GAA, Sport

Mitchels Man Captains Kerry To Munster Crown

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John Mitchels and Kerry Junior captain, Alan O'Donoghue lifting the Munster Junior Cup for Kerry. Photo Anne O'Donoghue, Twitter.
John Mitchels and Kerry Junior captain, Alan O’Donoghue lifting the Munster Junior Cup for Kerry. Photo: Anne O’Donoghue, Twitter.

IT was a proud night for John Mitchels as one of their men, Alan O’Donoghue, lifted the Munster Cup for the Kerry Juniors against Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn.

O’Donoghue, played his part as Kerry stormed to a 1-20 to 0-8 victory against the old enemy last night, getting the ball rolling in a week where Kerry will challenge for two more Munster titles.

The Mitchels man captained the side in the absence of an Ardfert player in the starting 15 as their St Brendan’s divisional partners were Kerry Junior champions in 2014.

Continued below…

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An Ardfert man was in charge of the side however. Stephen Wallace, managed Kerry to back-to-back Munster junior championships for the first time since 2002-2003.

Kerry subjected Cork to a second half onslaught, outscoring the Leesiders by 1-15 to 0-3. It was a mammoth overturn in fortunes as Kerry had actually went in trailing by three points at the end of the first half.

The key-man on the night was, Conor Cox, who scored 1-7 from play. Alan O’Donoghue, who lined out at centre-forward, got one point from play and was very close to getting a goal in the second half when his shot cannoned off the back of the Cork goalie.

Páirc Uí Rinn has proved a notoriously difficult nut to crack for Kerry teams in recent years and last night’s victory was the first by any Kerry side at the city ground since 2008.

Scorers for Kerry:

C. Cox (1-7, 1-0 pen, 2 frees, 1 45); J. O’Donoghue (0-6); T. Hickey and B. Crowley (0-2 each); A. O’Donoghue, E. Kiely, G. O’Sullivan (0-1 each).

KERRY

S. Murphy (Kilcummin); D. O’Donoghue (Spa), J. McGuire (Listowel Emmetts), D. Culhane (Ballylongford); J. Walsh (Knocknagoshel), T. Morley (Templenoe), G. Crowley (Templenoe); B. O’Sullivan (Valentia), L. Kearney (Spa); B. Crowley (Templenoe), J. O’Donoghue (Glenflesk), P. O’Connor (Cordal); A. O’Donoghue (John Mitchels, capt.), C. Cox (Listowel Emmetts), T. Hickey (Castleisland Desmonds).

Subs: G. O’Sullivan (Listry) for Kearney (25); E. Kiely (Brosna) for B. O’Sullivan (36); A. Barry (Brosna) for B. Crowley (54); M. Brennan (Churchill) for D. O’Donoghue (57); G. Gibson (Waterville) for G. Crowley, D. Griffin (Ardfert) for J. O’Donoghue (both 60).

CORK

A. Seymour (Castlehaven); A. J. O’Connor (Kiskeam), D. Murphy (Ballincollig), J. MacLoughlin (Kanturk); S. Kiely (Macroom, capt.), J. Collins (St.Mary’s), B. Daly (Newmarket); M.Ó Laoire (Naomh Abán), C. Brosnan (Brian Dillons); J. Corkery (Aghabullogue), B. Coughlan (Kinsale), M. Sugrue (Bandon); A.O’Connor (Knocknagree), S. Hickey (Rockchapel), A. Barry (Glanmire).

Subs: T. J.Brosnan (Newmarket) for O’Connor (7); P. Condon (Mayfield) for Barry (39); P. Daly (St. Mary’s) for Collins (45); R. O’Hagan (Fermoy) for O’Connor (51); J. Ryan (Newmarket) for Murphy (54).