Dominant Kerry ease to eighth Munster minor title in a row

Ahead by 2-5 to 0-5 at the break, Kerry kicked seven without reply upon the restart

Kerry players celebrate following the Electric Ireland Munster GAA Football Minor Championship final win over Clare. Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Munster MFC: Kerry 2-14 Clare 1-7

Not quite the 24 and 20-point hammerings of 2017 and 2018, but Kerry’s third Munster MFC final win over Clare in four years was still terribly comfortable.

This evening’s 10-point win delivered the county an eighth consecutive Munster MFC crown, the first time Kerry have achieved eight-in-a-row at this level.

Their victory had its foundations in a strong finish to the opening half and a totally dominant second-half display, during which James Costello’s young troops kicked seven second-half unanswered points and held Clare scoreless for the 20 minutes directly after half-time. Added to Kerry’s 1-2 burst at the end of the first-half, the winners landed 1-9 without reply either side of the interval to transform what was a one-point lead in a competitive game of football into an unassailable 13-point advantage in a now desperately one-sided affair.

Of course, this could well be Kerry’s final game of the 2020 campaign. Minor inter-county fixtures are not exempt under Level 5 and so there is a fear the All-Ireland semi-finals and final fixed for mid to late January will never take place.

Ahead by 2-5 to 0-5 at the break, Kerry owned the third quarter and could have enjoyed a lead bigger than their 11 points at the second water break were it not for four wides and two missed goal chances in the seven minutes after half-time Their first point of the second-half didn’t actually arrive until the 39th minute, Keith Evans the provider, and from there further white flags were added by Cillian Burke, Darragh O’Sullivan (0-2, one free), and Oísin Maunsell to propel the Kingdom 2-10 to 0-5 in front at the second water break.

Brian McNamara of Clare in action against Oisin Maunsell of Kerry. Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Sub Maurice O’Connell and Cian McMahon swelled the winners’ lead to 13, 2-12 to 0-5, before Craig Riordan registered Clare’s first score of the second-half - a goal - on 50 minutes.

Both sides finished with 14 players as O’Connell was sent off for two yellows, while Clare’s Brian McNamara was shown a yellow and then a black late on.

The balanced nature of the first-half was not reflected in the 2-5 to 0-5 interval scoreline, Kerry’s unanswered 1-2 between the 29th and 31st minute moving the Kingdom from one to six in front at the break and leaving a deflated Clare side with a sizable task on their hands turning around for the second period.

Dermot Coughlan’s side had matched Kerry almost stride for stride for the first 29 minutes of the half, recovering from the concession of 1-1 inside the opening six minutes to be back within one of their opponents at the water break.

The opening Kerry goal was a well-worked score involving Aaron O’Shea and Cian McMahon, with half-forward Keith Evans applying the finish. Its roots, however, were in a stray Clare pass in the opposition half of the field that was comfortably intercepted by Oisín Maunsell.

This careless use of possession would time and again frustrate Clare efforts, as would their determination to carry the ball into heavy traffic down the central channel of the Kerry defence.

Banner midfielder Brendan Rouine landed his team's first point from play on 19 minutes to again reduce the gap to the minimum, 1-2 to 0-4, and this was once more the state of affairs after Kerry half-back Paudie O’Leary and Rouine traded further points.

Kerry's Jordan Kissane and Brian McNamara of Clare. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Then arrived the aforementioned Kerry 1-2 burst, points from Caolán Ó Connaill and O’Leary sandwiching a Cian McMahon palmed goal. Midfielder Cillian Burke was instrumental in the creation of Kerry’s second major, winning a Clare restart and then taking possession past Josh Guyler and Fergal Guinnane before lofting the ball across the large parallelogram where McMahon was arriving.

It was one-way traffic thereafter.

Scorers for Kerry: C McMahon (0-1 free), K Evans (1-2 each); D O'Sullivan (0-1 free), C Burke, P O'Leary (0-2 each); O Maunsell, C Ó Connaill, R Burns, M O'Connell (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clare: C Riordan (1-1, 0-1 free); D Fahey (0-3, 0-3 frees); B Rouine (0-2); M Nash (0-1).

Kerry: S Broderick (John Mitchels); C O’Donoghue (St Mary’s Cahersiveen), J Nagle (Austin Stacks), D O’Callaghan (Kilcummin); O Maunsell (Na Gaeil), A Heinrich (Austin Stacks), P O’Leary (Gneeveguilla); C Burke (Milltown/Castlemaine), C Ó Connaill (Castlegregory); K Evans (Keel), W Shine (Killarney Legion), T O’Donnell (Castlegregory); C McMahon (Dr Crokes), A O’Shea (Listry), D O’Sullivan (Churchill).

Subs: M O’Connell (Castlegregory) for Shine, J Kissane (Austin Stacks) for O’Shea (both 44 mins); R Burns (Sneem) for O’Sullivan (50); J McElligott (Listowel Emmets) for O’Donoghue (52); D Flemming (Legion) for O’Leary (59).

Clare: T Collins (Lissycasey); M O’Loughlin (Corofin), F Guinnane (Kildysart), D Rouine (Ennistymon); O Cunningham (Killimer), F Kelleher (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield), J Guyler (Ennistymon); B Rouine (Ennistymon), B McNamara (Cooraclare); D O’Brien (Kilrush), C McGroary (Corofin), D Nagle (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield); E Killeen (Doonbeg), C Riordan (Wolfe Tones), D Fahy (Ennistymon).

Subs: M Nash (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield) for Cunningham (47); S McMahon (St Joseph’s Miltown) for Nagle, D Lohan (Wolfe Tones na Sionna) for D Rouine (both 55).

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick).