A game ‘not for the faint hearted’ could best describe Beale minors’ encounter with Moyvane/Tarbert last Thursday evening in Division 1 of the North Kerry League. A tit-for-tat game, played in Tarbert, with very little separating the teams on the field of play and on the scoreboard. Both sets of forwards foraged for scores while the backs worked hard in defence. The bare minimum separated the teams at the interval and we went in with our noses barely in front, 1-6 to 1-5.

Goals were the order of the day in the second half and raising the green flag gave us a 3-point advantage. However, our opponents struck back and found the net twice within two minutes, leaving us trailing by two points. We were up against it as the clock ticked away and we hunted for those crucial scores. And they came - a point and a goal gave us victory and those vital league points. The final score read: Beale 3-13, Moyvane/Tarbert 3-9.

Beale lined out as: Luke O'Donovan, Diarmuid O'Mahoney, Conor Toomey, Liam Byrant, David Hennessy, Darragh Hanrahan, Fintan Linnane, Jack O'Sullivan, Cathal Farrell, Bernard O'Callaghan, Mark Hennessy, Barry O'Neill and Seán Maloney. Substitutes, Philip Byrne for Mark Hennessy, Eric Daly for Cathal Farrell, Andrew O'Connor and Conor Hennessy. Our final round game is on Tuesday, August 21st, in Páirc de Staic against Desmonds. Throw in at 7.30.

The silence at the end of the game said it all in Shannon Park, Tarbert, on Saturday evening when Beale and Tarbert played out a draw in the penultimate game of the County League, Division 4. Hovering in the relegation zone, we needed the points to enhance our chances of divisional survival.

A good competitive game ensued, with the teams eking out scores and both backlines shoring up the defence. There was little between the teams and we went in level at the short whistle, 1-5 to 0-8. We upped the ante on the changeover and were six points to the good with just over ten minutes remaining. However, our opponents threw everything at us and nipped away at our lead. They found the net as the clock ticked away and the game ended all square: Beale 2-10, Tarbert 1-13.

As a result, it has come down to the wire for us. We are now two points behind the next placed team on the league table, St Michael’s, Foilmore, whom we play in the final round game. A must-win game to give us a chance of a relegation play-off, it’s all happening in Páirc de Staic on Sunday at 1 o’clock.

Beale juniors await details of the Cahill Cup, with our first game scheduled for August 24th. The competition will be run on a knock-out basis at the end August and September.

Shannon Rangers play Austin Stacks in the quarter final of the County Minor Championship on Tuesday evening at 6.30 in Connolly Park, Tralee. Shannon Rangers play Dingle in the County Senior Championship on Saturday, September 1st, in Dingle at 5.30pm.

It’s that time of year again. The draws for the North Kerry Championship take place on Friday, August 31st.

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