Kerry 1-24
Derry 2-10

By Jackie Cahill at Croke Park 

SEÁN O’SHEA played a captain’s part as champions Kerry marched into the semi-finals of the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor football championship.

The Kingdom, seeking a third successive crown this year, saw off the challenge of beaten Ulster finalists Derry by 11 points in this afternoon’s quarter-final clash at Croke Park.

O’Shea collected a personal haul of 1-6 as Kerry, who scored 1-23 from play, advanced to the last four.

And David Shaw bagged four points in a row in a second-half purple patch between the 38th and 45th minutes as the winners burned off the Derry challenge, despite being level at half-time.

Derry got in for two crucial first-half goals and had parity at the interval — 2-6 to 0-12 — but Kerry had the greater firepower as O’Shea, Shaw and David Clifford collected 1-16 between them.

O’Shea was exceptional in that opening half, kicking five of his six points from play, while the Kingdom targeted Derry goalkeeper Ben McKinless and his kick-outs, profiting on a number of occasions.

The sides were level three times within the opening 16 minutes before a run of four unanswered points opened up a four-point lead for Kerry.

McKinless then came forward for a 20m free which he dragged dreadfully wide at the Hill 16 end but Derry had their opening goal in the 24th minute as Patrick Quigg scrambled the ball home at the second attempt, after his initial effort was saved by Billy Courtney.

The Oak Leafers were now very much back in the hunt, trailing by 1-4 to 0-8, but Kerry stepped on the gas to open up a five-point lead by the 28th minute.

As Hogan Cup final hero Clifford picked off a couple of points, one from another loose McKinless kick-out, Kerry moved 0-12 to 1-4 in front.

But Derry were resilient and after Feargal Higgins somehow wriggled his way through for a 30th-minute goal, points from impressive midfielder Patrick Coney and wing-back Pádraig McGrogan levelled matters at the interval.

But Kerry opened the second half with intent, Daniel O’Brien fisting a point before O’Shea banged home a 33rd minute goal off the post.

Brian Friel added to Kerry’s lead and while Caolan Devlin opened Derry’s second half account, with a free, Shaw opened up with that quartet of quickfire scores to send his team into an eight-point lead – 1-18 to 2-7.

The margin stretched to 11 by full-time as Kerry, who won the second half by 1-12 to 0-4, set up a semi-final clash with Kildare or Mayo on 28 August.

Scorers for Kerry: Seán O’Shea 1-6 (1f), David Clifford & David Shaw 0-5 each, Daniel O’Brien 0-2, Michael Potts, Mike Breen, Mark Ryan, Dara Moynihan, Brian Friel & Caolim Teahan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Derry: Feargal Higgins 1-2 (0-1f), Patrick Quigg 1-0, Patrick Coney 0-3, Caolan Devlin 0-3f, Pádraig McGrogan & Séamus Higgins 0-1 each.

Kerry

1. Billy Courtney (Dr. Crokes)

17. David Naughton (Dr. Crokes)
4. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)
3. Niall Collins (Listowel Emmets)

5. Michael Potts (Dr. Crokes)
6. Daniel O’Brien (Glenflesk)
7. Mícheál Foley (Ballydonoghue)

8. Mike Breen (Beaufort)
9. Mark Ryan (Rathmore)

14. Bryan Sweeney (Listowel Emmets)
11. Seán O’Shea (Kenmare – captain)
10. Dara Moynihan (Spa)

18. Ferdia O’Brien (Austin Stacks)
19. David Shaw (Dr. Crokes)
13. David Clifford (Fossa)

Subs: 

15. Brian Friel (Rathmore) for O’Brien (half-time)
21. Caolim Teahan (Glenbeigh-Glencar) for Sweeney (44)
22. Stefan Okunbar (Na Gaeil) for Ryan (55)
20. Kieran Dwyer (St Pat’s Blennerville) for Potts (56)
24. Cormac Linnane (Beale) for Moynihan (59)
12. Tomás O’Connor (Ballymacelligott) for Clifford (60+2)

Derry

1. Ben McKinless (Baile an Doire)

2. Conor McCluskey (Machaire Fíolta)
3. Gearóid McLaughlin (Cill Ria)
4. Aaron Bradley (Baile na Scríne)

7. Simon McErlain (Machaire Fíolta)
6. Eoghan Concannon (Baile Stíl)
5. Pádraig McGrogan (Droichead Nua)

8. Patrick Coney (An Lúb)
9. Conor Doherty (Droichead Nua)

10. Séamus Higgins (Dún Geimhin)
11. Caolan Devlin (An Lúb)
12. Patrick Quigg (Cill Ria)

13. Shea Downey (Leamhaigh)
14. Feargal Higgins (Dún Geimhin)
15. Eoghan Bradley (Baile Stíl)

Subs: 

20. Odhrán McKeever (Dún Geimhin) for Concannon (34)
22. Oisín McWilliams (Suaitreach) for Downey (37)
23. Seán Mortimer (An Charraig Bhán) for McLaughlin (44)
24. Ronan Young (Machaire Fíolta) for Doherty (45)
18. Larry Kielt (Cill Ria) for Bradley (51)
17. John Paul Devlin (Baile na Scríne) for McCluskey (55).

Referee: John Hickey (Carlow)

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