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McGrath Cup Quarter Final – IT Tralee 4-12 Kerry 0-16

January 11, 2015 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

IT Tralee defeated Kerry by 4-12 to 0-16 in the Quarter-Final of the McGrath Cup on Sunday January 11th at Austin Stack Park Tralee.

Click to view photos from the game

Tommy Walsh kept in reserve as IT Tralee stun Kerry

By Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper

IT Tralee 4-12 Kerry 0-16: Kerry U21 selector John Shanahan has hinted that senior boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice dictated that the returning Tommy Walsh play no part in yesterday’s McGrath Cup quarter-final.

With the All-Ireland champions enjoying a team holiday in South Africa, U21 manager Darragh Ó Sé was asked to take charge at the eleventh hour, fielding a relatively inexperienced side comprising of U21 and junior players. Ó’Sé’s U21 management team had sought the services of Tommy Walsh, but were informed the Kerins O’Rahilly’s forward was unavailable for the fixture.

The makeshift Kingdom outfit were undone by a rousing closing surge from Noel Kennelly’s IT Tralee, who although facing into a strong gale, outscored Kerry by 3-6 to 0-3 during the final 23 minutes of action.

Fitzmaurice’s All-Ireland winning squad were expected to return home this week to a McGrath Cup semi-final. Instead it is the students who will square off against UCC next Sunday. “I don’t think this result will affect the plans of the senior management,” said Shanahan. “I imagine they will want to get a couple of sessions under their belt before they start playing competitive games.” He added: “We put it out there that we were looking for players and word came back to us that Tommy Walsh was unavailable. I presume Eamonn wants him first hand to himself for training before he met someone like us.”

Five unanswered points from Gavin O’Grady (free), Paul Kennelly, Liam Carey, Killian Spillane (free) and Gary Sayers moved Kerry 0-13 to 1-6 clear early at the change of ends and with the elements in support, general consensus was that Kerry would close out the win with minimum fuss. A Conor Keane converted penalty on 47 minutes for a foul on substitute Padraig O’Shea kick-started IT Tralee’s resurgence and O’Shea raised their third green flag when punching Keane’s delivery to the net.

Gary Sayers posted Kerry’s response, an effort quickly cancelled out by two points from Legion’s Keane. Indeed, the impressive centre-forward ensured he would have a hand in all four IT Tralee goals when initiating the passage of play that finished with Peter Nash firing home from close range on 67 minutes.

Victorious boss Noel Kennelly was fulsome in his praise of Keane. “Conor and Jack Savage are two lads who have massive potential. They will play for Kerry, I am sure of that. We had three goal chances in the first half and we only took one of them. I thought we mightn’t have done enough at the break. We got the penalty at the right time. It gave our guys more confidence and they pushed on, which was great.

“Competitive games are the way to go and it is great now that we can go into the next round against UCC. They are at the level we want to be.”

Scorers for IT Tralee: C Keane (2-5, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees); P O’Shea (1-1); P Nash (1-0); J Savage (0-3, 0-1 free); C O’Connell, C Cromwell, D McElligott (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kerry: G O’Grady (0-3, 0-3 frees); G Sayers, J Crean (0-1 free), P Kennelly (0-2 each); K McCarthy, C McGillicuddy, A Barry, M Burns, L Carey, K Spillane (0-1 free), T O’Sullivan (0-1 each).

IT TRALEE: S Kenny (Castlegregory); M Egan (Dr Crokes), G Crowley (Templenoe), J Lyne (Dr Crokes); D McElligott (Austin Stacks), C Horan (Glenflesk), C Cromwell (Carrick Emmets, Monaghan); A Duggan (Austin Stacks), G Bastible (John Mitchels); P Quille (St Senan’s), C Keane (Legion), C O’Connell (Austin Stacks); G O’Shea (Dr Crokes), P Nash (Kildimo/Pallaskenry, Limerick), J Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys).
Subs: P O’Shea (St Senan’s) for Quille (47 mins); S Flynn (Buttevant, Cork) for Egan (51); A Moriarty (Legion) for Savage (59); C O’Brien (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Clare) for O’Connell (68); J Brennan (St Molaise, Sligo) for McEligott (68).

KERRY: S Murphy (Kilcummin); S Dillon (St Senan’s), C Ó Beaglaoich (Gaeltacht), D Maher (Kilcummin); P McMahon (St Pat’s), T Morley (Templenoe), S O’Connor (John Mitchels); C McGillicuddy (Glenbeigh-Glencar), J Barry (Na Gaeil); A Barry (Brosna), J Crean (Annascaul), G Sayers (Keel); K McCarthy (Kilcummin), G O’Grady (Glenbeigh-Glencar), T O’Sullivan (Dingle).
Subs: B Ó Beaglaoich (Gaeltacht) for Maher (22), P Kennelly (Ballydonoghue) for Crean (30), L Carey (Beaufort) for C Ó Beaglaoich (HT), K Spillane (Templenoe) for A Barry (39), M Burns (Dr Crokes) for McCarthy (51), C Coffey (Kerins O’Rahillys) for O’Connor (59).

Referee: M Collins (Cork)

Conor Keane hit 2-5 to consign Kerry to 2015 opening day defeat http://t.co/mwL4W5YsWn pic.twitter.com/gNhBQfbvhR

— TheScore.ie GAA (@TheScoreGAA) January 11, 2015

Kerry lose McGrath Cup opener to IT Tralee team inspired by 2-5 from Conor Keane

IT Tralee 4-12 Kerry 0-16

Report from thescore.ie

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS Kerry suffered a shock defeat to the local IT Tralee in an engaging McGrath Cup quarter-final, but the devil is in the detail. This was a totally unrecognisable Kerry team from the one that won the county’s 37th All-Ireland title last September, with not a single All-Ireland senior medal winner involved for Kerry.

Indeed, the closest Kerry had to All-Ireland experience in Austin Stack Park was their manager, Darragh O Se, who assumed the managerial duties in the absence of Eamonn Fitzmaurice who, with almost the entire Kerry senior squad, was still away on the team holiday.

Drawing from O Se’s own U-21 squad and an eclectic group of club players meant an upset was always quite likely. The ITT side, managed by Noel Kennelly, sensed a shock was possible and went about their business in an assured manner from the start. With IT Tralee lining out with just two non-Kerry players in their team, there was a real derby feel to this contest before 800 hundred spectators. But the contest fizzled out in the final quarter as the students taught this inexperienced county team a harsh lesson.
The first quarter was an even affair until Conor Keane’s 15th minute goal edged the IT ahead for the first time. Kerry responded well and a string of points from Gavan O’Grady, James Crean, Kevin McCarthy and Colin McGillicuddy restored a slender lead for Kerry, 0-8 to 1-4. In a real see-saw first half, IT Tralee took the initiative again and late scores from Stacks duo Denis McElligott and Ciaran O’Connell helped the students to a 1-6 to 0-8 half time lead.

The game looked like it was slipping away from the IT in the third quarter as Kerry opened up a 0-13 to 1-6 lead by the 44th minute but thereafter the IT owned the game. Keane rolled his penalty past Shane Murphy after sub Padraig O’Shea was fouled and then Keane turned provider for O’Shea to bundle the ball past Murphy in the 48th minute to give IT Tralee a 3-8 to 0-13 lead.

Kerry’s shape and challenge fell apart after that and Limerick senior panellist Pater Nash raised a fourth green flag for the students who recorded just their third McGrath Cup win and consign the All-Ireland champions to a humbling defeat.

Scorers for IT Tralee: Conor Keane 2-5 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), Padraig O’Shea 1-1, Peter Nash 1-0, Jack Savage 0-3 (0-1f), Denis McElligott, Ciaran O’Connell, Cillian Cromwell 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: Gavan O’Grady 0-3 (0-3f), James Crean 0-2 (0-1f), Paul Kennelly, Gary Sayers 0-2 each, Kevin McCarthy, Tom O’Sullivan, Colin McGillicuddy, Adam Barry, Micheal Burns, Liam Carey, Killian Spillane 0-1 each.

KERRY

1. Shane Murphy (Kilcummin)
2. Sean T Dillon (St Senans)
3. Caoimhin O Beaglaoinh (An Ghaeltacht)
4. Donal Maher (Kilcummin)
5. Paul McMahon (St Pats)
6. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
7. Shane O’Connor (John Mitchels)
8. Colin McGillicuddy (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
9. Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)
10. Adam Barry (Brosna)
11. James Crean (Annascaul)
12. Gary Sayers (Keel)
13. Kevin McCarthy (Kilcummin)
14. Gavan O’Grady (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
15. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
Subs
Brian O Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht) for Maher (22)
Paul Kennelly (Ballydonoghue) for Crean (29)
Liam Carey (Beaufort) for B O Beaglaoich (HT)
Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for A Barry (44)
Micheal Burns (Dr Crokes) for K McCarthy (50)
Cormac Coffey (Kerins O’Rahillys) for S O’Connor (60)

IT TRALEE

1. Shane Kenny (Castlegregory)
2. Mark Egan (Dr Crokes)
3. Gavin Crowley (Templenoe)
4. Jason Lyne (Dr Crokes)
5. Denis McElligott (Austin Stacks)
6. Cian Horan (Glenflesk)
7. Cillian Cromwell (Monaghan)
8. Alan Duggan (Austin Stacks)
9. George Bastible (John Mitchels)
10. Ciaran O’Connell (Austin Stacks)
11. Conor Keane (Legion)
12. Padraig Quill (St Senans)
13. Gavin O’Shea (Dr Crokes)
14. Peter Nash (Limerick)
15. Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys)
Subs
Padraig O’Shea (Currow) for Quille (46 mins)
Sean Flynn (Cork) for Egan (50 mins)
Alan Moriarty (Legion) for Savage (60 mins)
Conor O’Brien (Clare) for O’Connell (68 mins)
Jason Brennan (Sligo) for McElligott (68 mins)

Referee: Michael Collins (Cork)

IT Tralee win local derby in McGrath Cup in Austin Stack Park… http://t.co/ecyiRz88b2

— Kerry GAA (@Kerry_Official) January 11, 2015

Bragging rights to @ITTraleeGAAClub who defeated @Kerry_Official 4-12 to 0-16 #gaa pic.twitter.com/5PqM1Uqrco

— Sportsfile (@sportsfile) January 11, 2015

IT Tralee celebrate historic win against youthful Kerry side | http://t.co/R5tcXpuTJx (RMC) pic.twitter.com/iiFKt0PyrT

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) January 11, 2015

Team News

The Kerry team to compete in Austin Stack Park Tralee on Sunday at 2pm is as follows:

1 Shane Murphy (Kilcummin)
2 Sean T. Dillon (St Senans)
3 Caoimhín Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)
4 Donal Maher (Kilcummin)
5 Paul McMahon (St Pats)
6 Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
7 Shane O’Connor (John Mitchels)
8 Conor McGillicuddy (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
9 Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)
10 Adam Barry (Brosna)
11 James Crean (Annascaul)
12 Gary Sayers (Keel)
13 Kevin McCarthy (Kilcummin)
14 Gavan O’Grady (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
15 Paul Kennelly (Ballydonoghue)
Subs:
16 Padraig McCarthy (Rathmore)
17 Brian Crowley (Templenoe)
18 Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)
19 Dara Roche (Glenflesk)
20 Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes)
21 Matthew Flaherty (Dingle)
22 Liam Carey (Beaufort)
23 Cormac Coffey (Kerins O’Rahillys)
24 Cathal Murphy (Rathmore)
25 Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
26 Killian Spillane (Templenoe)
27 Cillian Fitzgerald (Churchill)
28 Tom Ladden (Keel)