North Kerry Football League 2013
Division 1A Rd1
Castleisland Desmonds 2.19 v Moyvane 0.03,
Report by Gearóid Ã'RÃada
Castleisland Desmonds began their year in style with an emphatic 2-19 to 0-02 win over Moyvane in the North Kerry Football League today. From early in the first half, Moyvane looked to capitalize on a strong breeze but found scores extremely hard to come by in the face of an aggressive and hungry Desmonds defence. From their first line of defence to their forward line, Desmonds began to take complete control of the contest and this would soon show on the scoreboard with Desmonds kicking 7 unanswered points before Moyvane registered their first, Micheál Walsh and Tommy Walsh scoring twice in the opening 15 minutes. Following Moyvane's opener, Desmonds replied with an Eoin Murphy point. Murphy's excellent runs were causing the Moyvane defence enormous trouble and the young Castleisland man would go on to finish the contest as a tie with a well taken shot past the Moyvane goalkeeper just minutes before half time, partly the result of a superb Micheál Walsh pass. Going in at half time, Desmonds led 1-08 to 0-01. The second half continued in the same fashion as the first, with Maurice Lynch and Tadgh O'Connell dominating in the full back line, Shane O'Connor breaking forward from half-back and Maurice Hickey and Ciaran O'Callaghan winning the majority of the possession in midfield. The forwards too continued to impress, and aided by the breeze, Desmonds would go to score an early goal through an excellent one on one finish by Tommy Walsh. Following Moyvane's second point midway through the first half, Eoin Murphy, Tommy Walsh and Maurice Hickey complemented their already excellent performances with further points, particularly Walsh, who finished the game with a total of 1-03, and Murphy, with a total of 1-02. Though finishing with only 2 points on the scoreboard, much credit must go to young centre-forward Cian O'Connor, whose work-rate and excellent ball distribution was at the heart of some outstanding Desmonds scores. An excellent start for Desmonds against an admittedly understrength, though much harder challenges await the men in blue and white.
Best for Desmonds: Maurice Lynch, Tadgh O'Connell, Shane O'Connor, Cian O'Connor, Maurice Hickey, Tommy Walsh and man of the match Eoin Murphy.