCarthy; David Ciuciu, Sean O’Shea (0-09, 0-06f), Jimmy Lehane; Stephen O’Brien (0-02), Kevin O’Sullivan, Micheál McCarthy
Subs: Paul O’Connor for Micheál McCarthy (39 minutes), Shane O’Sullivan for O’Connor, Tommy O’Sullivan for James McCarthy (both 49 minutes), Jamie O’Regan for Ciuciu (59 minutes), Tom Murnane for Lehane (63 minutes)
Referee: Billy O’Shea (Keel)
