Dingle 1-9

Kenmare 0-11

DINGLE ARE COUNTY senior club champions of Kerry for the first time since 2015, but they were made to fight tooth and nail for the title by a Kenmare Shamrocks side unsurprisingly led by Sean O’Shea and Stephen O’Brien.

In the end, though, it was the contribution of the Geaney clan that carried Dingle over the line; between them Paul, Conor and Dylan accounting for all of their team’s scores, with Dylan’s 19th minute goal the decisive score in the final tally.

Dingle had looked like they would easily justify their pre-match favouritism when Paul Geaney converted three early frees to ease them into the lead, and when Cathal Bambury set up Dylan Geaney for the game’s only goal Dingle were really purring along with a 1-4 to 0-2 lead.

And then Kenmare fired back. Sean O’Shea – who else – led the charge with a point, and when his late first half free bookended two Stephen O’Brien points there was only a point between them at the break, 1-4 to 0-6.

Dylan Geaney and O’Shea (free) traded scores early in the second half, but there was a growing belief in the Kenmare team that this could be their day too.

Conor Geaney and O’Shea then exchanged points from free kicks, and then O’Shea’s 41st minute point had the scores level, wiping out that first half five-point lead Dingle had briefly held.

By the 49th minute the Shamrocks were ahead, courtesy of another O’Shea free. Two minutes later Kenmare were two ahead, and with Dingle midfielder Billy O’Connor sent off for an apparent strike, Dingle were in deep trouble.

But they rallied with a resilience and purpose that could carry them a long way in the county senior football championship which starts next weekend.

Kenmare didn’t score again; Dingle eked out points from Dylan (2) and Conor Geaney and the title was theirs.

Dingle's Mark O'Connor (file photo). Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Mark O’Connor played his part too, not long back from the AFL and a long season with Geelong. He had his hands full at times with Sean O’Shea but in the end he got those hands on some rare county championship silverware for Dingle.

The start of something big back in West Kerry? It looks like it could be.

Scorers for Dingle: Dylan Geaney 1-3 (0-1f), Conor Geaney 0-3 (0-2f), Paul Geaney 0-3 (0-3f). 

Scorers for Kenmare: Sean O’Shea 0-9 (0-6f), Stephen O’Brien 0-2.

Dingle

Gavin Curran, Conor Flannery, Conor O’Sullivan, Tom Leo O’Sullivan, Michael Flannery, Tom O’Sullivan, Brian O’Connor, Mark O’Connor, Liam O’Connor, Michael Geaney, Dylan Geaney, Brian Devane, Conor Geaney,, Paul Geaney, Cathal Bambury.

Subs: Niall Geaney for B Devane (40), Matthew Flaherty for C O’Sullivan (42), Paul Devane for M Flannery (57).

Kenmare Shamrocks

Kieran Fitzgibbon, 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, Jimmy Lehane, Stephen O’Brien, Kevin O’Sullivan, Michael McCarthy.

Subs: Paul O’Connor for M McCarthy (40), Shane O’Sullivan for D O’Connor (49), Tommy O’Sullivan for D Hallissey (49), Jamie O’Regan for D Ciuciu (60), Tom Murnane for J Lehane (63)

Referee: Billy O’Shea (Keel)