Munster Senior Football Championship Semi-Final
Courtesy of GAA.ie
Kerry 0-25
Tipperary 0-5
By Paul Brennan at Fitzgerald Stadium
Kerry swatted Tipperary aside by 20 points on route to a provincial final meeting with either Clare or Limerick in a fortnight.
The story of this game is easily told with a few numbers. Kerry scored 25 points, 17 of them from play, and coming from 11 different players. Tipperary scored just five points, just two from play (both from half backs) and only one starting forward raising a flag, and that from an advanced mark.
That Kerry won at such a canter with David Clifford failing to score from play, and Tony Brosnan having a first half penalty well saved confirms how dominant the home team were.
It took 10 minutes for the first score to arrive via Paudie Clifford before Tipperary defender Kevin Fahey clipped over an equaliser a minute later.
Kerry were five ahead when Colm O’Shaughnessy came up the other Tipperary wing to kick the visitors’ second point, but with Kerry being patient and precise in breaking down a massed Tipperary rear-guard, points from the indomitable Tom O’Sullivan, David Clifford (free), Jason Foley, Sean O’Shea, Brosnan and Paul Geaney (mark) eased the defending champions to a 0-12 to 0-2 half time lead.
It would have been worse but for Michael O’Reilly’s sharp save to keep out Brosnan’s 30th minute penalty for what looked like a foot block by Colman Kennedy on David Clifford as he teed up a shot on goal.
The first half won by 0-12 to 0-2, Kerry went on to win the second half 0-13 to 0-3, with Tom O’Sullivan raiding up from corner back to kick another two points. Brosnan put that penalty miss behind him to finish with five points from play.
Tipperary midfielder Jack Kennedy converted a free and a ‘45’ while full forward Stephen Quirke knocked over a ‘mark’, but it was in vain for a team that sorely missed their captain and best forward Conor Sweeney, and that will need to re-set ahead of the Tailteann Cup that awaits them.
For Kerry there was return to competitive action for the first time this year for Brian Ó Beaglaoich and Stephen O’Brien.
Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea 0-7 (4f, 1m), T Brosnan 0-5, T O’Sullivan 0-3, P Geaney 0-2 (2m), D Clifford 0-2 (2f), J Foley 0-1, D O’Connor 0-1, D Moynihan 0-1, P Clifford 0-1, K Spillane 0-1, R Murphy 0-1.
Scorers for Tipperary: J Kennedy 0-2 (1f, 1 ‘45’), K Fahey 0-1, C O’Shaughnessy 0-1, S Quirke 0-1 (m).
Kerry: Shane Ryan, Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan, Paul Murphy, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White, Jack Barry, Diarmuid O’Connor, Dara Moynihan, Seán O’Shea, Paudie Clifford, Tony Brosnan, David Clifford, Paul Geaney.
Subs: Brian Ó Beaglaoich (Dingle) for P Murphy (55), Barry O’Sullivan (Dingle) for J Barry (55), Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for P Geaney (55), Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare) for P Clifford (58), Ruairí Murphy (Listry) for D Moynihan (58).
Tipperary: Michael O’Reilly, Shane O’Connell, Jimmy Feehan, Willie Eviston, Kevin Fahey, Coleman Kennedy, Colm O’Shaughnessy, Mark Russell, Jack Kennedy, Emmet Moloney, Teddy Doyle, Keith Ryan, Steven O’Brien, Stephen Quirke, Cathal Deely.
Subs: Luke Boland for E Moloney (temp, 50-53), Luke Boland for K Fahey (55), Mikey O’Shea for T Doyle (58), Martin Kehoe for W Eviston (64), Donough for S O’Brien (64), Conal Kennedy for S Quirke (66).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
By kerrygaaeditor Sat 22nd Apr
