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Sean O’Shea lifts the cup for Kerry. Image: TG4
KERRY minors completed a fantastic three in a row in Croke Park this afternoon beating Galway 3-7 to 0-9 and displaying again how the future is so bright for Kerry football.
A nervy first half by both sides – where Kerry only managed four scores – was followed by a tough second period where the Kingdom only drove on in the final 10 minutes past a courageous group of Tribesmen.
Fossa starlet David Clifford provided the vital score on 52 minutes when he scored a super goal as Galway appeared to be coming into the game.
Kerry scored in the second minute but it would be a while before the next score as both sides had trouble with the slippery ball and could not penetrate each other’s defences.
On 18 minutes though, Kerry made a breakthrough as Sean O’Shea sent a high ball in which Diarmuid O’Connor patted into the net.
Galway got their first score on the 21st minute, but a minute later Kerry struck again with the twin towers threat delivering.
David Clifford caught a high ball about 10 metres from goal and he fed David Shaw who slotted the ball into the corner of the net.
That made it 2-01 to 0-1, but Galway responded immediately with a point.
David Shaw pointed again on 29 minutes, a lovely turn and shot from 30 yards out. Shaw then won a free a minute later, but David Clifford surprisingly sent it wide from 30 yards.
Kerry then with a commanding lead at half-time 2-02 to 0-02.
Galway came out and scored two quick points in the first minute of the second half, as Kerry took time to find any rhythm to their game.
The boys from the west closed the gap further on the 41st minute with a pointed free to put just a four points between the sides.
Some nice passing led to a point from Niall Collins on 42 minutes as Kerry got off the mark for the second half. Then Sean O’Shea seemingly scored a beauty from 30 yards out near the sideline but Hawkeye ruled it out.
Galway closed the gap further with a point from Ryan Forde on 44 minutes but Dara Moynihan pointed immediately after to restore the four-point difference for Kerry. Robert Finnerty pointed for Galway to put just a score between the sides in the 47th minute and on 51 minutes there was just two between the sides with another pointed free from Desmond Conneelly.
Galway showed some tenacious defending, but then the lad from Fossa again showed his class on 52 minutes. David Clifford scored an amazing goal, running from nearly halfway to rifle the ball to the top corner of the net to make it 3-4 to 0-08.
The Tribesmen tried to come back, but Kerry’s defenders repelled the Galway invaders. A point from Rory Cunningham on 58 minutes narrowed the gap to four, but Dara Moynihan, who won Man Of The Match on TG4, restored the difference with a fine score a minute later. Points in injury time from Sean O’Shea and Cormac Linnane made the final score 3-7 to 0-9.
Kerry’s day then and well-deserved after the amazing entertainment they have given us this year.
Scorers
Kerry: D Shaw (1-1); D Clifford, D O’Connor (1-0 each); S O’Shea (0-2 frees), D Moynihan (0-2 each); N Collins, C Linnane (0-1 each).
Galway: R Finnerty (0-3, 0-2 frees); D Conneely (0-2, 0-3 frees); A Quirke, C D’Arcy, R Forde, R Cunningham (0-1 each).
TEAMS
Kerry: B Courtney; D Naughte, N Collins, G O’Sullivan; M Potts, D O’Brien, M Foley; M Breen, M Ryan; D O’Connor, S O’Shea, D Moynihan; B Friel, D Clifford, D Shaw.
Subs: C Linnane (Beale) for Friel (48); C Teehan (Glenbeigh-Glencar) for Collins (53); B Sweeney (Listowel Emmets) for Shaw (57); K Dwyer (St Pat’s, Blennerville) for ; S Okunbor (Na Gaeil) for O’Connor (65)
Galway: C Haslam; E McFadden, S Mulkerrin, L Boyle; A Quirke, E McDonagh, F Garvey; C D’Arcy, J Maher; F Ó Laoi, E Murphy, R Forde; R Finnerty, S Raftery, D Conneely
Subs: B Goldrick (Claregalway) for Murphy (38 mins); R Murphy (Bearna) for Raftery (49); R Cunningham (St Brendan’s) for Finnerty (55); E Deely (Salthill-Knocknacarra) for Garvey (56).
