REPORT/PHOTOS: Kerry Hurlers Defeated In First Outing Of 2016

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Mike O’Halloran was in Limerick on Sunday for the Kerry senior hurling team’s first outing of the year…

Daniel Collins 1

Daniel Collins running out with Kerry on Sunday. Photo by Mike O’Halloran

Limerick 2-23

Kerry 0-18

The Kerry hurlers began their 2016 season with a trip to the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Sunday, to play in round one of Munster Senior League.

Kerry came to Limerick with a few changes from their last line up in 2015.

The line out was further changed before the start of the game when Dougie  Fitzell and his fellow Kilmoyley man Tom Murnane and Brendan Brosnan joined them on the sick list, they were replaced by Sean Weir, Philip Lucid and John Buckley.

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Jason Diggins replaced Kevin Skinner on the replacements bench.

Within three minutes Kerry were three points behind when three different Limerick players Morrison, Hannon and O’Mahony had a point each. Shane Nolan opened his account with a pointed free.

Philip Lucid and John Griffin had points for Kerry after Daniel Collins prevented a certain goal from Declan Hannon, when he hooked the Adare man as he pulled the trigger.

Kerry trailed 0-6 points to 0-3 after ten minutes, and on eleven minutes Limerick had another goal chance smothered by the Kerry defence and cleared by Aiden McCabe.

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The Kerry team which played Limerick in the Munster Senior League on Sunday. Photo by Dermot Crean

On 17 minutes McCabe was again to Kerry’s rescue when he saved a pile driver from Declan Hannon. He was unable to keep out a low shot from David Reidy putting Limerick ahead 1-8 to 0-3 with 18 minutes on the clock.

By 30 minutes Limerick had another goal chance from Hannon but he pushed the ball wide with an empty net inviting a better strike. McCabe denied Limerick another goal when he pushed the ball out for a 65.

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The halftime score was Limerick 1-14 points to 0-5 for Kerry,  Philip Lucid and Michael O’Leary adding a point each in the 22 minutes since Kerry’s last score.

At halftime Jason Diggins and Jordan Conway replaced John Buckley and Philip Lucid, Limerick again had the first score of the second period before John Griffin pointed for Kerry.

By the 20 minute mark, Limerick led by 2-21 to 0-10, the second Limerick goal came from the stick of Michael Ryan despite the heroics of Aiden McCabe, who saved the first effort but Ryan was able to force the ball over the line in the sticky conditions.

Kerry were never in a position to win this game and Limerick were comfortable for the full 70 minutes. Kerry did keep the scoreboard ticking over with points, but only presented themselves with one real goal scoring chance when Keith Carmody shot towards the net but the shot was deflected for a 65 which Shane Nolan duly pointed.

Kerry did outscore Limerick in the second half but in fairness to the Treaty side, they had reduced their intensity from when they scored the second goal and the score line could be a lot worse but for a man of the match performance from the plumber from Kilmoyley, Aiden McCabe, who was on hand on at least four occasions to fix a rather leaky Kerry defence.

Final score; Limerick 2-23  Kerry 0-18.

Kerry were beaten today but it must be remembered that they have had no time to get some hurling practice in due to the weather and they looked like a group that are working hard in the gym and need to get some pucking done.

Still, a lot to look forward to in 2016 with this team who never gave up and plugged away to the bitter end. They will find it difficult to compete if they remain scoreless for over 20 minutes.

I was speaking to one of the senior players prior to the game, he reported that the training is intense very focussed and as challenging as he has ever experienced.

We have Cork to look forward to next Sunday in Killarney. It would be nice to see Kerry people come out and support the other Kerry team in Division 1.

Kerry:

Aiden McCabe, Sean Weir, Brendan O’Leary, (2pts), Bryan Murphy, Thomas Casey, Philip Lucid (2pts) (Jordan Conway), John Buckley (Jason Diggins), John Griffin (3pts), Paudie O’Connor (1pt)(Mike Milner), Colm Harty, Michael O’Leary (2pts), Shane Nolan (8pts 65, 2p, 5f.), Keith Carmody, James O’Connor (Ger Stackpoole), Daniel Collins.

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