IT was always going to happen, wasn’t it?
One of the most eagerly awaited local derby clashes in years, seeing two clubs that played as one in the championship in the not too distant past, today clashing in a Kerry SFC first round face-off and it ended in a dramatic sudden death penalty shoot-out.
There was nothing to separate Killarney Legion and Spa in over an hour play at Fitzgerald Stadium and they were tied again after 20 minutes of extra time by which time a number of players on both sides were cramping badly.
The scoreline after extra time was Spa 0-16 Legion 1-13 but the town side were more accurate with the spot-kicks when it mattered and they triumphed 5-4 in the shootout.
Apart from the dramatic conclusion, the game itself was a rather dull, scrappy affair with both sides wasting several opportunities and Spa held a single-point lead, 0-6 to 0-5, at half-time.
It remained nip-and-tuck as the second half progressed but the decisive move came when a sweet passage of play set up towering Legion sub Padraig Lucey who finished to the net to give Stephen Stack’s side the advantage.
Hanging on by a point, Legion looked like they had just done enough but they hadn’t reckoned on Spa substitute Cian Tobin, a classy operator, who popped up for a last gasp equaliser and forced the game to extra-time and, ultimately, penalties.
Although Legion’s Chris Davies blasted his penalty wide of the mark, Conor Keane, William Shine, goalkeeper Brian Kelly and Darragh Lyne all hit the spot and Conor Keane converted again in sudden death
Shane Lynch, Evan Cronin, Dara Moynihan and Cian Tobin were all on target for Spa while Mike Foley sent his shot wide and Shane Lynch, with his second penalty, in sudden death, kicked his spot-kick over the bar.
Main men James O’Donoghue of Legion and Dara Moynihan of Spa were rather subdued and both looked to be struggling somewhat as the game progressed but both sides had some polished performers with Jamie O’Sullivan, Cian Gammell, Conor Keane and Kieran Slattery to the fore for Legion and the outstanding Evan Cronin, Brian Lynch, Dan O’Donoghue and Mike Foley excelling for Spa.
In today’s other championship knockout games, Kerins O’Rahillys had a 1-16 to 0-9 victory over St Kierans and South Kerry registered a 2-16 to 0-5 win against Feale Rangers.
