A GAME THAT finishes 3-17 to 0-17 is not one that usually gets remembered as a defensive masterclass, but that’s exactly what this U20 All-Ireland semi-final was.
The record books will show that the Tralee trio of Daniel Kirby, Paddy Lane and Tomás Kennedy combined to score 3-10 between them, but each of those goals came in the second half of extra-time, and it was the score after 60 minutes (0-11 each) that was a better summation of the type of game that was played in Semple Stadium tonight.
Kerry will advance to try and deny Tyrone three All-Irelands in succession later this month, but when Ruairí Kilcline turned and swung over an equaliser with two minutes left in stoppage time, it looked as if we were about to have yet another Roscommon fairytale.
Six points down with eight minutes to play, having scored a mere 0-5 in that opening 52 minutes, Roscommon pulled another comeback out of the fire, rattling off five late scores, including a Charlie O’Carroll free, despite the full forward barely being able to move at that stage.
If it wasn’t for a brilliant strip tackle by Dara Stack to rob Stephen Tighe on the last attack, they might even have stolen it inside the hour.
Roscommon's Keelan Kelly dejected after the match. Dan Clohessy / INPHO
Dan Clohessy / INPHO / INPHO
At 0-15 to 0-12 after the first half of extra time, Roscommon had the strong wind to come for the last 10 minutes and were still right there. Kirby took a pass from Jack Joy, who made a transformational impact after coming off the bench, and fired low through a sea of Roscommon legs and into the net, and Kerry never looked back.
The scoreline was incredibly harsh on the backs of both teams, who were exceptional. Roscommon’s Michael Gillooly and Nikita Berzins stood out against elite forwards in Lane and Kennedy, while Kerry’s discipline and diligence as a collective unit was exceptional.
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It was 0-2 each after eight minutes and 0-8 to 0-2 at half-time in favour of the wind-assisted Kingdom. Kirby, Jack O’Sullivan and Gearóid White put in a world of work in the trenches, with Gearóid Evans the linchpin of a watertight full back line.
There were still six points in it approaching the end, when Roscommon mounted a final surge, building on points from McGuinness and a Charlie O’Carroll double.
They nearly got there too, but Stack’s tackle was yet another brilliant defensive play, and the one that tipped the scale.
Kerry's Mark O'Carroll and Nikita Birzins of Roscommon. Dan Clohessy / INPHO
Dan Clohessy / INPHO / INPHO
Scorers for Kerry: Paddy Lane 1-4 (0-2f), Daniel Kirby 1-3, Tomás Kennedy 1-3, Jack Gearóid White 0-3 (1 2pt score), O’Sullivan 0-1, Jack Joy 0-1, Dara Hogan 0-1, Máirtín McKivergan 0-1.
Scorers for Roscommon: Charlie O’Carroll 0-6 (0-2f, 2 2pt frees), John McGuinness 0-4, Ruairí Kilcline 0-3 (0-1f), Niall Heneghan 0-1, Dean Casey 0-1, Patrick Gaynor 0-1 (45), Conor Grogan 0-1f.
Kerry
1. Kacper Robak (Dr Crokes)
4. Dara Stack (Kilcummin), 3. Gearóid Evans (Keel), 2. Michael Lynch (Milltown Castlemaine)
5. Eoin O’Flaherty (Ardfert), 6. Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), 7. Pa Walsh (Listowel Emmets)
8. Evan Boyle (Ballyduff), 9. Daniel Kirby (Austin Stacks)
12. Mark O’Carroll (Dr. Crokes), 11. Gearóid White (John Mitchels), 10. Jack O’Sullivan (Kenmare)
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Kerry's extra-time surge sends them past Roscommon and into All-Ireland U20 final
Kerry 3-17 (3-1-15)
Roscommon 0-17 (0-2-13)
(After extra-time)
Kevin Egan reports from FBD Semple Stadium
A GAME THAT finishes 3-17 to 0-17 is not one that usually gets remembered as a defensive masterclass, but that’s exactly what this U20 All-Ireland semi-final was.
The record books will show that the Tralee trio of Daniel Kirby, Paddy Lane and Tomás Kennedy combined to score 3-10 between them, but each of those goals came in the second half of extra-time, and it was the score after 60 minutes (0-11 each) that was a better summation of the type of game that was played in Semple Stadium tonight.
Kerry will advance to try and deny Tyrone three All-Irelands in succession later this month, but when Ruairí Kilcline turned and swung over an equaliser with two minutes left in stoppage time, it looked as if we were about to have yet another Roscommon fairytale.
Six points down with eight minutes to play, having scored a mere 0-5 in that opening 52 minutes, Roscommon pulled another comeback out of the fire, rattling off five late scores, including a Charlie O’Carroll free, despite the full forward barely being able to move at that stage.
If it wasn’t for a brilliant strip tackle by Dara Stack to rob Stephen Tighe on the last attack, they might even have stolen it inside the hour.
At 0-15 to 0-12 after the first half of extra time, Roscommon had the strong wind to come for the last 10 minutes and were still right there. Kirby took a pass from Jack Joy, who made a transformational impact after coming off the bench, and fired low through a sea of Roscommon legs and into the net, and Kerry never looked back.
The scoreline was incredibly harsh on the backs of both teams, who were exceptional. Roscommon’s Michael Gillooly and Nikita Berzins stood out against elite forwards in Lane and Kennedy, while Kerry’s discipline and diligence as a collective unit was exceptional.
It was 0-2 each after eight minutes and 0-8 to 0-2 at half-time in favour of the wind-assisted Kingdom. Kirby, Jack O’Sullivan and Gearóid White put in a world of work in the trenches, with Gearóid Evans the linchpin of a watertight full back line.
There were still six points in it approaching the end, when Roscommon mounted a final surge, building on points from McGuinness and a Charlie O’Carroll double.
They nearly got there too, but Stack’s tackle was yet another brilliant defensive play, and the one that tipped the scale.
Scorers for Kerry: Paddy Lane 1-4 (0-2f), Daniel Kirby 1-3, Tomás Kennedy 1-3, Jack Gearóid White 0-3 (1 2pt score), O’Sullivan 0-1, Jack Joy 0-1, Dara Hogan 0-1, Máirtín McKivergan 0-1.
Scorers for Roscommon: Charlie O’Carroll 0-6 (0-2f, 2 2pt frees), John McGuinness 0-4, Ruairí Kilcline 0-3 (0-1f), Niall Heneghan 0-1, Dean Casey 0-1, Patrick Gaynor 0-1 (45), Conor Grogan 0-1f.
Kerry
1. Kacper Robak (Dr Crokes)
4. Dara Stack (Kilcummin), 3. Gearóid Evans (Keel), 2. Michael Lynch (Milltown Castlemaine)
5. Eoin O’Flaherty (Ardfert), 6. Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), 7. Pa Walsh (Listowel Emmets)
8. Evan Boyle (Ballyduff), 9. Daniel Kirby (Austin Stacks)
12. Mark O’Carroll (Dr. Crokes), 11. Gearóid White (John Mitchels), 10. Jack O’Sullivan (Kenmare)
13. Ronan Carroll (Austin Stacks), 14. Tomás Kennedy (Kerin’s O’Rahillys), 15. Paddy Lane (Austin Stacks)
Subs
Roscommon
1. Patrick Gaynor (Western Gaels)
2. Diarmuid O’Higgins (Clann na nGael), 4. Nikita Berzins (Shannon Gaels), 3. Michael Gillooly (Roscommon Gaels)
7. Colin Murray (Fuerty), 5. Keelan Kelly (Pádraig Pearses), 6. Eoghan Carthy (Roscommon Gaels)
8. Niall Heneghan (Michael Glaveys), 9. Cathal Enright (Elphin)
10. Cathal McKeon (Boyle), 15. John McGuinness (Roscommon Gaels), 12. Eoin Collins (St Croan’s)
13. John Curran (Castlerea St Kevin’s), 14. Charlie O’Carroll (St Brigid’s), 11. Dean Casey (Ballinameen)
Subs
Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois).
*****
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GAA Gaelic Football Kerry Kingdom Come Roscommon