Forward thinking key for Kingdom

IT DOESN’T tell the whole story, but All-Ireland football champions Kerry as good as claimed victory in Croke Park yesterday by taking full advantage of their goal chance late in the game.

The fact that Kieran Donaghy scored four minutes after Ciaran Hanratty had missed a great chance for Monaghan when the teams were level proved highly significant in earning them a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Galway.

As big a heartbreak as it was for the Northerners, it was another lesson in the harsh reality of sport. Pat O’Shea’s team triumphed for the reason that they were generally expected to, namely a more potent attack. And they did it in spite of Colm Cooper wasting a penalty chance in the 21st minute, and both Donaghy and Donncha Walsh being unfortunate not to get the ball in the net minutes earlier.

While it would be acknowledged that Monaghan’s cause was undermined by some poor finishing in the opening quarter, most of all Kerry triumphed because the team was so successful in getting their challenge back on track after that disastrous second half in the Munster final.

Twice in the first half, in the 12th and 26th minutes, Monaghan were on level terms because of they competed so evenly with Kerry all over the field. They were only found wanting in their wastage of good possession, which saw them accumulate five wides by the 17th minute at a time when they were winning more ball around midfield and were holding their own in defence.

The threat from Donaghy was minimised through full-back John Paul Mone’s effective covering and the support of Dermot McArdle. More pertinently, the fact that Monaghan exerted a lot of pressure at the other end meant that Kerry were not getting many opportunities to build attacks from the back.

This not only limited the flow of possession to Donaghy and Tommy Walsh inside, but also affected the half-forwards. Yet it wasn’t as if the two inside players were starved of possession. Tommy Walsh showed a capacity to win good possession, but his delivery was faulty in the sense that he had shots blocked several times. But to his credit, he was to prove more formidable once he settled.

Colm Cooper, playing a type of holding role between the half-forwards and the inside two wasn’t very much involved and his penalty miss wasn’t good for his confidence. On the credit side, Declan O’Sullivan’s high work-rate got scores on the board.

Cooper got the first of only two points from a 20th minute free which put Kerry 0-3 to 0-2 clear and it came very much against the run of play. Monaghan were fortunate not to find themselves in a worse position when the Crokes star was wide from a penalty won by Donncha Walsh.

STILL, it was upsetting for Monaghan not to be ahead by a few points considering the strong play of Damien Freeman and Gary McQuaid at half-back, the advantage gained by Eoin Lennon at midfield, the industry of wing-forward Stephen Gollogly and the craft of Tommy Freeman, who was to outplay Marc Ó Se as few forwards have.

Having got on top for a brief period approaching half-time, at which stage they led 0-6 to 0-3, Kerry were pushed back on the defensive on the resumption because Monaghan stepped up their effort considerably and played with a greater confidence.

Lennon was to the forefront against a subdued Darragh Ó Se and Rory Woods did very well after moving to full-forward. Aidan O’Mahony followed him, but only Tom O’Sullivan was able to subdue him after being switched in from the corner.

In a period of nine minutes Monaghan had exceeded their first half total, with Tommy Freeman also finishing better. Crucially, however, Kerry never lost touch (as they had against Cork) and showed a strong capacity to answer score for score. It meant that the opposition lost the psychological benefit of going in front (which they only managed in the opening minutes of the game).

From a Kerry perspective, there was further encouragement to be gained from an improvement in Cooper’s play, and while Donaghy remained the biggest threat, Tommy Walsh was now making a bigger impact in the left corner.

Scores were level at 0-10 each in the 51st minute, when Monaghan were denied an obvious free for a jersey pull on Woods and it was shortly after this that Hanratty missed his goal chance. Typical of Kerry, they took the lead through Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan put over a 55-yard free and then came the goal.

That score came from a ball fielded by Tommy Griffin and an opening created by Eoin Brosnan. And while Monaghan put in a huge effort over the remaining 15 minutes, they never looked capable of getting the goal they needed to revitalise their challenge. Conversely, man-of-the-match Donaghy would have had another but for the vigilance of goalkeeper Padraig McBennett.

*Maurice Deegan refereed very well overall, his only real mistake being that bad call against Monaghan.

Scorers for Kerry: K. Donaghy 1-2; B. Sheehan 0-5 (0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45); C. Cooper (0-1 free) and T. Walsh 0-2 each; A. O’Mahony and S. Scanlon 0-1 each.

Scorers for Monaghan: T. Freeman 0-5 (0-2 frees); G. McQuaid, P. Finlay (0-1 free) and R. Woods 0-2 each; V. Corey and E. Lennon 0-1 each.

KERRY: D. Murphy; M. Ó Se, T. O’Sullivan, P. Reidy; T. Ó Se (capt.), A. O’Mahony, K. Young; D. Ó Se, S. Scanlon; D. Walsh, D. O’Sullivan, B. Sheehan; C. Cooper, K. Donaghy, T. Walsh. Subs: E. Brosnan for D. Walsh (42nd minute); T. Griffin for Scanlon (57th); Darren O’Sullivan for T. Walsh (64th); S. O’Sullivan for Declan O’Sullivan (68th); T. Walsh for Donaghy (72nd).

MONAGHAN: P. McBennett; D. Mone, JP Mone, D. McArdle; D. Freeman (capt.), G. McQuaid, C. McManus; E. Lennon, D. Clerkin; P. Finlay, R. Woods, S. Gollogly; C. Hanratty, V. Corey, T. Freeman.

Subs: D. Hughes for Clerkin (57th minute); R. Ronaghan for McManus (59th); P. McGuigan for Hughes (injured, 63rd); S. Smyth for Gollogly (70th).

Referee: M. Deegan (Laois).