Camp United 2 Lisselton Rovers 1
CAMP United, who were having a mixed season thus far, swooped for a late victory over a Lisselton Rovers side who have never got going this year.
However on Sunday last they were under new management with John O'Regan was at the helm once more and they will be hoping to rekindle the glory days when the Kerry Youths manager was in control.
This was just a couple of seasons ago and under the stewardship of O'Regan they won the Greyhound Bar K.O. Cup and were live contenders for the league title.
But in recent years, mainly due to a change in personnel and a certain lack of interest, Lisselton have under-achieved despite possessing some quality players.
They will now be hoping that O'Regan will once again work the oracle and Liselton Rovers will start climbing the table and while the league might be beyond their grasp they certainly could be a good cup side.
Camp, on the other hand, made up essentially of two families -the O'Driscolls and Farrells - are tough nuts to crack at the best of times so John O'Regan in his new job faced a baptism of fire.
However as matters transpired he almost got something from the game but despite losing late on Lisselton did show a marked improvement in form and it all goes well for the future.
The game itself, which was one of the few to survive the dreadful weather conditions in Kerry, was played at Mounthawk Park Tralee and was well contested throughout.
Both sides played some good football in heavy underfoot conditions and the only surprising aspect of the game was the absence of goals until the final 15 minutes.
Lisselton began well and held the upper hand in the first quarter with John Enright and John Houlihan combining well, Owen O'Mahony was unlucky not to score in the 12th minute.
Then in the 15th minute O'Mahony put Ian Blake through but Camp United keeper Tim Cotter saved at his feet.
At the other end Camp were almost through themselves when Kieran O'Driscoll set up Adrian O'Donnell but keeper Gary Fitzgerald turned his effort round the post.
Tommy Farrell then hit the post with a good effort for Camp in the 35th minute as Camp began to get to grip with the game with the O'Driscolls, Kieran and Paul, along with Paul Farrell playing well.
Despite half chances at both ends the sides remained scoreless at the break.
The second half was end to end stuff with Stephen McSweeney hitting the crossbar in the 50th minute and Lisselton were to spurn three great chances of scoring in the next ten minutes but Cotter in goals for Camp made some excellent saves and O'Mahony was just wide with a snap shot from inside the box.
Camp themselves could have taken the lead when Brendan McCormack miskicked in front of goals in the 65th minute and then O'Donnell, who got inside the defence, was denied by Liselton's stand-in keeper Edward Diggins who had to replace the injured Gary Fitzgerald early in the second half.
However all the excitement was kept for the final 15 minutes as both sides went in search of the winner.
In the 75th minute it was Lisselton who took the lead with Owen O'Mahony producing a shot which turned out to be a cross and there was Chris Enright to head powerfully past a hapless Cotter.
Lisselton needed to defend in numbers to keep Camp at bay but within five minutes they conceded the equaliser.
It was a well worked goal from the West Kerry side with Kieran O'Driscoll providing the cross and veteran Brendan McCormack was on hand to volley to the Lisselton net.
The game was now there for the taking and Owen O'Mahony and Ian Blake had good chances for Lisselton but then in the 89th minute Camp United struck for a late late winner.
Kieran O'Driscoll was again the provider when his free-kick was floated all the way into the Lisselton danger area and when the defence hesitated Adrian O'Donnell powered a looping header into the roof of the net for a superb winning goal.
Lisselton will be disappointed at not getting something from the game having taken the lead but they will have learned much from this encounter and they will be expected to improve in the weeks ahead.
Camp were deserving winners and can be expected to make inroads on the league leaders when and if the backlog of games are played.