Kerry U20 manager Tomás Ó Sé. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 Football Championship
Kerry 1-22 Cork 1-12
By Paul Brennan at Austin Stack Park
Kerry eased past Cork by 10 points in a one-sided and benign Munster Under-20 football championship game in Tralee, a result that all but sends the reigning provincial champions back to the final in three weeks.
Ronan Carroll’s goal after 16 minutes helped Kerry to a five-point half time lead, and they piled on the points in the second half so much so that a late Cork goal did little, but embellish the Rebels final score.
The result leaves Kerry with four points from two games, with Clare to come to Tralee next week, while Cork will likely have to get something from their final Phase 2 game against Tipperary if they are to set up a rematch with a powerful looking Kerry team.
Points from Tomas Kennedy, Paddy Lane, Ciaran Collins, Daniel Kirby and Eddie Healy propelled Kerry into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead, before Carroll’s goal had the Kingdom lead 1-6 to 0-2.
Cork were struggling for possession and territory, despite playing with a stiff breeze at the backs, but a two-point free and a two-pointer from play, both from Darragh Gough, gave a Rebels a small foothold in the second quarter, though a couple of Lane scores helped the Kingdom to a 1-9 to 0-7 half time lead.
Early second half scores from Kirby, Carroll and Healy pushed Kerry eight ahead, and though Tomas O’ Keeffe and Colm Gillespie grafted hard in the Cork midfield, and Gough and Dylan O’Neill were industrious in the Rebels attack, Kerry were simply too strong.
Kirby, Lane and sub Odhran Ferris converted two-pointers for Kerry who led 1-20 to 0-8 before Cork scored 1-4 late on, including a Danny Miskella goal, but it was Kerry’s night at their ease.
Scorers for Kerry: P Lane 0-7 (1 2pt, 2f), R Carroll 1-2, D Kirby 0-4 (1 2p), E Healy 0-3, O Ferris 0-2 (1 2p), C Collins 0-1, T Kennedy 0-1, L Evans 0-1, K Dennehy 0-1
Scorers for Cork: D Gough 0-5 (1 2p, 1 2pf), D Miskella 1-1, D O’Neill 0-3, C Clifford 0-1, G Daly 0-1, L Shorten 0-1
Karry: Michael Tansley; Maidhcí Lynch, Dara Stack, Gearoid Evans; Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich, Darragh O’Connor, Eddie Healy; Evan Boyle, Liam Evans, Daniel Kirby, Donagh O’Sullivan, Ciarán Collins; Ronan Carroll, Tomás Kennedy, Paddy Lane.
Subs: Killian Dennehy for D O’Sullivan (41), Jack Murphy for D O’Connor (44), Emmet Daly for C Collins (45), Aaron Kennelly for E Healy (49), Odhran Ferris for E Boyle (49).
Cork: Billy Curtin; Niall O’Shea, Colin Molloy, Colm Clifford, Matthew Woods, Gearoid Daly, Sean O’Leary, Tomas O’Keeffe, Colm Gillespie, Alan O’Connell, Aaron O’Sullivan; Ben O’Connell, Darragh Gough, Danny Miskella, Dylan O’Neill.
Subs: Darragh Clifford for T O’Keeffe (HT), Dylan Harrington for M Woods (HT), Luke Shorten for A O’Connell (45), Odhran Foley for B O’Connell (52), Gearoid Kearney for D Gough (58).
Referee: N Quinn (Clare)
