Mike O’Halloran reports from Austin Stack Park as the Kerry hurlers got past a tough Meath challenge…
Kerry’s Daniel Collins gets his shot away despite Alan Douglas’ efforts during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Kerry 1-23
Meath 2-18
In round two of the Christy Ring Cup, Colm Harty had the ball in the Meath net after forty seconds, but that was as good as it got for Kerry in the first half.
They went in at halftime 1-9 to 1-13 down and were struggling to get to grips with a physical skilful Meath team.
Kerry were in bother around the middle for most of the first half which was riddled with frees – decisions that, to my mind, were very easily given and frees that will not come as easy in Division 1B next season.
Gotcha!…Mikey Boyle reached highest to catch the sliotar during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Padraig Boyle had Kerry’s second point on six and a half minutes from 65 metres but Meath drew level when their impressive Jack Regan pointed four minutes later.
Points were exchanged between Nolan, Michael Burke, Willie McGrath and Jack Regan, before Regan put a penalty stroke under the body of James Logue in the Kerry goals to make the score on 21 minutes, Meath 1-6 Kerry 1-3.
Then Meath added a further ten points before the break to Kerry’s six.
Kerry did have a goal chance from David Butler, but the Tipp man struck the post with a beautifully placed stroke. He made amends two minutes later with a nice point.
Mikey Boyle advances chased by Meath’s Shane Brennan during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Sean Weir replaced Adrian Royle for the second half and was on the pitch 30 seconds when he was at the end of a poor clearance and tapped over. Jack Fagan replied for Meath on three minutes.
Kerry were still struggling, but they were clawing their way back to parity, helped mainly by Shane Nolan’s frees and were only a point behind when Padraig Boyle struck a monster point to leave only one between them with ten minutes gone in the second period, Kerry 1-14 Meath 1-15.
Three minutes later, Michael Boyle had a goal chance tipped over for a point by Shane McCann the Meath keeper.
Two minutes later, Michael set up Colm Harty with another goal chance which was deflected for a 65. Nolan took the shot and pointed it to leave the score after 17 and a half minutes of the second half, Kerry 1-16. Meath 1-18.
Colm Harty lets fly on goal during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
The introduction of Rory Horgan in place of Bryan Murphy and the moving of Patrick Kelly to midfield was having an influence on the game and Horgan popped up from the back for a point before Nolan levelled matters on 20 minutes 1-18 to 1-18.
Kerry were never to relinquish the lead from there on, as Padraig Boyle, Daniel Collins and Michael Boyle added further points.
Meath hit the crossbar with a goal chance on 29 minutes and with the second last play of the game they had a goal from Willie McGrath.
The referee did not allow play to develop from the puck out to allow Meath time to perhaps get a further score, when he blew exactly on time.
Again, as we said last week, a win is a win, a job has been done and Kerry are one game away from a Christy Ring Final.
But it was far from convincing and perhaps if this game had been played away from home, the result might have been different – the Kerry supporters are very vocal if not large in number.
So now we await their opponents in two weeks time in the semis with a little bit of work to be done in the meantime to win this hard won Cup.
Scroll down for more photos…
Kerry team in a huddle after the Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Patrick Kelly about to kick away the sliotar during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Action during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Mikey Boyle and David Butler in action during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Colm Harty in action during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Meath’s Keith Keoghan looks for options with Kerry’s Shane Nolan at close quarters during the Kerry v Meath Christy Ring Cup match in Austin Stack Park on Saturday. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
