REPORT/PHOTOS: A Disappointing End To Kerry’s Championship Journey

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Mike O’Halloran was in Tullamore yesterday to see Kerry crash out of the Leinster SHC to a superior Offaly side…

Kerry 0-20

Offaly 3-19

Kerry Offaly Philip Lucid and Brandon Barrett put Dermot Rooney under pressure

Kerry’s Philip Lucid and Brandon Barrett put Dermot Rooney under pressure. Photo by Mike O’Halloran

Kerry hurlers scored twenty points and still come away without a win. Hard to believe it, but that is how it was.

Harder to believe is that Kerry were still in touch late into the second half, given the below par displays by quite a number of the players on display.

Kerry had opened the scoring and looked like there might be a repeat of the heroics in Birr a few weeks ago. Offaly got to grips with the game and were pressing in all areas.

Continued below…

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Kerry only trailed at halftime by a point 1-9 to 0-11, that despite going 17 minutes without a score from the sixth to the 23rd minute.

From that 23rd minute, Kerry added six points – their eleven points came from seven different scorers.

Even though Kerry were only a point behind at the break there was no great confidence among the travelling supporters that thing might improve in the second half.

Kerry Offaly Tom Murnane under pressure

Tom Murnane under pressure from Offaly forwards. Photo: Mike O’Halloran

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The goal that Offaly managed to manufacture towards the end of the first half had been coming for a while, as the Kerry inside line was in all sorts of bother from Joe Bergin and Shane Dooley.

Dooley had the easiest of tasks to push the ball to the net and even though the Kerry backs disputed the goal – the ref only had a cursory chat with the umpire on the matter – the goal stood.

The second-half began even enough, with Offaly allowing Kerry some breathing space with some missed scoring opportunities, until Joe Bergin capitalized on a mix up between two backs and the keeper, to put the ball into the net one handed over his head.

Kerry Offaly

Offaly’s Joe Bergin puts Jason Diggins under pressure. Photo: Mike O’Halloran

That was followed from the puck out by a point. Daylight appeared between the teams and that gap was never to be closed.

Bergen, who was appearing in an Offaly jersey for 101st time, put the game beyond Kerry when he was presented with another easy goal opportunity.

Kerry were trying very hard to try to compete with a superior team who were ahead in every one of the basics of hurling, especially in the area of first touch.

Too many times we saw Kerry failing to get possession off the ground or in the air without taking sometimes three or four attempts.

Kerry Offaly Shane Dooley puts pressure on Ky

Offaly’s Shane Dooley is first to the sliotar. Photo: Mike O’Halloran

The team selection seemed to favour a running game with the ball being presented to the forwards low and fast, but there was no change in the puck out strategy from previous games where there were players on the field who could win ball in the air.

As previewed, Michael O’Leary was introduced to the aerial battle – he and his brother Brendan tried hard but it was not enough.

Kerry only threatened the goals twice, one shot from Shane Nolan hit the crossbar in the first half and James Dempsey pulled off a great save in the second.

Kerry bowed out of the Leinster Championship and their season ends.

Speaking to James McCarthy, the Kerry selector, after  the game, he hoped the panel would stay together and there would be no retirements.

Let’s hope it does, but will Darren Dineen, Tom Murnane, John Griffin and John Egan, who are the elder statesmen want to put their bodies on the line for one more season? Let’s hope they will.

Kerry v Offaly team May 22 1

Kerry players before the match on Sunday. Photo: Mike O’Halloran

Kerry Scorers: Shane Nolan 0-8 (0-6f), Brandon Barrett 0-3 John Egan 0-3, Daniel Collins 0-2, John Griffin 0-2, Jason Diggins 0-1, Tommmy Casey 0-1.

Offaly Scorers: Shane Dooley 1-10 (0-8f, 0-1 ’65, 0-1 SLC), Joe Bergin 2-2, Kevin Connolly 0-2, Shane Kinsella, James Mulrooney, Cillian Kiely, Paudge Guinan 0-1, Liam Langton 0-1.

KERRY: Aiden McCabe; Jason Diggins, Bryan Murphy, Patrick Kelly,  Daniel Collins, Tom Murnane, Keith Carmody, Darren Dineen, John Griffin, Jack Goulding, Shane Nolan, Jordan Conway, John Egan, Brandon Barrett, Philip Lucid,

Substitutes: Michael O’Leary for Philip Lucid (29), Dougie Fitzell for Bryan Murphy (52), Brendan O’Leary for Jordan Conway (55), Tommy Casey for Daniel Collins (60).

OFFALY: J Dempsey; C McDonald, D Shortt, P Rigney; D King, S Gardiner, D Mooney; S Ryan, P Camon; S Cleary; C Kiely, S Kinsella, P Murphy; S Dooley, J Mulrooney, J Bergin.

Substitutes: (K Connolly) Camon (35), (B Conneelly) Mooney (55), (P Guinan) Kinsella (58), (L Langton) Murphy (66), (S Cleary) Kiely (66).

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