Spa and Currow met in the opening round of the Kerry Petroleum Intermediate Club Championship on Saturday July 25th in Listry. Currow played very defensively in the opening half with 13 men behind the ball, and Spa were struggling to break through or to find space. The game opened up much more in the second half, with Spa making better use of their scoring opportunities.

Spa had a couple of efforts wide of the post before Pa McCarthy opened the scoring for Currow in the 7th minute. Three points in quick succession from Mike Stam O’Donoghue (2f) and Dara Moynihan followed, before Pa McCarthy was on target again for Currow. Evan Cronin extended the Spa advantage, and Mike Stam O’Donoghue kicked his third, before Seamus Brosnan broke through the Spa defence and punched over the bar. A water break was called after 20 minutes at which time Spa led 0-5 to 0-3.

The rain started as play resumed and Shane Cronin added to the Spa tally, followed by an excellent score from Ciaran Spillane. Currow did threaten the keeper with a long high ball curled in from the sideline just before halftime, but Liam Kearney did brilliantly to clear it from the goal line. At half time, the score was Spa 0-7 Currow 0-3.

A free from Mike Foley shortly after the throw-in, and a point from Mike Stam O’Donoghue after a superb turn over in the middle by Shane Lynch, put Spa ahead 0-9 to 0-3. Pa McCarthy replied with a point for Currow at the other end at the end of the third quarter. Dan O’Donoghue and Dara Moynihan kicked two great long range scores either side of the water break to increase the Spa advantage. However, the referee showed a black card to a player from each side after an off-the-ball incident, reducing both teams to 14 men for the remainder of the game.

In the 55th minute a good one-two between Shane Cronin and Dara Moynihan was worked all the way in to the Currow goalmouth, with Shane Cronin getting the final touch before the ball rattled the Currow net, making it 1-11 to 0-4. The game was very stop-start at this stage, but final points from Mike Stam O’Donoghue and Evan Cronin, and a late Currow point from Pa McCarthy, finished the game as Currow were reduced to 13 men deep into injury time for a second yellow offence.

Final score Spa 1-13 Currow 0-5

Based on the result of the other group game tonight, Spa will be away to Glenflesk next weekend and home to Na Gaeil the following week. Fixtures details to be confirmed.

Our thanks to Listry GAA Club for hosting the game.

Spa Team: James Devane, Eoin Fitzgerald, Brian Lynch, Shane Lynch, Shane Cronin (1-1), Dan O’Donoghue (0-1), Gary Vaughan, Liam Kearney, Ciarán Spillane (0-1), Niall O’Mahony, Mike O’Donoghue (0-5 (3f)), Dara Moynihan (0-2), Mike Foley (0-1f), Evan Cronin (0-2), David Spillane. Subs: Niall McCarthy, Cian Tobin, Mike McCarthy, Eric O’Donoghue and Eoin Cronin

Currow Team: Shane O’Leary, John O’Connor, Garreth O’Connor, Alex Fleming, Mike Hanifin, Pat O’Sullivan, Kevin Fitzgerald, Seamus Scanlon, Seamus Brosnan (0-1), Kevin Daly, Pa McCarthy (0-4 (2f)), Timmy O’Leary, Luke Fitzgerald, Daniel O’Shea, Sean McCarthy. Subs: Padraig Hilliard, Tommy Dennehy, Niall Brosnan, Shane Brosnan and Connie O’Connor

Referee: Eamonn Moran (Ballydonoghue)

Photos: Anne Holland