Kerry Petroleum Senior Club Football Championship — Round 3
Venue: Templenoe GAA Grounds
Sunday, 23 August 2026
Our senior footballers secured their place in the Kerry Senior Club Championship quarter-final after overcoming a determined Templenoe by three points in a closely fought local derby at Templenoe on Sunday afternoon.
The final score of Templenoe 1-17 to Kenmare Shamrocks 2-17 perhaps gives the impression of a more comfortable victory than it actually was. In reality, there was very little between the sides for long periods, with the home side leading for almost three-quarters of the game.
Our captain, Stephen O’Brien, wasn’t fit enough to start the game, so the talented Eoghan McCarthy stepped into the number 15 jersey.
We got off to the best possible start, finding ourselves 1-1 to no score up after just five minutes. Seanie opened the scoring from a free before the goal arrived soon afterwards.
Seanie picked up a loose ball around the 45-yard line and delivered a lovely pass into Eoghan, who pivoted brilliantly before striking a sweet left-footed shot. Templenoe goalkeeper Mark Looney got down low and did brilliantly to parry the effort onto the post, but Tom Murnane reacted quickest to the rebound and calmly slotted the ball into the empty net.
It was a dream start for us and gave us an early platform in what would prove to be a fiercely contested local derby.
Templenoe soon settled into the game and began to find their rhythm. Killian Spillane and Brian Crowley both split the posts before Zack O’Shea responded with a point for us. The home side then found the back of the net through Gavin Crowley with a well-worked goal.
The early exchanges were open and lively, with both sides finding their attacking rhythm and taking their chances when they came.
From then until half-time, Templenoe had the better of the play, and we found it difficult to settle into any real rhythm of our own. On 22 minutes, Jimmy Lehane produced a superb score from his left foot to bring us level at 1-04 apiece.
The home side then added three further points, with Killian Spillane contributing two and Gavin Crowley one. Seanie managed to pull one back for us two minutes into the five minutes of additional time.
One of the three pivotal moments of the game, in my mind, came in the fourth minute of additional time. Ciaran Crowley found himself one-on-one with our goalkeeper Kieran Fitzgibbon, but thankfully Kieran stood tall and managed to block the shot. The ball eventually went out for a 45, which Templenoe converted.
That save was absolutely huge. To have conceded a goal so close to half-time and gone into the dressing room five points down would have made our task in the second half a much harder one.
Half Time: Templenoe 1-08 Kenmare Shamrocks 1-05
The game opened up completely in the second half, with both sides exchanging scores. Jimmy Lehane got his second point, but Templenoe responded with two of their own and pushed the gap between the sides out to four points.
Every time we went and scored, they seemed to have an answer. At one stage, the home side had stretched their lead to five points. Points from Seanie, Eoghan and Donal O’Sullivan kept us in the game, but we still lacked the bite to close the gap.
David Hallissey replaced Zack O’Shea on the 37th-minute mark.
Donal kicked a lovely point from play to bring us within two with 40 minutes gone. Paul O’Connor then replaced Kevin O’Sullivan with 15 minutes of normal time remaining. This is just the type of game that Paul would relish — and he certainly made his mark.
Jack O’Sullivan pointed on the 47th-minute mark to put two points between the sides, but Brian Crowley soon edged the gap out to three with a nice point of his own.
By the time Stephen O’Brien entered the game, replacing the hard-working Eoghan McCarthy, we were five points down with nine minutes of normal time remaining.
Soon after, both Paul and Stephen were on the scoresheet with two lovely points, but Pat Spillane’s fisted point had the score at 1-17 to 1-14 with four minutes remaining.
Then came the second pivotal moment of the match — our second goal, which arrived at a much-needed time.
Paul gathered the ball on the wing and his pass found Donal O’Sullivan, who in turn fisted the ball to the oncoming Tom Murnane. Tom slipped a tackle before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the back of the net.
It was the lift that we needed and suddenly brought us to within a point of Templenoe.
Tommy Cronin was replaced by Cian O’Sullivan on the 57th minute.
My third pivotal moment of the game came just after Tom Murnane’s goal. Templenoe came on the attack again, and a pass from Sean Sheehan found Aidan Crowley. Just as he was about to shoot for goal, in dived James McCarthy to block the ball.
It was a huge goal chance, but the heart shown by James to get his body in front of the shot was an inspiration to all. The Templenoe attack eventually ended with a wide.
From that moment, we took charge of the game and finished strongly.
Seanie scored a wonderful point from just inside the arc to bring the sides level. A patient build-up following possession won by Liam O’Sullivan in defence saw Stephen O’Brien kick his second score of the game to put us ahead for the first time since the 12th minute.
Soon after, a lovely point from an acute angle by Paul O’Connor extended our lead to two points with three minutes of additional time remaining.
Paul then added his third point with a minute left on the clock to secure a memorable comeback victory for Kenmare.
From being five points down with just nine minutes of normal time remaining, we had somehow turned the game completely around. The character, composure and belief shown by the lads in those closing stages were outstanding.
Full Time: Templenoe 1-17 Kenmare Shamrocks 2-17
A huge well done to everyone involved. Templenoe gave absolutely everything and were unlucky to be pipped at the post after leading for long periods. For our lads, however, the manner of the finish will give us enormous confidence heading into the quarter-final.
Finally, we would like to wish Patrick Clifford a speedy recovery after he sustained a serious leg injury during the game. We hope to see Patrick back on the field as soon as possible.
Kenmare Shamrocks
- Kieran Fitzgibbon
- Liam O’Sullivan
- Dara O’Shea
- Tommy Cronin
- Zack O’Shea – 0-1
- Darragh O’Connor
- Jimmy Lehane – 0-2
- James McCarthy
- David Ciuciu
- Kevin O’Sullivan
- Seán O’Shea – 0-5
- Jack O’Sullivan – 0-1
- Eoghan McCarthy – 0-1
- Donal O’Sullivan – 0-2
- Tom Murnane – 2-0
Subs used: David Hallissey, Stephen O’Brien – 0-2, Paul O’Connor – 0-3, Cian O’Sullivan.
Referee: Evan Horan
