Kerry 2-14

Clare 1-07

CLARE’S HOPES OF claiming a first provincial minor football title in 67 years were dashed on Tuesday evening by a superior Kerry outfit whose goals at the beginning and end of the opening half-constructed a solid platform from which they were never knocked from.

Indeed, it was the combination of Keith Evans and Cian McMahon that did the damage when it came to the Kingdom’s green flags. A quick pop pass from McMahon teed up Evans to slot the ball past Thomas Collins on five minutes.

Later in the half, Evans capitalised on a lost Clare kickout and managed to turn over possession before hand-passing the ball in the direction of McMahon who duly palmed the ball to the net.

Two early wides from Clare came at the wrong juncture but Dermot Coughlan’s charges did come into the tie with three converted frees from Diarmuid Fahy and two excellent white flags from captain Brendan Rouine. However they conceded 1-02 without reply at the conclusion of the first half to trail 2-05 0-05 at the interval.

Most effective on the counter-attack, Kerry really troubled their opponents with the pace at which they moved from defence to attack. Clare for their part were at their best when quickly distributing the ball through the hands, particularly up front.

James Costelloe’s winners kept the Banner scoreless in the third quarter while adding five points of their own, Cillian Burke and Darragh O’Sullivan firing two each. Clare’s second-half highlight was their first score of this period, Dylan O’Brien set up Craig Riordan with the full-forward making no mistake with his finish to deny Sean Broderick a clean sheet. A second yellow card for Brian McNamara ensured Clare finished the contest with fourteen.

It’s now eight Munster titles in a row for the Kingdom, a feat they have not completed since the 1940s and 1950s (the absence of competitions in 1942, 1943 and 1944 did not disrupt their crusade to nine successive championships). In the present day, it was the displays of Cillian Burke, Cian McMahon, Paudie O’Leary and Keith Evans that led the way.

Scorers Kerry: Cian McMahon (1-02 1f), Keith Evans (1-01), Cillian Burke (0-03), Paudie O’Leary (0-02), Darragh O’Sullivan (0-02 1f), Caolán O’Connell (0-01), Oisin Mounsell (0-01), Maurice O’Connell (0-01), Ruairí Burns (0-01)

Scorers Clare: Craig Riordan (1-01), Diarmuid Fahy (0-03 3f), Brendan Rouine (0-02), Michael Nash (0-01).

Kerry

1. Sean Broderick (John Mitchells)

2. Cian O’Donoghue (St Marys Cahersiveeen)
3. Joey Nagle (Austin Stacks)
4. Dara O’Callaghan (Kilcummin)

8. Oisín Maunsell (Na Gaeill)
6. Armin Heinrich (Austin Stacks)
5. Paudie O’Leary (Gneeveguilla)

7. Cillian Burke (Miltown/Castlemaine)
9. Caolán Ó Connaill (Castlegregory)

14: Aaron O’Shea (Listroy)
10. Keith Evans (Kill)
12. Thomas O’Donnell (Castlegregory)

13. Cian McMahon (Dr Crokes)
11. William Shine (Killarney Legion)
15. Darragh O’Sullivan (Churchill)

Subs:

22. Maurice O’Connell (Castlegregory) for Shine (42′)
23. Jordan Kissane (Austin Stacks) for O’Shea (42′)
17. Ruairí Burns (Sneem) for O’Sullivan (48′)
18. Jack McElligott (Listowel Emmets) for O’Donoghue (50′)
19. Darragh Fleming (Killarney Legion) O’Leary (50′)

Clare

1. Thomas Collins (Lissycasey)

4. Dara Rouine (Ennistymon)
3. Fergal Guinnane (Kildysart)
2. Mark O’Loughlin (Corofin)

7. Josh Guyler (Ennistymon)
6. Fionn Kelleher (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield)
5. Odhran Cunningham (Killimer)

9. Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)
8. Brendan Rouine (Ennistymon)

12. Dara Nagle (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield)
11. Cillian McGroary (Corofin)
10. Dylan O’Brien (Kilrush)

15. Diarmuid Fahy (Ennistymon)
14. Craig Riordan (Wolfe Tones)
13. Eoghan Killeen (Doonbeg)

Subs:

17. Michael Nash (St Josephs Doora/Barefield) for Cunningham (46′)
22. Daithí Lohan (Wolfe Tones) for Rouine (53′)
18. Sean McMahon (St Josephs Miltown) for Nagle (53′)

Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick)