Kerry 1-16
Leitrim 1-9
Declan Rooney reports from the Gaelic Grounds.
KERRY CAN STILL claim three All-Ireland junior titles in a row after they defeated a depleted Leitrim at their ease at the Gaelic Grounds.
Kerry, with their nine All-Ireland minor medalists, were far too strong for Leitrim, and once Tomás Ó Sé goaled after seven minutes they ran out easy winners.
Despite having lost ten players due to their involvement with the senior team, the early signs for Leitrim were good and when former senior goalkeeper Cathal McCrann found the net in the third minute they led by two.
But Kerry responded well when Ó Sé steadied himself after he took a heavy blow in mid air and turned to finish off Brendan O’Sullivan’s pass for a 1-1 to 1-0 lead in the seventh minute.
With the goal in the bag the Kerry forwards began to sync, and seven points in a row from four different players meant they deserved their 1-8 to 1-1 interval lead.
Had Cathal McCauley found the net with a goal chance straight after the restart things might have been different for Leitrim, but instead the impressive Jeff O’Donoghue stretched Kerry’s lead with his third point.
Replies from McCrann and Nicholas McWeeney saw Leitrim close the gap to six points, but Kerry closed out the win thanks to points from Philip O’Connor, Eanna Ó Conchúir and Liam Carey.
Meath await in the final.
The Royals proved too strong for Kilkenny at Nowlan Park. They eased to victory on a scoreline of 2-19 to 2-08 after a strong second-half showing.
There was only three points between the sides at the interval but Meath began to pull away after the restart and quickly found themselves 10 clear. A goal from Eddie Moylan reduced the deficit but Stephen Coogan and Daire Rowe both found the net to extend Meath’s control on proceedings.
Cian O’Donoghue grabbed a consolation goal late on for the Cats – who were attempting to reach their very first junior football final – to put some more respectability on the scoreline.
Scorers for Kerry: Tomás Ó Sé 1-1, Jeff O’Donoghue 0-4 (1’45, 2f), Conor Cox 0-3 (2f), Eanna O Conchuir 0-3, Philip O’Connor 0-2, Liam Carey 0-1, James Walsh 0-1, Killian Spillane 0-1.Scorers for Leitrim: Cathal McCrann 1-2 (2f), Niall McWeeney 0-2, Cian Clinton 0-2, Jack Heslin 0-1, Robbie Lowe 0-1, Shane Quinn 0-1.
Kerry
1. Tomás Mac an tSaoir (An Gaeltacht)
2. Eamon Kiely (Brosna)
3. Jack McGuire (Listowel Emmets)
4. Pa Kilkenny (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
5. James Walsh (Knocknagoshel)
6. Michael Foley (Ballydonoghue)
7. Daniel O’Brien (Glenflesk)
8. Roibéard Ó Sé (An Gaeltacht)
9. Brendan O’Sullivan (Valentia)
10. Philip O’Connor (Cordal)
11. Jeff O’Donoghue (Glenflesk)
12. Eanna Ó Conchúir (An Gaeltacht)
13. Killian Spillane (Templenoe, Capt)
14. Conor Cox (Listowel Emmets)
15. Tomás Ó Sé (An Gaeltacht)
Subs:
21. Liam Carey (Beaufort) for Ó Conchúir (42-44, blood) for Cox (46)
22. Ivan Parker (Churchill) for Spillane (48)
17. PJ Mac Laímh (An Gaeltacht) for Roibéard Ó Sé (50)
19. Brian Sugrue (Renard) for Kiely (52)
18. DJ Murphy (Gneeveguilla) for Foley (56)
24. Dara Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht) for Tomás Ó Sé (58)
Leitrim
1. Philip Farrelly (Ballinamore/Sean O’Heslin’s)
2. James Mitchell (Mohill)
3. Alan Armstrong (Mohill, Capt)
17. James Glancy (St Mary’s Kiltoghert)
5. James Campbell (Gortletteragh)
6. Brian Leyden (Ballinamore/Sean O’Heslin’s)
7. Liam Ryan (Melvin Gaels)
8. Shane Quinn (Mohill)
9. Adrian Flynn (Leitrim Gaels)
10. Jack Heslin (Gortletteragh)
11. Donal Flynn (Mohill)
12. Nicholas McWeeney (St Mary’s Kiltoghert)
13. Cathal McCauley (Drumkeerin)
14. Cathal McCrann (Gortletteragh)
15. Robbie Cunningham (St Patrick’s Dromahair)
Subs:
24. Daniel Lowe (St Mary’s Kiltoghert) for Campbell (17)
23. Robbie Lowe (St Mary’s Kiltoghert) for Cunningham (35)
19. Cian Clinton (St Patrick’s Dromahair) for Heslin (46)
22. Caillan Canning (Mohill) for McCauley (48)
20. Francis Flynn (Gortletteragh) for Leyden (58)
18. Daniel Lyons (Carrigallen) for Glancy (58)
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)
Additional reporting by Eoin O’Callaghan.
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