Munster SFC Final – Kerry 1-17 Limerick 1-14

Kerry defeated Limerick by 1-17 to 1-14 in the Munster Senior Football Championship Final on Sunday in Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney.

Kerry’s 73rd title leaves Limerick in despair again

Kerry 1-17 Limerick 1-14

By Brendan O’Brien for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Monday, July 05, 2010

TO Kerry the spoils, to Limerick the admiration. And neither will be all that happy with their lot. Limerick? What is there to say? Little that hasn’t been said before. Once again, they came within an ace of claiming that elusive first provincial title since the 19th century. Once again, they found themselves coming up agonisingly short. Kerry’s 73rd Munster title means a fourth defeat in the decider for Limerick in eight years. Cruel. It appears that they are to be the Sisyphus of Gaelic football, doomed to roll the rock of history to which they are chained to the crest of the hill and only to be sent stumbling back down from whence they came. The question after this latest thwarted summit attempt is whether men like John Galvin, Stephen Lucey and Mark O’Riordan can summon the desire and determination to put their shoulders to the wheel one more time.

Bryan Sheehan implored them to “keep the heads high” in his victory speech but it will be of little consolation to any of the vanquished visitors that they exposed familiar fault lines in Kerry’s façade despite the defeat. Jack O’Connor’s side saw out the fag end of this contest with both of their starting midfielders looking on from the stands and with Tom O’Sullivan and Sheehan alongside them. All four had endured fitful afternoons. O’Sullivan had been cleaned by Ger Collins who hit four points from play while Sheehan was held scoreless from play, but it was the need to call both Seamus Scanlon and Anthony Maher ashore that will cause most concern.

With Paul Galvin absent, it fell to substitute Mícheál Quirke to drag the Kingdom to something approaching parity in the engine room and he did an excellent job of it. By the day’s end, Kerry had claimed 48% of the kick-outs. Quirke’s wasn’t the only cameo to give O’Connor food for thought. Barry John Keane, David Moran and Kieran O’Leary all contributed richly to scoring moves in the final quarter when the game was on the line. Kerry may well be in an All-Ireland quarter-final but they have got that far without knowing exactly what their best 15 is. Not an ideal scenario but how Limerick would love such conundrums.

Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s men travelled to Killarney as 11/2 outsiders and yet they must have left loaded down with regrets. Not as many as last year when they somehow lost this decider to Cork, but far too many nonetheless. Regrets like the 13 wides they registered, almost half of them for balls that dribbled harmlessly over the end line. Regrets like the 20-minute period they endured in the middle third without a single point. Kerry landed 1-9 in that same spell, turning a five-point deficit into a seven-point lead and here was the game in microcosm. When Limerick held the whip hand they wasted the opportunity. When Kerry had it, they made hay.

Declan O’Sullivan landed three sublime points, Mike McCarthy raided upfield for another and Colm Cooper chipped in with a 50th minute goal courtesy of a quick pass off the ground from Donncha Walsh. 1-7 of that total had come after the break when Kerry had the stiffest of winds at their backs and it was all too apparent even then that Limerick’s failure to erect a bigger buffer in the first-half would cost them dearly. They had started so well, rattling off the game’s first four points before Kerry found their feet but find their feet they did. Their ability to adapt to the elements was remarkable and they ended the half without a wide to their name.

There was no panic, just a realisation that they needed to reach the dressing room with the deficit at manageable levels, unlike Galway in Pearse Stadium eight days earlier when they trailed Sligo by nine points at the interval. With 20 minutes to go, it seemed as though their day’s work was done. Stephen Lucey had done a credible job in handling Kieran Donaghy but Cooper still turned over a profit despite the restricted supply line. His goal was evidence of that.

Cooper ended the game with 1-2 from play but so too did John Galvin and it was the latter’s dispossession of Scanlon from a short kick-out and shot to the net past Brendan Kealy three minutes later that reignited the contest. Limerick had somehow drawn level when the Croom midfielder landed his last score of the afternoon six minutes later and a game that was in Kerry’s pocket was now floating in the wind and up for grabs. Limerick had the chances but they failed to tie it down. Goalkeeper Brian Scanlon had landed two long-range frees in the first period but two ill-advised long-distance efforts on the posts after Galvin’s equaliser emptied the wind from their sails.

Nine minutes ticked by without another score before Cooper broke the deadlock. Two more points from Moran and Tomas O Sé wrapped up the changes on the scoreboard but the drama spilled into injury-time. It ended with all hands to the pump for the home side, with nine men stood watch on their own goal line and Marc O Sé making a double block from Stephen Lavin’s last, desperate throw of the dice from a free. Not the most convincing of victories but, then again, Kerry survived similar late sieges against Longford and Sligo last summer and look how that turned out.

Kerry: B Kealy, M O’Se, T Griffin, T O’Sullivan, T O’Se ( 0-2), M McCarthy (0-2) , K Young, S Scanlon, A Maher, ‘Darran O’Sullivan (0-1) , Declan O’Sullivan (0-3) , D Walsh, C Cooper ( 1-5, 0-3 frees), K Donaghy, B Sheehan 0-2 frees.

Subs: M Quirke 0-1 for a Maher (33), B J Keane for Darran O’Sullivan (69), P Reidy for T O’Sullivan (69), D Moran 0-1 for S Scanlon (61), K O’Leary for B Sheehan (63)

Limerick – B Scanlon ( 0-2 frees), , M O’Riordan, J McCarthy, A Lane, S Lavin, S Lucey, P Ranahan, J O’Donovan (0-1) , J Galvin (1-2) , P Browne, J Ryan(0-2), S Buckley(0-1) , G Collins ( 0-5 ( 0-3 frees), I Ryan, S Kelly ( 0-1).

Subs: J Mullane for P Browne (40), S Gallagher for A Lane (45), E O’Connor for S Kelly (64), E Joy for S Buckley (67), S O’Carroll for J Ryan (70)

Ref: Pat Fox (Westmeath)

Kerry pip Limerick to reclaim Munster title

From the GAA.ie web site

Sunday, July 04, 2010

All-Ireland champions Kerry have won their first Munster GAA Football Senior Championship title since 2007 after they withstood a second-half comeback by Limerick to win by 1-17 to 1-14 at Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Having trailed by 0-10 to 0-7 at half-time, Jack O’Connor’s side then reeled off 1-7 without reply in the first 15 minutes of the second half and looked to be cruising to victory only for a John Galvin-inspired Limerick to level the game with 11 minutes remaining. Ultimately though, Kerry had enough to get past their opponents, with late points from Colm Cooper, David Moran and Tomás Ó Sé seeing them home.

The victory was far from straightforward, however. Playing with the wind in the first half, Limerick seared into a 0-4 to nil lead inside the first four minutes and dominated midfield for much of the opening period. In addition, Stephen Lucey was totally nullifying Kieran Donaghy and Stephen Kelly was hugely industrious while the Kerry forwards struggled to get motoring. It was not until the introduction of Micheál Quirke shortly before half-time that Kerry began to get a handle in the middle and the Kerins O’Rahilly’s man won a number of clean kickouts as the momentum turned after the break. Prior to him coming in though, Seamus Scanlon and Anthony Maher were struggling as James O’Donovan and John Galvin combined well. It was Galvin who opened the scoring with a fisted point inside 20 seconds, and when Ger Collins added three more, the prospects of an upset were increasing.

Kerry rallied though and by the 13th minute had cut the deficit to just a point, 0-5 to 0-4, following Bryan Sheehan’s free. Credit to Limerick, however, as three in a row, including two frees from the 45m line by goalkeeper Brian Scanlon, extended their advantage again with 13 minutes left until the break. If they were to have any chance of winning, then the consensus was that, given the strength of the wind, they would need to have a cushion at the interval, and some bad wides were hampering those chances. In contrast, Kerry did not have a single wide in the first half, and though Limerick captain Seanie Buckley’s super individual score made it 0-10 to 0-5 two minutes before the whistle, Mike McCarthy and Colm Cooper ensured there were only three points between the sides as they retired to the dressing rooms.

When the teams re-emerged, there was no doubt that the momentum had shifted. Cooper (two) and Quirke had them level by the 41st minute while Donaghy, relocated to full-forward after spending the latter part of the first half at midfield, went close with a half-chance of a goal. Limerick were struggling to take what few chances they were getting while Declan O’Sullivan hit a purple patch, kicking three points which, allied to McCarthy’s second, meant that it was 0-14 to 0-10 by the 48th minute and when Cooper, set up nicely by Donncha Walsh, goaled soon after, a procession to the end looked to be in the offing. Ger Collins ended Limerick’s drought immediately though and then Galvin got them back in the match, dispossessing Scanlon after Brendan Kealy’s short kick-out and firing home to make it 1-14 to 1-11.

James Ryan, Collins and Galvin then all found their range and with the final 10 minutes approaching, it was anybody’s game. Unfortunately for Limerick though the lead score would not come, Scanlon shooting wide after coming up to take a free and a 45, and when Cooper pointed on 68, it settled Kerry. Eventually they managed to see out the game, Limerick unable to find a late equalising goal as Stephen Lavin’s 13m free was blocked, but the champions will certainly know that they were in a game. For Limerick, it is yet another chapter in their story of footballing heartache, but there will be few teams who will want to meet them in the Qualifiers.

Scorers for Kerry: C Cooper 1-5 (0-3f), Declan O’Sullivan 0-3, B Sheehan (0-2f), T Ó Sé, M McCarthy 0-2 each, Darran O’Sullivan, D Moran, M Quirke 0-1 each.

Limerick: J Galvin 1-2, G Collins 0-5 (0-2f), J Ryan, B Scanlon (0-2f) 0-2 each, S Kelly, J O’Donovan, S Buckley 0-1 each.

KERRY: B Kealy; M Ó Sé, T Griffin, T O’Sullivan; T Ó Sé, M McCarthy, K Young; S Scanlon, A Maher; Declan O’Sullivan, B Sheehan (capt), D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, Darran O’Sullivan.

Subs: M Quirke for Maher (32), P Reidy and BJ Keane for T O’Sullivan and Darran O’Sullivan (59), D Moran for Scanlon (61), K O’Leary for Sheehan (63).

LIMERICK: B Scanlon; M O’Riordan, S Lucey, J McCarthy; S Lavin, A Lane, P Ranahan; J O’Donovan, J Galvin; P Browne, I Ryan, S Buckley (capt); G Collins, S Kelly, J Ryan.

Subs: J Mullane for Browne (39), S Gallagher for Lane (45), E Joy for Buckley (57), E O’Connor for Kelly (62), S O’Carroll for J Ryan (70).

Referee: P Fox (Westmeath)

Team News

LIMERICK SENIOR FOOTBALL TEAM V. KERRY 04/07/10 – Brian Scanlon, Mark O’Riordan, Johnny McCarthy, Andrew Lane, Stephen Lavin, Stephen Lucey, Pa Ranahan, James O’Donovan, John Galvin, Padraig Browne, James Ryan, Seanie Buckley (Capt), Ger Collins, Ian Ryan & Stephen Kelly.
Substitutes: Conor Ranahan, Shane Gallagher, Eoin Joy, Conor Fitzgerald, Eoghan O’Connor, John Mullane, Cormac Joyce-Power, Diarmiud Carroll, Raymond Hayes, Garrett Noonan, Seamus O’Carroll, Conor Mullane, John Cooke, Barry Fitzpatrick & Eoin Fitzigibbon

The Kerry Senior Football team to play in The Munster Final on Sunday is as follows:

1. Brendan Kealy Kilcummin

2. Marc Ó Sé An Ghaeltacht 3. Tommy Griffin Dingle 4. Tom O’ Sullivan Rathmore

5. Tomás Ó Sé An Ghaeltacht 6. Mike McCarthy Kilcummin 7. Killian Young Renard

8. Seamus Scanlon Currow 9 Anthony Maher Duagh

10. Darran O’ Sullivan Glenbeigh /Glencar 11. Declan O’ Sullivan Piarsaigh Na Dromada 12. Donnacha Walsh Cromane

13. Colm Cooper Dr Crokes 14. Kieran Donaghy Austin Stacks 15. Bryan Sheehan (CAPTAIN) St. Mary’s

The substitutes are:

16 David Hennessey Kerins O’Rahillys 17. Padraig Reidy Scartaglin 18. Barry John Keane Kerins O’Rahilly’s

19. David Moran Kerins O’Rahillys 20. Micheal Quirke, Kerins O’Rahilly’s 21. Daniel Bohan Austin Stacks

22. Kieran O’Leary Dr. Crokes 23 Adrian O’Connell St Michael’s Foilmore 24. Niall O’Mahony Spa

25. Pat Corridan Finuge 26. Jonathan Lyne Legion 27. Johnny Buckley Dr Crokes

28. Paudge O’Connor Legion 29. James O’Donoghue Legion and 30. Aidan O’Mahony Rathmore.

Bainisteóir: Jack O’Connor (Piarsaigh Na Dromada)

Traenálaí: Alan O’Sullivan (Kerins O’Rahillys)

Roghnóirí: Ger O’Keeffe (Austin Stacks) Eamon Fitzmaurice (Finuge)

Ticket Vans

WEDNESDAY JUNE 30th.

10.30am to 11.30am Twohig’s SuperValu, Abbeyfeale

12 noon to 1.00pm Garvey’s SuperValu, Castleisland

3.00pm to 4.30pm Garvey’s SuperValu, Dingle

6.00pm to 7.00pm Hickey’s Centra, Rathmore

Terrace Tickets and Family Terrace Tickets Munster Football Final in the above Stores

FRIDAY JULY 2nd.

11.30am to 12.15pm Garvey’s SuperValu, Newcastlewest

12.30pm to 1.15pm Dooly’s SuperValu, Newcastlewest

2.30pm to 3.30pm Twohig’s SuperValu, Abbeyfeale

4.30pm to 5.30pm Twohig’s SuperValu, Askeaton

6.30pm to 7.30pm SuperValu, Castleconnell, Limerick

Terrace Tickets and Family Terrace Tickets Munster Football Final in the above Stores

SATURDAY JULY 3rd

10.30am to 11.30am Garvey’s SuperValu, Listowel

12noon to 1.00pm Garvey’s SuperValu, Tralee

3.3opm to 6.00pm Daly’s SuperValu, Killarney

Terrace Tickets and Family Terrace Tickets Munster Football Final in the above Stores

TV Coverage

This game will be shown live on TV3 with coverage starting at 1:00pm.

Match Preview

MUNSTER BEGINS PROVINCIAL FOOTBALL FINAL ROTA

The approach of July and the start of the GAA’s provincial football final circuit. The honour of staging the first of the 2010 football finals falls to Munster where Kerry and Limerick clash in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney next Sunday (2.00pm). Kerry, the reigning All-Ireland champions, are bidding for their first title since 2007 while Limerick are trying to end a 114-year wait, having last won the title (their only one) in 1896. They played in four Munster GAA Football Championship Finals in the last decade, drawing with Kerry in 2004, before losing the replay, while they lost to Kerry in 2003 and to Cork by a point last year.

Managed by former Kerry star, Mickey Ned O’Sullivan, they have had just one game in the championship so far, beating Waterford in the semi-final. Kerry have had a much busier time, beating Tipperary and Cork (after extra-time in a replay).

Paths to the final

Kerry 2-18 Tipperary 2-6

Kerry 0-15 Cork 0-15

Kerry 1-15 Cork 1-14 (after extra-time)

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Limerick 1-17 Waterford 1-9

Top scorers…

Bryan Sheehan is Kerry’s top scorer in the championship so far, having returned a total of 2-14 (0-9 from frees, 0-2 from ‘45s’) in three games. Colm Cooper has scored 0-15 (0-10 from frees), followed by Kieran Donaghy on 1-2 and Barry John Keane on 0-5. Ger Collins scored 1-4 (0-4 from frees) for Limerick against Waterford with Ian Ryan and Conor Fitzgerald each scoring 0 3.

Last Five Championship Clashes

2005: Kerry 2-10 Limerick 0-10 (Munster semi-final)

2004: Kerry 3-10 Limerick 2-9 (Munster final) Replay

2004: Kerry 1-10 Limerick 1-10 (Munster final) Draw

2003: Kerry 1-11 Limerick 0-9 (Munster final)

2002: Kerry 0-14 Limerick 1-7 (Munster quarter-final)

Kerry-Limerick Munster finals

2004: Kerry 3-10 Limerick 2-9 (Replay)

2004: Kerry 1-10 Limerick 1-10 (Draw)

2003: Kerry 1-11 Limerick 0-9

1991: Kerry 0-23 Limerick 3-12

1965: Kerry 2-16 Limerick 2-7

1934: Kerry 1-14 Limerick 1-2

1905: Kerry 2-10 Limerick 1-6