McGrath Cup Football Final – Kerry v UCC

Kerry captured the McGrath Cup Senior Football Final on a scoreline of 1-11 to 0-9 at Austin Stack Park Tralee on Saturday.

Kerry lift McGrath Cup

Saturday, January 30, 2010 – 05:39 PM

From the Irish Examiner web site

Kerry 1-11 UCC 0-9

The Kerry footballers lifted the McGrath Cup for only the second time in their history, following a 1-11 to 0-9 final win over UCC at Austin Stack Park this afternoon. Not since 1996 have Kerry won this early season Munster competition and Jack O’Connor’s men were full value for today’s success, with defender Killian Young receiving the trophy afterwards. The All-Ireland champions prevailed despite finishing the match down to 13 players. Aidan O’Mahony was dismissed for a second bookable offence and goal scorer James O’Donoghue had to be helped off with an ankle injury late on, after O’Connor had cleared his bench.

UCC started with five Kerrymen in their team and one of them, Dr. Crokes clubman Daithi Casey, almost broke through for a first minute goal. His shot was pushed over the crossbar by Kingdom goalkeeper Ger Reidy. O’Connor’s men settled soon after with Kieran Donaghy pointing from wide out and then the big Tralee men was part of a give-and-go movement that ended with corner forward O’Donoghue slinging a low shot to the UCC net. Declan O’Sullivan and O’Donoghue added points for Kerry as the latter’s marker, Shane McEnright, was replaced.

UCC did have their moments in attack in what was a scrappy first half, and frees from David O’Callaghan, Mike Griffin and Corkman David Goold saw them polish off some decent attacks. Alan O’Sullivan, who impressed alongside the high-fielding Micheal Quirke in midfield, kicked the first of his three points and Paul O’Connor added his name to the scoresheet as Kerry took a 1-6 to 0-4 lead into half-time. Scores from O’Sullivan and Donaghy saw Kerry click on the resumption, while UCC lived off frees at the other end. O’Sullivan pointed ahead before Donncha Walsh found the target after linking with O’Donoghue and Donaghy. That was job done really for Kerry who look in good fettle ahead of their National League opener against Dublin next weekend, although the injury to O’Donoghue, a player who was pressing his claims to start the game, did put a damper on the celebrations.