With the Killarney Club 7s taking place in Spa next weekend (www.killarneyclub7s.ie), our Co League Rd8 game against Dingle was brought forward to Friday May 27th. It was a warm sunny evening as our seniors made the journey to west Kerry and it was the home side that came away with the spoils. The opening half had an incredible combined tally of 4-16 scored, but the second half was racked with errors and turnovers.
Evan Cronin was first to score but Dingle quickly had two points on the board from Maitiú Flaherty and Barra O Suilleabháin. Spa netted the first goal of the day in the 10th minute, Liam Kearney racing forward and playing in to Dan O’Donoghue who rattled the net. Conor Geaney (2) and Evan Cronin swapped scores before Barra O Suilleabháin finished the first Dingle goal at the end of the opening quarter to give Dingle a 1-4 to 1-2 lead.
Cian Tobin reduced the gap but minutes later Dingle had their second goal - a ball that looked to be going wide was expertly kept in play, knocked across the goalmouth to the waiting George Durrant who finished it to the back of the net in the 19th minute. Points from Barra O Suilleabháin and Conor Geaney soon followed and Spa replied with points from Evan Cronin and Gary Vaughan. Barra O Suilleabhain added one more before the second Spa goal, Shane Cronin setting up Evan Cronin who buried the ball in the back of the Dingle net in the 29th minute to put just two points between the teams at 2-5 to 2-7. Conor Geaney (2) and George Durrant extended the Dingle advantage and Spa’s Mike Foley tacked one on for the visitors before the break, Spa trailing by 2-6 to 2-10 at the end of the very high scoring opening half.
Barra O Sulleabháin and Mikey Geaney added two more for Dingle before Mike O’Donoghue was pulled down in front of goal, and Evan pointing the resulting free. Ryan O’Carroll added another one for Spa but the second half was laden with errors and turnovers. A black card had Spa reduced to 14 men in the 50th minute. Dingle dominated the final few minutes and were unlucky not to hit for goal a third time as Conor Geaney’s shot game back off the crossbar as full time approached. Eoin Cronin and Evan Cronin added the final scores for Spa while Dingle finished with points from Conor Geaney (2), Maitiú Flaherty, Barra O’Suilleabháin (2) and George Durrant. Final score Spa 2-10 Dingle 2-18.
Spa will be hosting the Killarney Club 7s tournament next weekend - details on www.killarneyclub7s.ie - and return to Co League for round 9 at home to Crokes on June 12th/13th.
Spa: James Devane, Brian Lynch, Eoin Fitzgerald, Dan O’Donoghue, Ryan O’Carroll, Shane Cronin, Gary Vaughan, Ciaran Spillane, Liam Kearney, Shane Lynch, Evan Cronin, Niall McCarthy, Cian Tobin, Cian Murphy, Mike Foley. Subs: David Spillane, Eoin Cronin, Mike O’Donoghue
Dingle: Gavin H Curran, Micheál Flannery, Conor O’Sullivan, Patrick O’Connor, Brian O’Connor, Aidan O’Connor, Mikey Geanet, Darragh O’Sullivan, Billy O’Connor, George Durrant, Barra Ó Suilleabháin, Brian Devane, Conor Geaney, Tadhg Browne, Maitiú Flaherty.
Referee: Tom Corbett (Firies)
