However the expected collision of two mighty forces never occurred as Kenmare Shamrocks put injury-ravaged Templenoe to the sword in the opening 30 minutes and the game was as good as over at the interval as Kenmare Shamrocks led 1-8 to 0-1.
Kenmare manager John Morgan O’Sullivan knew during the week that Kenmare were primed for battle “During the week, we knew we were physically in good shape, training had gone well. We were looking for a fast start against Templenoe because if they get ahead of you, they don’t leave you back. We wanted a fast start, we got a fast start and we are delighted with the performance we put on today, we played very well. We worked hard for it but look Templenoe were rocked with a few injuries and we did what we had to do. Our big players stood up when asked. We have never been senior before; all this year our focus was winning the county and nothing else. We expected a battle but it didn’t happen, but its 1990 since we won this last, which is too long”
Mike Crowley (Templenoe manager) was not offering excuses “Look it is never nice to lose but definitely it was in the first half that we lost it. At the moment we are going to put it down to the end of a long journey because they did not have the fight for it in the first half. We got them in at the break, sorted a few things out and we were better in the second half. But in fairness to Kenmare they were away better than us over the hour. We could not get our hands on the ball around the middle and we panicked up front- it was just a bad day”
It was all Kenmare from the outset and they raced 0-6 to 0-0 in front by the end of the opening quarter.
By the time Kenmare scored their fourth point in the ninth minute through Sean O’Shea, Templenoe’s horror afternoon had continued as they had kicked five wides and were being completely over-run by a fast-moving Kenmare outfit with Stephen O’Brien and Sean O’Shea shredding the Templenoe defence and the gap widened between the sides.
Sean O’Shea and Patrick O’Shea added points as Kenmare Shamrocks led 0-6 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter.
Kenmare were now rampant and added further points from Paul O’Connor and Sean O’Leary while Templenoe brought their first half wide count to seven and then came the score that surely sounded the death knell for Templenoe in the 27th minute. Stephen O’Brien did the spadework before sending Kevin O’Sullivan through. He was fouled in the act of shooting inside the small square and Paul O’Connor coolly dispatched the spot kick to the Templenoe net.
Then Killian Spillane, with the final action of the opening half saved Templenoe blushes with a converted free as Shamrocks led at the interval 1-8 to 0-1.

Templenoe did to their credit came out all guns blazing in the second half but while a tired looking side did add 1-5, they were all from placed balls, 0-4 from Killian Spillane from frees, a goal from the spot by substitute Brian Crowley and a free from Teddy Doyle.
So Templenoe did not score from play in the hour, something they claim never happened before. Meanwhile Kenmare remained in control with Patrick O’Shea and Sean O’Shea kicking fine individual points from play, while Paul O’Connor put the icing on the Kenmare cake, with a goal from 51st minute penalty after Stephen O’Brien was the victim of a leg block as he pulled the trigger in the square.

After the game, the chairman of the county committee Patrick O’Sullivan presented the Fenan Cup to winning captain Stephen O’Brien and Jimmy Roche of Castleisland Co-op Mart presented the Man of the Match to Kenmare’s corner forward and Kerry Minor Sean O’Shea.
Kenmare will now play Fethard of Tipperary in the Munster Intermediate Championship next weekend at a Tipperary venue.
Scorers:
Kenmare Shamrocks; P O’Connor (2-4, 2-0 pens, 3 frees), Sean O’Shea (0-3), P O’Shea (0-2, 1 free), D O’Shea and S O’Leary (0-1 each).
Templenoe; K Spillane (0-5 frees), B Crowley (1-0 pen), T Doyle (0-1 free)

Teams
KENMARE SHAMROCKS: K Fitzgibbon; Stephen O’Shea, T O’Sullivan, D Crowley; S O’Sullivan, D O’Shea, M Crowley; J M Foley, D Hallissey; P O’Shea, S O’Leary, K O’Sullivan; Sean O’Shea, P O’Connor, S O’Brien.
Subs: A O’Leary for P O’Shea (46); D Cronin for M Crowley (50); S Dalton for D Hallissey (53); D O’Connor for S O’Brien (58); B O’Sullivan for P O’Connor (60); F O’Sullivan for S O’Leary (60)

TEMPLENOE: A Sheehan; M Hallissey, T Morley K O’Neill; J Rice, J Spillane, G Crowley; S Sheehan, A Spillane; J Crowley-Holland, D Cahillane, P Spillane; K Spillane, T Doyle, D O’Neill.
Subs: B Crowley for J Rice (20); S O’Sullivan for D O’Neill (h/t); K McCarthy for J Spillane (40); S Cremin for P Spillane (46); M Reilly for A Spillane (inj 58).
Referee: D Sayers (Austin Stacks).
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