Kerry 2-23
Clare 0-17
Munster SFC semi-final
MUNSTER CHAMPIONS, KERRY strolled to another provincial final on the back of a 12-point win over Clare with a performance that had all the hallmarks of a team intent on rising to far greater challenges further down the summer.
Clare’s last Munster SFC defeat over the Kingdom – that historic 1992 final victory – retreats further into history and this performance from the Banner suggests it will remain so for some time.
Two goals in the first four minutes laid the foundation for Kerry’s win, and a team of Clare’s standing simply cannot gift a team of Kerry’s with such early presents. Still, credit to Clare who absorbed those early blows and at least matched Kerry stride for stride and point for point for the remainder of the first half.
Showing five changes from the team that lost the league final to Dublin in April and eight changes to the team that started last year’s All-Ireland final, there was more interest in this game than, perhaps, it deserved.
Kerry’s two championship debutants, Brian Ó Beaglaoich and Tadhg Morley, manned the wing back positions to good effort, especially Morley, but the dropping of Marc Ó Sé and David Moran dominated the pre-match chatter but, for now, Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s bravery and ruthlessness has been justified.
The game wasn’t two minutes old when Colm Cooper under-hit effort at a point caught goalkeeper Joe Hayes off his goal line and nestled in the Clare net. After David Tubridy and Stephen O’Brien traded points O’Brien then gathered Donnchadh Walsh’s measured pass and found the net with the help of both posts.
Another O’Brien point made it 2-2 to 0-1 after seven minutes and Clare were shell-shocked. Somehow, to their credit, they cleared their heads and worked their way back into the game. Podge Collins and Eoin Cleary points steadied them, and further along Garry Brennan and Cleary, again, kept them in touch.
They lived charmed lives, though, as in the 19th minute O’Brien’s shot shaved the crossbar on the way over. Pearse Lillis – on as a black card replacement for Podge Collins – added a late point to leave it 2-10 to 0-9 at the break.
The second half played out along expected lines, with Kerry controlling the game and Clare chasing it. Points from Darran O’Sullivan (two), Bryan Sheehan and Cooper edged Kerry further ahead at the start of the second half, and the gap widened as the half wore on.
Marc Ó Sé, David Moran and Anthony Maher were called into service, while Barry John Keane scored two points coming off the bench.
Tubridy and Lillis offered Clare the most in attack but Kerry were at their imperious best and knocking over training ground scores, winning pulling up, though finishing with just 13 players on the field, with no substitutions to replace Killian Young (injured) and Michael Geaney (black card).
Scorers - Kerry: S O’Brien (1-5), C Cooper (1-3, 0-1f), P Geaney (0-5, 1f), D O’Sullivan (0-2), BJ Keane (0-2), B Sheehan (0-2f), K Young (0-1), P Murphy (0-1), D Moran (0-1), A Maher (0-1)
Clare: D Tubridy (0-7, 4f, 2 ’45′), P Lillis (0-3), E Cleary (0-3, 1f, 1 s/l), G Brennan (0-2), C O’Connor (0-1), P Collins (0-1)
KERRY
1. Brian Kelly (Killarney Legion)
2. Shane Enright (Tarbert)
3. Mark Griffin (St Michaels/Foilmore)
4. Killian Young (Renard)
5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)
6. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
7. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
8. Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)
9. Bryan Sheehan (St Marys)
10. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
11. Colm Cooper (Dr Crokes)
12. Donnchadh Walsh (Cromane)
13. Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh-Glencar)
14. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
15. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare)
Subs
18. Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht) for Morley (48)
17. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Sheehan (50)
22. Jonathan Lyne (Killarney Legion) for Ó Beaglaoich (52)
20. Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahillys) for D O’Sullivan (54)
21. Michael Geaney (Dingle) for D Walsh (56)
23. Anthony Maher (Duagh) for K Donaghy (64)
4. Killian Young (injured 68, not replaced)
21. M Geaney (black card 72, not replaced)
CLARE
1. Joe Hayes (Lissycasey)
2. Dean Ryan (Éire Óg)
3. Kevin Hartnett (Meelick)
4. Martin McMahon (Kilmurry/Ibrickane)
5. Sean Collins (Cratloe)
6. Gordon Kelly (St Josephs Miltown)
7. Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora)
8. Gary Brennan (Clondegad)
9. Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen)
10. Eoin Cleary (St Josephs Miltown)
11. Jamie Malone (Corofin)
17. Shane McGrath (Thomas Davis)
13. Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry/Ibrickane)
14. David Tubridy (Doonbeg)
18. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
Subs:
12. Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare) for P Collins (black, 28)
15. Pat Burke (Kilmacud Crokes) for S McGrath (46)
21. Shane Hickey Kilmurry/Ibrickane) for S Collins (52)
20. Sean Malone (St Josephs Milltown) for O’Dea (59)
23. Declan McMahon (Cooraclare) for G Kelly (black, 66)
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
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