Little learned in stroll for Kerry

Kerry U21 boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice urged his team not to get carried away by last night’s 31-point demolition of Waterford in an extremely one-sided Munster football championship semi-final.

After watching his side surge into a 22-point half-time lead before easing off somewhat in the second period, Fitzmaurice also admitted he would have preferred a sterner test ahead of the Munster final against Cork in two weeks’ time.

“Tonight was all about getting the result and having a professional performance. Our lads were well tuned-in and well-focussed. We probably expected a bit more from Waterford but we just got off to a good start, maybe Waterford’s heads then dropped but that can happen,” the Kerry manager said.

“We got early goals and we kicked good points but we won’t be reading too much into the game. It was about getting to a Munster final in two weeks’ time, and that’s where we want to be. It wasn’t ideal but there wasn’t a lot that we could do about that. We would have preferred a tougher test.”

Totally dominant throughout, Kerry simply had too much class and guile for a Waterford team playing their first game of this Munster championship, while the home side did have the benefit of a quarter-final victory away to Tipperary.

Still, Kerry dominated midfield through James Walsh and also had far too much power in attack. The full-forward line of Ian Galvin, Conor Cox and Kieran Hurley were rampant in the first-half, combining for a first-half total of 3-8, while wing-forward Stephen O’Brien weighed in with 1-2 in that one-sided first period.

After 15 minutes, Kerry only led 0-5 to 0-1 and Waterford goalkeeper Eamonn Cahill had pulled off an amazing three point-blank saves in just 30 seconds. But then the floodgates opened. A brilliantly arrowed Ian Galvin goal was quickly followed by a cooly slotted goal from the excellent Conor Cox, and before half-time, both Hurley and O’Brien had added to Waterford’s woes.

22 points up at the break (4-12 to 0-2), Kerry eased back in the second-half as they showed some mercy, going for points instead of goals as they rattled off another 0-8 on the trot. Waterford’s Paul Power then sent over his second free, his side’s first score in 26 minutes, and while Blake O’Connor then add a late consolation goal it was a night to forget for the Déise. Kerry now face Cork in the final in Tralee on April 11.

Scorers for Kerry: C Cox (2f) 1-7, K Hurley 1-5, S O’Brien 1-2, I Galvin 1-1, E O’Connor (1f) 0-3, C Brady, S O’Carroll, M Reen 0-2 each, J Walsh, G O’Grady 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: B O’Connor 1-0, P Power 0-2f, G Nugent, R Cahill 0-1 each.

KERRY: P O’Sullivan; M Galvin, M Griffin, F McNamara; P Kilkenny, J Sherwood, P Murphy; D O’Sullivan, J Walsh; S O’Carroll, C Brady, S O’Brien; I Galvin, C Cox, K Hurley.

Subs: M Reen for S O’Brien (ht); G O’Grady for K Hurley (36); P Lucey for D O’Sullivan (36); E O’Connor for C Cox (47); M Brennan for S O’Carroll (47).

WATERFORD: E Cahill; B Power, C Flaherty, R Ó Ceallaigh; M Power, D Foley, J Power; D Connolly, R Cahill; E Walsh, M Scurry, B O’Connor; P Power, G Nugent, S Kirwan.

Subs: M O’Halloran for D Connolly (23); M Wyse for M Power (ht); C Crowch for R Ó Ceallaigh (ht); J Prendergast for S Kirwan (ht).

Referee: Keith O’Brien (Tipperary).