Joe McDonagh Cup joy for Antrim as Kerry's heartbreak continues
Antrim's James McNaughton celebrates scoring a goal in their Joe McDonagh Cup final win over Kerry at Croke Park
Goals proved to be Antrim's battering ram yet again in the Joe McDonagh Cup, the Saffrons blasting five past Kerry to secure their second title in three years.
A brace from Ciarán Clarke and further goals from Conal Cunning, who top scored for the victors with 1-11, James McNaughton and Keelan Molloy propelled Darren Gleeson's side to a memorable win.
Remarkably, Kerry struck four goals themselves, two from Padraig Boyle and two from super sub Jordan Conway. The strikes ensured that this game went right to the wire but just like back in 2020, when they also lost to Antrim, there was agony at the end of it all for Stephen Molumphy's side.
Boyle's second goal came in the 77th minute and merely glossed the scoreline at that stage as it turned a four-point game into a one-point match.
Antrim's reward is promotion to the 2023 Leinster SHC though both sides still have an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final tie to play; Antrim meeting Cork next weekend and Kerry taking on Wexford.
With Antrim striking 20 goals in just five group games - six against Down and seven against Meath - the challenge for Kerry was clear; stop the Saffrons from raising green flags.
Unfortunately for the Kingdom they failed miserably to do that and by half-time the favourites had three goals registered, not to mention the 14 points they also plundered.
Kerry played with a two-man full-forward line of Colum Harty and Shane Conway, allowing them to drop Colin Walsh, wearing number 10, into defence and ultimately freeing Mikey Boyle to perform as a sweeper.
It was a clear ploy to prevent Antrim cutting their defence asunder but the Division 1 outfit found it a simple enough exercise to work their way around the extra bodies.
Some of their attacking moves were sumptuous as they dovetailed superbly and swooped for their first goal after just five minutes. Clarke danced infield from the right beyond a couple of Kerry defenders after being played in by Joe Maskey and slammed the ball to the net.
Six minutes later, Clarke was the provider for James McNaughton who still had some work to do to shake off Paudie O'Connor but showed real strength to break clear and make it goal number two.
Already Kerry looked in real trouble with Antrim 2-03 to 0-02 up.
Four Cunning points in a row, and another from Keelan Molloy, left 11 points between them and it looked at that early stage like the game might already be beyond Kerry.
Credit to the Munster men for refusing to throw in the towel. Between the 24th and 33rd minutes they outscored Antrim by 1-03 to 0-01, Padraig Boyle hitting the net from a penalty that was won by Fionan Mackessy, to bring the gap back to a more manageable seven points.
The burst of scoring appeared to awaken Antrim from their mini-slumber because they responded by closing out the half strongly, adding a third goal through Elliott in stoppage time.
This time Molloy was the architect, breaking clear and drawing a save from Kerry goalkeeper Louis Dee, Elliott first onto the scene to double on the loose ball to the net.
Cunning added a point and suddenly Kerry back sitting pretty again, leading 3-14 to 1-10 at half-time.
It was another thrill-a-minute ride in the second-half with Kerry slowly but surely reeling in Antrim though Cunning's 41st minute goal and Clarke's 60th minute penalty conversion kept the Ulster side in the clear at all times.
Still, Kerry couldn't have pushed them any harder with Conway coming off the bench and registering 2-2 to leave four points in it deep into stoppage time.
Boyle then narrowed it to a one-point game when he flashed a 77th minute shot to the net but full-time was blown moments later.
Conal Cunning 1-12, 0-9f, Ciaran Clarke 2-2, 1-0 pen, James McNaughton 1-1, Seaan Elliott 1-0, Keelan Molloy 0-2, Neil McManus 0-2, Niall McKenna 0-1, Daniel McKernan 0-1, Eoin O'Neill 0-1.
: Padraig Boyle 2-11, 1-0 pen, 0-7f, 1 '65, Jordan Conway 2-2, Daniel Collins 0-3, Michael Leane 0-2, Shane Conway 0-2, Fionan Mackessy 0-1, Gavin Dooley 0-1, Maurice O'Connor 0-1, Paudie O'Connor 0-1.
R Elliott; D Kearney, G Walsh, P Burke; M Bradley, E Campbell, J Maskey; C Bohill, K Molloy; C Clarke, J McNaughton, C McCann; S Elliott, N McManus, C Cunning.
R McGarry for Campbell (22-24, blood); D McKernan for Bohill (50); D Nugent for McCann (53); N McKenna for McNaughton (62); C Johnston for Clarke (64); E O'Neill for McManus (69).
L Dee; C O'Keeffe, S Weir, E Leen; E Ross, M Boyle, M Leane; F Mackessy, P O'Connor; P Boyle, D Collins, G Dooley; C Walsh, C Harty, S Conway.
J Conway for Harty (25); M O'Connell for Dooley (45); N Mulcahy for Walsh (49); B Lonergan for Collins (64).
S Stack (Dublin).
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