NORTH KERRY INTERMEDIATE FINAL  20/12/03       ABBEYDORNEY  1-6     LIXNAW  0-8

The final game of the 2003 North Kerry Board fixtures was decided on Saturday last in Abbeydorney,when a tightly contested North Kerry Intermediate Hurling Final saw the home side take a single point victory over Lixnaw. The weather conditions for the game were very poor, with wind and rain and very cold temperatures but the game
was played throughout and the close nature of the game kept the encounter entertaining right up to the end. Lixnaw will count themselves unlucky not to have grabbed a late score to level matters but they will look back at some
bad wides which they recorded and which denied them a second bite at the cherry.
It was the Lixnaw side that looked the sharper in the opening stages and they opened the scoringfrom a pointed free off the stick of Johnny O'Connell after just 5 minutes. Abbeydorney were quick to respond through Tom Rice but the Lixnaw team lifted their game and two points from play by J.P O'Connell and Mossie Kelliher restored their lead after just eight minutes of play. The game was flowing well from one end to other and by the 10th minute the teams were level again, when Denny Long grabbed a brace for the Abbeydorney side, one from a free, before Johnny O'Connell restored the Lixnaw lead by the end of the first quarter.
One of the crucial scores of the game came shortly after though, when Abbeydorney were awarded a penalty and Denis Long blasted a low shot past the defenders on the line to the back of the net. A point soon after by Tony Maunsell left the home side three points to  the good but Lixnaw fought back and key player Johnny O'Connell added two pointed frees to leave the Lixnaw side behind by a single point at the end of the first quarter, 1-4 to 06.
Abbeydorney were struggling, Lixnaw working hard to keep them out and points by Tony and Bill Maunsell after 10 minutes streched the Abbeydorney lead to three points; both sides were working hard in defence and giving little away as the game grew with excitement. With the game moving into the final quarter, Mossie Kelliher pulled a point back for Lixnaw but although they had plenty of time left, they were struggling against the Abbeydorney defence and their next point came with just six minutes left, O'Connell shooting over a free to leave a single point between the sides.
Abbeydorney were under pressure in the closing minutes with one final attack by the Lixnaw side but they missed
the target and a relieved Abbeydorney side celebrated their one point victory1-6 to 0-8.

Best for Abbeydorney were Tony Maunsell, Fergal Roche  & Ger Maunsell; best for Lixnaw were TJ Maher, Eugene Stack and Johnny O'Oonnell.
After the game Gerry Doyle, Secretary NK Board,  presented the Intermediate Cup to Conor Kearney.

TEAMS & SCORERS:
ABBEYDORNEY: D.J. O'Connor, Mike Leahy, Ger Maunsell, David Fahy, Der Lawlor, Kieran Dineen, Fergal Roche, Bill Maunsell (0-1), Tony Maunsell (0-2), Denis Long (1-2), Paudie Dineen, Conor Kearney, Kevin Nolan
SUBS: John McKenna, Hugie O'Connell
LIXNAW: Johnny O'Connell, Pat McKenna, Brendan McElligott, Tom Mulvihill, PJ Stack, Eugene Stack, Padraig Fitzmaurice, Dick McElligott, Mossie Kelliher (0-2), TJ Maher, JP O'Connell (0-1), Patrick Hogan, Monty Boyd, Johnny O'Connell (0-5), John O'Carroll
Referee: Gerry Gleeson, John Mitchels