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Mike O’Halloran was in Birr yesterday to see Kerry carve out a superb victory against Offaly…
Kerry 2-18
Offaly 2-17
The Kerry team and subs before the game yesterday. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
The sat-nav says it is two hours and 16 minutes from Tralee to Birr and so it is, after a drive of over two hours you hope to get a game to enjoy.
And boy did I get that!
The first few minutes in Birr did not auger well for the rest of the day as Offaly racked off one goal and three points at their ease, but from about fifteen minutes in there seemed to be a glimmer of hope, the sun came out and the Kerry boys lifted their game.
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By halftime the score was Offaly 1-11 Kerry 0-10 points, I’m sure Offaly went in at halftime thinking that all they had to do in the second half was to keep the score board ticking over and they would come out at the right side of this game.
Offaly did not reckon on the introduction of Colum Harty who replaced John Buckley at halftime, even though the Lixnaw man Buckley had done very little wrong, Harty added a bit more pace and his ability to run at pace at the Offaly defence proved the difference.
Daniel Collins prepares to strike a free. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
The second half was only a couple of minutes old when the Ardfert superman, John Egan, goaled for Kerry in a wonder solo effort.
Even though he had Michael Boyle on his inside if he needed him, Egan went alone and struck a beauty to the net to stun the home crowd.
Four points later, Harty drove at the Offaly rearguard and blasted to the net. The ball came back off the spare hurleys in the net and just in case the umpire didn’t see it Egan made sure by batting the ball to the net – the umpire was already bending his back for the green flag.
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Offaly also had a goal from James Mulrooney ten minutes into the second half.
With 35 minutes gone in the final half, Kerry led by two points. The referee added four minutes to the thirty five but that amount of time only returned Offaly a pointed 65 from Shane Dooley. Offaly did have a few chances of scores to level matters but were reduced to shooting from long range as the Kerry backs were in charge inside.
John Egan points a free. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
There were numerous heroes on the field; John Egan up front was the scorer in chief but those scores were hard earned by the work of the O’Learys, Michael Boyle, Jordan Conway, Colum Harty and John Buckley.
At the back Brian Murphy got to grips with Shane Dooley. His club mate Keith Carmody was terrier-like, young Jason Diggins was composed at wing back, the experience of Murnane was telling and the aggression and vision of Darren Dineen shut out Offaly in the second half.
Daniel Collins and John Griffin were sniper-like in midfield, allowing no comfort on the ball to the Offaly boys.
In the end, Kerry won an enthralling game by a point and after their Trojan efforts they still have to face a play off against a team that won no game in order to stay in this division – what a farcical situation!
Kerry might as well not have bothered winning any match as their reward would have still been the same.
Ok, Kerry will have gained a huge amount of experience at this level, experience that can be drawn on for the Leinster championship Round Robin series in May.
Apparently, the play off game against Laois will be a home venue for Kerry. There is talk of a double header with the football game versus Cork.
My advice to the hurlers is bring this game to Abbeydorney and forget about the hype of the double header.
Bring the hurlers home and let their neighbours enjoy their journey in Division 1B.
Scorers for Offaly: S Dooley 0-13 (8f,Sl, ’65), J Bergin 1-1, J Mulrooney 1-1, C Egan 0-1, S Ryan 0-1
Scorers for Kerry: John Egan 1-10 (9f), Colum Harty 1-0, Jordan Conway 0-3, Michael Boyle 0-2, John Griffin 0-2, Shane Nolan 0-1
OFFALY: J Dempsey, N Wynne, C McDonald, P Rigney; P Camon, C Doughan D Shortt; S Ryan, S Kinsella; P Murphy, C Egan, S Dooley; S Cleary, J Bergin, J Mulrooney. Subs: J Sampson for Murphy, C Kiely for Cleary, K Connolly for Kinsella, S Connolly for Wynne, P Guinan for Ryan.
KERRY: Aiden McCabe; Bryan Murphy, Patrick Kelly (Sean Weir), Keith Carmody, Jason Diggins (Thomas Casey), Darren Dineen, Tom Murnane, Daniel Collins, John Griffin(Philip Lucid), John Buckley (Colum Harty), Michael O’Leary, Brendan O’Leary (Shane Nolan), Jordan Conway, Michael Boyle, John Egan.
