Dynamos, who started well, were expected to beat the Seasiders as Fenit have campaigned in Division 1A while Dynamos have been on top of the Premier Division for many a season now, though Fenit will be playing in the top flight next season.

Fenit, however, are one of the very few sides in Kerry that appear to be in no way in awe of Dynamos and looking back to St Stephen’s Day in the Kerry final of the Munster Junior Cup, they took the Tralee side to extra-time before they finally succumbed.

This was an entertaining contest with both defences on top while play swung from end to end with some fine passing moves. Dynamos dominated the early exchanges as Fenit seemed slow to settle and they were lucky not to concede more than one goal.

Dynamos should have gone in front in the fourth minute when Damien Diggins got through after good work by Mark Fitzgerald and Samier Benkoutain but Diggins effort flashed just wide of the past. A minute later Dynamos got the start they wanted when Samier beat three defenders before squaring to Diggins who beat O’Connor with a well-struck shot. Fenit were all over the place and it took a good interception by Shane McMahon to deny Diggins a second goal as the Tralee side were well in control.

Brian Moloney finally had Fenit’s first attack after 13 minutes and with Johnny McCarthy starting to put in some good work on the left and Brian Fitzgerald, who was playing against his brother Mark in the centre of midfield, making some telling tackles Fenit began to settle into their game.

Samier was causing Fenit major problems and having beaten three Fenit players, he crossed to Diggins who returned the ball to Samier but somehow the keeper managed to keep it out. Fenit’s Mike Moloney brought a fine save from Polowczyk before Mark Fitzgerald skipped past a couple of Fenit defenders but was well tackled by McMahon.

Fenit then lost Damien Wallace through injury before Brian Moloney, who was causing the normally reliable Eoin Cassidy plenty of trouble, burst through and as the keeper came out the ball rebounded off his body and Cassidy cleared for a corner. Cassidy was clearly carrying a hamstring injury and later he hurt his hand on the hard ground, which forced him to go off for treatment.

Fenit, meanwhile, continued to attack but Dynamos seemed to be defending comfortably and should have made it 2-0 three minutes from the break when Samier’s cross reached Damien Diggins who sent a diving header past the keeper but the ball was somehow scrambled wide for a corner. Just when it looked that Dynamos would retire 1-0 in front at the break, Fenit were awarded a corner in injury-time and when Mike Moloney crossed, Cassidy and his keeper collided and the ball fell to Brian Moloney who headed the ball in the confusion.

The second half failed to produce a goal as Dynamos had to reorganise with Cassidy going off injured so Mark Fitzgerald switched to central defence while Edward Duggan came into midfield.Neither side could really create a worthwhile chance as Fenit showed great courage and fighting spirit as they continued to attack Dynamos, who despite the efforts of Mark Fitzgerald and Samier could not make the breakthrough.

Overall a draw was probably a fair result and both sides will have a chance of redeeming themselves when they meet again in the replay. Dynamos will be hoping that Cassidy is fit while Diggins might well be more clinical next time round. Still, after a nervous start Fenit showed they can play against the best of them and they certainly won’t fear Dynamos in the replay.

Tralee Dynamos: R Polowczyk, K McCannon, P Daly, E Cassidy, M O’Rahilly, B Stack, M Fitzgerald, S Benkoutain, J White, D Diggins, A McHugh. Sub: E Duggan for E Cassidy.
Fenit Samphires: N O’Connor, T Crean, J McCarthy, S McMahon, F Wallace, B Fitzgerald, M Ferris, P McCarthy, M Moloney, B Moloney, D Wallace. Sub: K Walsh for D Wallace. Referee: G Kruis.