GAA Football All Ireland Minor Championship Quarter-Final – Kerry 1-9 Roscommon 0-11

Kerry boys escape as Roscommon fail to seal deal

Report from the Irish Times web site

Kerry 1-9 Roscommon 0-11: KERRY ESCAPED with victory by the skin of their teeth, but Roscommon must be wondering how they failed to win.

They kept Kerry to just one point in 24 second-half minutes, but crucially, Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s boys found the net with the last kick of the first half to lead 1-5 to 0-5. Roscommon flew out at the start of the second half and were soon level as Diarmuid Murtagh and Ruaidhri McManus converted frees and Kevin Finn hit the target from play. Three frees from Jack Savage restored Kerry’s lead and Niall Sheehy and Philip Neilan were both sent off for second yellow card offences. Thomas Corcoran hit two frees from distance as Roscommon made one final push.

KERRY: G Curran; P O’Connor, G Crowley, C Ó Lúing; B Crowley (1-0), R Murphy, G Horan; K Murphy, J Barry; D Foran, J Savage (0-4, 4f) C Fitzgerald (0-2); D Carmody, N Sheehy (0-3, 1f), C Keane. Subs: S Moloney for Carmody (46); G O’Sullivan for Barry (54).

ROSCOMMON: S Mannion; P Neilan, D Barron, C Kenny; R Daly, C Hussey, N McInerney; U Harney, T Corcoran (0-2, 2f); K Kilcline, E Smith (0-2), R McManus (0-1, 1f); D Murtagh (0-4, 2f), K Finn (0-2), M Gunning. Subs: L Kilcline for Barron (24); B Fannon for McInerney (51); D Feely for Finn (53); Finn for Gunning (58).

Referee: D Gough (Meath).

Kerry through to Minor semi-final

Report from the GAA.ie web site

Electric Ireland GAA Football All-Ireland Minor Championship Semi-Final: Kerry 1-9 Roscommon 0-11

Kerry had to hang on in the closing stages of their Minor Football Championship clash with Roscommon before emerging 1-9 to 0-11 winners. The Kingdom got off to a fine start with points from Jack Savage and Niall Sheehy but Roscommon, through Kevin Finn and the impressive Enda Smith, soon levelled matters.

The Rossies then missed a golden goal chance when Gavin Curran saved a penalty from Diarmuid Murtagh. Sheehy made them rue the miss further he he landed a free to put Kerry ahead again. The sides traded points, Smith for Roscommon and Cillian Fitzgerald for Kerry, but Murtagh redeemed himself somewhat by kicking two points in succession.

Fitzgerald made it five points apiece before the break but the scoring was not yet done. David Foran seized the ball when it comes down off the upright and fed wing-back Brian Crowley. His low drive was good enough for s three-pointer. Murtagh, Kevin Finn and Ruaidhri McManus scored at the start of the second half to wipe out Kerry’s lead and came close to getting a goal of their own before Sheehy put his team clear again.

A Murtagh free tagged them back but Savage responded. Kerry were then reduced to 14 men as Sheehy picked up his second yellow card but Philip Neil from Roscommon soon followed him. Two Savage frees gave Kerry breathing room but a Thomas Corcoran score from the placed ball, which was soon followed by another fine point, made for a tense finish. Ultimately, the Rossies could not manufacture a clearing chance for the equaliser and Kerry won. They will face either Dublin or Monaghan in the semi finals.

Kerry Scorers: Brian Crowley 1-0, Jack Savage 0-4 (0-4f), Niall Sheehy 0-3 (0-1f), Cillian Fitzgerald 0-2.

Roscommon Scorers: Diarmuid Murtagh 0-4 (0-2f), Enda Smith, Thomas Corcoran (0-2f), Kevin Finn 0-2 each, Ruaidhri McManus 0-1 (0-1f).

Roscommon: Shane Mannion; Philip Neilan, Dennis Barron, Cathal Kenny; Niall McInerney, Conor Hussey, Ronan Daly; Ultan Harney, Thomas Corcoran; Kieran Kilcline, Enda Smiwth, Ruaidhri McManus; Diarmuid Murtagh, Kevin Finn, Michael Gunning.

Subs: Liam Kilcline for Denis Barron, Brian Fannon for Niall McInerney, Dara Feely for Kevin Finn, Kevin Finn for Michael Gunning.

Kerry: Gavin Curran; Cathal O Lúing, Gavin Crowley, Patrick O’Connor ; Brian Crowley, Jack Barry, Greg Horan; Kieran Murphy, Ronan Murphy; David Foran, Jack Savage, Cillian Fitzgerald; Darragh Carmody, Niall Sheehy, Conor Keane.

Subs: Sean Moloney for Darragh Carmody, Gary O’Sullivan for Jack Barry.

Referee: David Gough (Meath)

Rossies ‘sick’ after Kingdom stunner

Kerry 1-09 Roscommon 0-11

By Daragh Ó Conchúir for the Irish Examiner newspaper

A relieved Mickey Ned O’Sullivan admitted Roscommon would be feeling “sick” after Kerry edged an entertaining All-Ireland MFC quarter-final at Croke Park. The Connacht champions wasted numerous scoring chances, particularly in the first-half, but Kerry gradually got themselves into it and their “more efficient” work in attack that got them through. The Connacht champions should have had three goals inside the opening nine minutes and shot 12 wides, many from good positions. They kept Kerry to just one point in 24 second-half minutes, but, crucially, O’Sullivan’s boys found the net with the last kick of the first-half to lead 1-5 to 0-5.

Jack Savage slotted an easy free for Kerry from the game’s first attack, but Roscommon were the dominant side early on. The high-fielding Thomas Corcoran was outstanding in the middle and Roscommon were able to break through the Kerry defence at will in the opening quarter. The beaten Munster finalists were struggling to cope with their opponents’ pressure game and power-running and Enda Smith had two efforts on goal blocked – one spectacularly on the line – before Michael Gunning crashed a shot off the crossbar. Niall Sheehy pointed to put Kerry two clear, but Roscommon were level very quickly courtesy of Enda Smith and Kevin Finn.

Diarmuid Murtagh was looking dangerous at corner-forward for Roscommon and he was fouled by Kerry goalkeeper, Gavin Curran for a penalty in the eighth minute. Curran redeemed himself by diving to his right to save Murtagh’s low kick. Kerry were unable to get Sheehy into the play and he was soon moved to centre-forward. He pointed a free after being fouled but it was nip and tuck, the sides level on 0-5 apiece when wing-back Brian Crowley goaled. Roscommon flew out at the start of the second-half and were level by the 38th minute as Murtagh and McManus converted frees and Finn hit the target from play after fine work by Conor Hussey.

Kerry finally ended their barren spell courtesy of Sheehy, after good industry by Conor Keane. Just minutes earlier, Keane had a blistering shot saved by Shane Mannion as Roscommon appeared to be running out of steam. Three frees from Savage helped stretch the margin to three and Sheehy and Philip Neilan were both sent off for second yellow card offences. Corcoran launched two frees from distance as Roscommon made one final push, but Smith shot wide from the last chance of the game and Kerry prevailed.

“Roscommon could be sick,” said O’Sullivan. “In the first-half, they had a lot of the ball and we were still hanging in there. It took us a while to get to the pace of the game but after 15 minutes, we began to control the middle of the field. “They were always going to come at us again, but I liked the fact we went again. I felt we could win it at 40% of possession because we had the forwards to punish them. O’Sullivan feels his charges will benefit from the game, and in particular from having the experience of competing at Croke Park. “Conditions were very difficult for both teams. If you tried anything elaborate at all… It didn’t suit our style of football but this was a very good Roscommon team and their shooting let them down. We were more efficient with our possession. It’s a relief to be this far and anything else now is a bonus.”

Scorers for Kerry: J Savage 0-4(fs); N Sheehy 0-3(1f); B Crowley 1-0, C Fitzgerald 0-2.Scorers for Roscommon: D Murtagh 0-4(2fs); K Finn, E Smith, T Corcoran(fs) 0-2 each; R McManus 0-1(f).

KERRY: G Curran; P O’Connor, G Crowley, C Ó Lúing; B Crowley, R Murphy, G Horan; K Murphy, J Barry; D Foran, J Savage, C Fitzgerald; D Carmody, N Sheehy, C Keane.

Subs: S Moloney for Carmody (46); Gary O’Sullivan for Barry (54).

ROSCOMMON: S Mannion; P Neilan, D Barron, C Kenny; R Daly, C Hussey, N McInerney; U Harney, T Corcoran; K Kilcline, E Smith, R McManus; D Murtagh, K Finn, M Gunning.

Subs: L Kilcline for Barron inj (24); B Fannon for McInerney (51); D Feely for Finn (53); Finn for Gunning (58).

Referee: D Gough (Meath)

Team News

Kerry (MFC v Roscommon) – 1 Gavin Curran (Daingean Uí Chúis) 2 Cathal O Lúing (An Ghaeltacht). 3 Gavin Crowley (Templenoe) 4 Patrick O Connor (Daingean Uí Chúis) 5 Brian Crowley (Templenoe) 6 Jack Barry (Na Gaeil) 7 Greg Horan (Austin Stacks.) 8 Kieran Murphy (Kilcummin) 9 Ronan Murphy (Beaufort) 10 David Foran (St. Senan’s) 11 Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahilly’s) 12 Cillian Fitzgerald (Churchill) 13 Darragh Carmody ( Na Gaeil) 14 Niall Sheehy (John Mitchel’s) 15. Conor Keane (Killarney Legion)

The Substitutes are as follows: 16 . Stephen Cahillane (Keel) 17 Gavin O’Shea (Dr Crokes) 18 Shane O’Connor ( John Mitchel’s) 19 Sean Moloney (John Mitchel’s) 20 Gary O’Sullivan ( Listry) 21 Evan Doyle (Ballyduff) 22. Denis Daly St .Mary’s 23 Martin Tierney Kerins O’Rahillys. 24 Gerald O’Sullivan Tarbert

Bainisteóir: Mickey Ned O’Sullivan(Kenmare)

Selectors : John O’ Keeffe (Austin Stacks) and Peter Keane (St. Mary’s)

Physical Trainer: Ross Corbett,

Coach: Peter O Brien