Group 1
An Ghaeltacht 1-12 Beaufort 0-10
Colm Kelly reports
John Mitchels 0-15 St Mary's 1-10
Tim Moynihan reports
Group 2
Na Gaeil 2-14 Glenflesk 1-6
Spa Killarney 1-13 Currow 0-5
Group 3
Laune Rangers 1-11 Rathmore 1-11
Castleisland Desmonds 2-14 Ardfert 2-8
The conditions at the St Senans club ground were perfect for attacking football and this evolving Desmonds side produced some lovely passages of play in a performance that is bound to please their management team of Dr Dave Geaney, Thomas Horan, and Kieran O’Sullivan. The white and blue started brightly but kicked three bad wides before Seán Lynch got their first point of the game in the 4th minute when he slotted over after a strong run from Adam Donoghue. Donoghue had a magnificent game throughout for Desmonds, and his selfless and stylish play were a major factor in the final result. Desmonds scored their second point in the 6th minute when Thomas Hickey slotted a free following a foul on full forward Cian W O’Connor. Ardfert’s Darren Dineen was banished to the sin bin after his foul on O’Connor, but Brandon Barrett scored a neat point for his side a minute later. Pat Fitzgerald slotted a trademark inside of the right point for Desmonds, but a mistake in the white and blues defence saw the evergreen John Egan strike for an Ardfert goal in the 16th minute. The Ardfert tails were up and Bobby O’Regan potted a free kick to nudge them 1-3 to 0-3 ahead. Three minutes later Ardfert struck for goal number two. John Egan was involved once more, and his pass found the lively Colin Walsh who made no mistake with his finish. Ardfert had now pushed 2-3 to 0-3 ahead with 23 minutes gone and Desmonds looked in all sorts of trouble. Desmonds needed a response and to their credit they dug deep to find it. A lightning attacking move saw a pass across the goal from Tomás Lynch rebound to Maurice Hickey, and he made no mistake to punch it Bomber Liston style to the back of the net. A minute later Maurice punched an effort over the bar, and the whole momentum of the game changed thereafter. Thomas Hickey pointed a free after a foul on Tomás Lynch, and a minute later he got his first point from play after a neat one/two with Danny Hickey. Pat Fitzgerald added his second point of the game on the stroke of half time, and Desmonds took a slender 1-7 to 2-3 lead in at the break, with their goal and four points in a five minute spell bringing them right back into the contest.
The half time break did little to upset Desmonds rhythm and points from Thomas Hickey and Tomás Lynch pushed them into a three-point lead. Ardfert replied with a Colin Walsh free kick and in the 35th minute Desmonds full back Brian Leonard prevented a certain Ardfert goal with a brilliant interception as John Egan tried to put David Griffin in for what would have been a certain goal. A three pointer for Ardfert at that stage could have changed the complexion of the game completely, but it was Desmonds who grabbed the coat by the tails once more with a pointed Thomas Hickey free kick and a lovely goal from Cian W O’Connor after a barnstorming run through the middle by Luka Brosnan, to push the victors 2-10 to 2-3 ahead. Veteran Patrick Hickey came on for Desmonds and scored a lovely over the shoulder point, but true to Ardfert’s tradition they refused to wilt, and Killan Woulf hit the butt of the Desmonds upright with a goalbound shot. Bobby O’Regan pointed a free afterwards, but the industrious Seán Lynch slotted a lovely effort in the 47th minute to see his side lead by 2-12 to 2-4. Ardfert came strongly once more and points from John Egan and David Griffin kept them ticking over, although Thomas Hickey replied once more for Desmonds. Ardfert kept trying and added scores from Brandon Barrett and David Griffin, but Desmonds Patrick Hickey sealed his superb cameo with his second point of the game at the death to seal a comfortable 6 point victory for Desmonds.
Castleisland Desmonds; Stephen Bartlett, Gearoid Leonard, Brian Leonard, Conor O’Shea, Luke Brosnan, Ryan McGuire, Luke Lyons, Pat Fitzgerald, Maurice Hickey (captain), Tomás Lynch, Adam Donoghue, Danny Hickey, Thomas Hickey, Cian W O’Connor, Seán Lynch. Subs; Patrick Hickey for Danny Hickey (inj).
Castleisland Desmonds scorers; Thomas Hickey 0-6 (3f), Maurice Hickey 1-1, Patrick Hickey 0-2, Pat Fitzgerald 0-2, Seán Lynch 0-2, Cian W O’Connor 1 goal, Tomás lynch 0-1.
Ardfert scorers; Bobby O’Regan 0-3f, Brandon Barrett 0-2, John Egan 1-1, Colin Walsh 1 goal, David Griffin 0-2 (1f)
Referee; Paul Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys).
Group 4
Glenbeigh-Glencar 1-8 Dromid Pearses 0-8
Milltown/Castlemaine 2-15 Waterville Frank Caseys 1-8
