Kerry reach another minor final with stylish win over Roscommon

Connacht champions Roscommon simply had no answer to the pace and precision of a Kerry attack that contributed all bar 0-5 of their team’s 3-21 total.

Kerry players celebrate after their side's victory in the 2020 All-Ireland MFC semi-final. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Kerry 3-21 Roscommon 2-13

A sixth All-Ireland minor football final appearance in seven seasons is the Kerry reward for this stylish display of attacking football from the Kingdom class of 2020.

Just under a year later than planned, the 2020 All-Ireland minor football championship will conclude this weekend. Contesting for the Tom Markham Cup will be Ulster champions Derry and near-annual finalists Kerry.

Stretching right the way back to 2014, Kerry’s recent dominance of this competition and the ability of all involved in the county’s underage development process to keep the production line moving at such a rate of knots has been beyond impressive. This latest victory by this latest batch of talented Kerry minors means the county now stands one hour from a sixth All-Ireland crown in seven years.

But as ever when discussing a promising minor outfit, it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that success, ultimately, will be determined not by silverware captured, rather by the number of players who prove themselves capable of transitioning up through U20 and on to senior thereafter.

Going on the evidence provided at LIT Gaelic Grounds, there are more than a few exciting prospects to keep an eye on in the years ahead.

Of Kerry’s 3-21 total, Keith Evans, Cian McMahon, and Darragh O’Sullivan amassed 3-14 between them. Evans’ entire 1-5 tally was from play, with McMahon and O’Sullivan both kicking 1-3 from play, as well as showing themselves razor-sharp from the dead ball.

Roscommon's Michael Sugrue tackles Kerry's Oisín Maunsell. Picture: INPHO/Ken Sutton

It was McMahon’s goal on 53 minutes - Kerry’s third of this enjoyable semi-final - that stopped dead in its tracks any notion of a late Roscommon revival after a burst of 1-2 without reply had brought the westerners back within five of their opponents, 2-17 to 2-12.

Kerry’s response was to outscore Roscommon by 1-4 to 0-1 across the closing 12 minutes to come home 11-point winners.

Ahead by six at the break, Evans, McMahon, O'Sullivan, and centre-forward William Shine all swelled their personal tallies early in the second period as Kerry's lead grew to 10 - 2-17 to 1-10 - by the second water break.

The damage had been done far earlier, James Costello's charges outscoring the Connacht champions by 2-8 to 1-1 in the 13 minutes between the first water break and the call for half-time. Roscommon operated for much of this spell with 14 men, Aaron Shannon black-carded for his attempts to prevent Kerry’s second goal on 18 minutes.

It was a green flag that arose from a short kick-out gone wrong, Cian McMahon intercepting the Roscommon restart following an Evans point that tied matters at 1-3 to 0-6. The Crokes corner-forward quickly offloaded to Darragh O’Sullivan who crashed the ball past ‘keeper David Farrell.

Roscommon, to their credit, replied immediately with a goal of their own. Ryan Conlon was the finisher after fine work in the build-up by Darren Gately. From there to the break, though, Kerry kicked seven points to Roscommon’s one to lead by 2-10 to 1-7 turning around for the second period.

Roscommon had impressive showings from forward pair Eoin Colleran and the excellent Conor Hand, but their attacking arsenal simply did not run half as deep as that of their opponents.

Three Kerry subs - Jordan Kissane, Maurice O’Connell, and Marc Manning - finding the target shows that those coming off the bench are every bit as talented as those keeping them out of the starting team.

Scorers for Kerry: C McMahon (0-2 frees), K Evans (1-5 each); D O’Sullivan (1-4, 0-1 free); W Shine, J Kissane (0-2 each); P O’Leary, M O’Connell, M Manning (0-1 each).

Scorers for Roscommon: C Hand (1-4, 0-1 free); E Colleran (0-6, 0-4 frees); R Conlon (1-0); D Gately (0-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 mark); C Neary (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), K O’Sullivan (Glenflesk); P O’Leary (Kilcummin), C Ó Connaill (Castlegregory); T O’Donnell (Castlegregory), W Shine (Killarney Legion), K Evans (Keel); C McMahon (Dr Crokes), C Foley (Kilcummin), D O’Sullivan (Churchill).

Subs: J Kissane (Austin Stacks) for Foley (40); D Fleming (Legion) for O’Sullivan (44); M O’Connell (Castlegregory) for Shine (46); R Burns (Sneem) for O’Sullivan (54); M Manning (Lios Póil) for Evans (55).

Roscommon: D Farrell (Castlerea St Kevin’s); L Walsh (Pádraig Pearses), C Keogh (Pádraig Pearses), M Sugrue (St Brigid’s); C Neary (Strokestown), A McManus (Clann na nGael), E Ward (St Ciaran’s); O Cregg (Boyle), J Greene (Éire Óg); S Walsh (Oran), R Conlon (Roscommon Gaels), C Hand (St Brigid’s); Aaron Shannon (Roscommon Gaels), E Colleran (Pádraig Pearses), D Gately (St Ciaran’s).

Subs: T Lennon (Clann na nGael) for Shannon (28 mins); D Kenny (Pádraig Pearses) for Cregg, I Harney (Clann na nGael) for Conlon (both HT); M Watson (St Dominic’s) for Greene (39); S McGinley (Strokestown) for McManus (47).

Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary).