Tommy Walsh stars as Kerins O'Rahillys secure maiden Munster title

TARGET MAN: Tommy Walsh of Kerins O’Rahilly's celebrates after scoring his side's first goal as James Kelly of Newcastle West looks on during the AIB Munster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Final match at Mallow GAA Sports Complex in Cork. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

KERINS O’RAHILLY'S (Kerry) 2-6 NEWCASTLE WEST (Limerick) 1-8 

Tommy Walsh was the toast of Strand Road as his aerial ability at the edge of the square was the winning of this Munster Club SFC final in Mallow.

A first senior provincial title for Kerins O’Rahillys in only their second final, Walsh was a constant threat to Newcastle West and turned the game early in the second half.

The former young footballer of the year was integral to both O’Rahillys’ goals in that period, scoring the first in the 34th minute when he caught a Jack Savage diagonal ball and fired home, and setting up the second five minutes later, again collecting a direct ball and offloading for Barry John Keane to finish.

That goal immediately cancelled out a Mike McMahon three-pointer seconds before, the target man availing of Cian Sheehan’s effort coming off the post and sliding the ball under Shane Foley.

Kerins O’Rahillys, who didn’t score from play in the opening half, didn’t trouble the scoreboard for the remainder but Newcastle West’s four points, all Eoin Hurley frees, weren’t enough.

Facing the low sun in the first half, O’Rahillys opened the scoring in the first minute when Jack Savage sent over a free won by Gavin O’Brien as he was about to fire towards the posts.

However, it was another 12 minutes before they scored again. In the intervening period, Newcastle West scored twice, the first a free by Eoin Hurley after Sheehan had been upended. Shane Stack sent over a long effort from play in the 11th minute.

Savage sent over a 50-metre free in the 13th minute to square matters but Newcastle West were back in front when Hurley converted another free earned by the roving Sheehan.

Four yellow cards were dished out in the opening 16 minutes in some testy exchanges and some of referee Seán Lonergan’s decisions drew the ire of both sets of supporters.

The only goal chance of the half fell to Tommy Walsh in the 23rd minute when he caught and turned only for his shot to be blocked. Savage then dropped another long-range free short and in a moment that summed up O’Rahillys’ frustrations and had shades of the semi-final David Moran was penalised for charging.

Registering five first-half wides, Newcastle West themselves were edgy but they looked sharper with ball in hand and Iain Corbett shot a mighty point to double their lead in the 29th minute.

A Walsh mark in additional time brought the Kerry club champions to within a point, 0-3 to 0-4, after a largely forgettable half of football.

Scorers for Kerins O’Rahillys: T. Walsh (1-1, 0-1 mark); B.J. Keane (1-0): J. Savage (0-2, frees); B. Hanafin, C. Coffey, T. Hoare (0-1 each).

Scorers for Newcastle West: E. Hurley (0-5, frees); M. McMahon (1-0); S. Stack, I. Corbett, A. Neville (0-1 each).

KERINS O’RAHILLYS: S. Foley; D. McElligott, R. O’Callaghan (c), C. Coffey; C. Barrett, K. Mullins, P. Neenan; D. Moran, T. Hoare; G. Savage, B.J. Keane, G. O’Brien; J. Savage, T. Walsh, C. Hayes.

Subs for Kerins O’Rahillys: B. Hanafin for G. Savage (h-t); R. Carroll for C. Barrett (inj 38); D. O’Sullivan for C. Hayes (58).

Sent off: J. Savage (60, second yellow).

NEWCASTLE WEST: M. Quilligan; M. O’Keeffe, D. O’Doherty, B. O’Sullivan; R. O’Connor, I. Corbett (c), S. Murphy; S. Stack, S. Hurley, C. Sheehan; D. Kelly, M. McMahon, E. Hurley.

Subs for Newcastle West : T. O’Donovan for S. Hurley (40); A. Neville for J. Kelly (46); B. Nik for S. Murphy (51); T. Quilligan for D. Kelly (56).

Referee: S. Lonergan (Tipperary).