Killarney Athletic 2

Tralee Dynamos 2

IT was billed as the match of the day and in many ways it was as Killarney Athletic and Tralee Dynamos locked horns this heavyweight Denny Premier A clash at Woodlawn on Sunday last. It was a game that both sides went into with maximum points and so something had to give as the two favourites to make it to the playoffs served up a real thriller in very difficult conditions.

It was a game that Killarney Athletic should have won, based on their first half display when they really had the better of the exchanges and led 2-0 at the interval against a Dynamos side that were being outfought in key areas and were badly missing a target man up front with the absence of Adrian McHugh.

Dynamos were also without Eoin Cassidy and Kevin McCannon while Chris Kerins had to play with the B side in the morning because of work commitments. Killarney Athletic themselves went with the players that are training so they had a very strong looking bench that included the likes of Kenneth Clifford, Brian O’Reilly and Shane Doolan.

The game was barely two minutes old when Athletic took the lead when Dynamos keeper Dermot Raggett slipped on the surface on his way out and Mark Pyne was on hand to roll the ball into the net. It was a dream start for the home side and this early reverse seemed to unsettle the Dynamos as Paudie O’Connor and Gary Keane battled hard at midfield for Athletic.

The game was to take another dramatic twist in the 24th minute when Dynamos centre back Brian Fitzgerald lost his cool and referee Stuart Templeman, who a fine game, had little option but to issue a red card and Dynamos were now reduced to ten men.

Athletic were now attacking at every opportunity and considering the conditions, it was a real cracker between two quality sides.

Dynamos would have pleased to have reached the interval on level terms but disaster for the visitors in the 42nd minute when Athletic were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position and when Paudie O’Connor drilled it low towards goal it appeared to take a deflection off Nicholas Murphy and it cannoned into the Dynamos net. Athletic went to the interval 2-0 in front.

It looked bad for the champions as they had to try and peg back a two goal lead but they had to try and do it with just ten men. Full marks to Colm Clifford for taking a gamble for the second half and changing things around, which involved switching the colossus that is Maurice “ Goose” O’Rahilly to centre forward and going with three at the back.

What a master move it proved to be as Dynamos got back in the game with James Sugrue down the right and Billy Stack raiding down the left. It was a sign that the Tralee side have not lost those traditional fighting qualities that has been their hallmark for over a quarter of century in the topflight.

It was hard at times to figure out who had the extra man as Athletic were forced on the back foot back and in the 60th minute a Billy Stack corner was met powerfully by Maurice O’Rahilly and it beat Quill all ends up.

It was now game on as Athletic countered attacked but Mark Fitzgerald covered for the sins of a brother and Raggett denied Pyne on the break. However Dynamos had the bit between the teeth and in the 75th minute the sides were all square after O’Rahilly forced Paudie O’Connor to handle in the box and Eddie Duggan blasted the spot kick down the middle to complete the visitors’ comeback.

The question was would both sides be happy with a draw but neither Athletic nor Dynamos think in that mode and both went in search of a winner. It might have come in the 85th minute when that man “ Goosie” burst through and it took a superb save from Aaron Quill to deny him while in the final minute Raggett denied Pyne at the other end.

A draw just about right and there is little doubt that both Athletic and Dynamos will be around when the silverware is being given out.

Killarney Athletic: A Quill, M Griffin, E Prendergast, N Murphy, P McClure, D Gleeson, G Keane, P O’Connor, E O’Connell, S Bunyan, M Pyne.

Tralee Dynamos: D Raggett, P Williams, P Daly, B Fitzgerald, M O’Rahilly, J Sugrue, J McIntyre, M Fitzgerald, B Stack, A Moss, E Duggan. Subs: J White for A Moss, D Crotty for P Williams.

Referee: S Templeman