Late Roche show earns Kerry comeback win over Clare

Clare, in their inaugural outing of the new campaign, were quicker out of the blocks, and had four points on the board before Kerry got their bearings.

Sun, 08 Jan, 2023 - 16:29

John O’Dowd

KERRY 0-14 CLARE 0-13

Two late injury-time points from substitute Darragh Roche sealed a heartening comeback victory for Jack O’Connor as Kerry eventually swept the cobwebs out of the system by pipping Clare in this McGrath Cup (Group A) clash at Austin Stack Park.

Despite a lethargic opening half, not helped by losing midfielder Diarmuid O’Connor with potential ankle ligament damage in the first quarter, the Kingdom manager will be encouraged by the way his charges dug in resolutely to pull the game out of the fire.

Clare, in their inaugural outing of the new campaign, were quicker out of the blocks, and had four points on the board before Kerry got their bearings, with the Banner half-back line in a buccaneering mood from the outset, especially centre-back Jamie Malone.

A brief scoring spurt allowed the home team to narrow the deficit to the minimum (0-4 to 0-3) by the 20th minute, but the visitors were in the ascendancy for the remainder of the half, Podge Collins’ late point allowing them to retire at the break with a decent cushion (0-7 to 0-3).

Even though Kerry had the elements in their favour on the resumption, Colm Collins’ side continued to hold their own throughout the third quarter (0-11 to 0-7), but as a plethora of substitutions took place, it was the All-Ireland champions who gathered most momentum heading down the home stretch.

Two long-range stunners from the inspirational Tom O’Sullivan were the principal catalysts in Kerry drawing level by the 63rd minute (0-11 each), and while the always prominent Keelan Sexton kept on delivering the goods for Clare, it was Glenflesk’s Roche who emerged the last-gasp hero, kicking the winners’ final two points to edge them over the line in front.

Scorers for Kerry: T Brosnan 0-6 (0-4fs), T O’Sullivan, D Roche 0-2 each, K Spillane, M Burns, D Moynihan, R Buckley 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: E Cleary (fs), K Sexton (0-1f) 0-3 each, J Malone, E McMahon, R Lanigan, C O’Connor, P Collins, M Doherty, A Griffin 0-1 each.

KERRY: S Murphy; D Casey, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; M Breen, T Morley, J McCarthy; D O’Connor, J Barry; D Moynihan, M Burns, B Mahony; T Brosnan, E Horan, K Spillane.

Subs: B O’Sullivan for O’Connor, inj (15), D Roche for Horan (26), R Murphy for Mahony (39), G Horan for McCarthy (45), R Buckley for Burns (46), D O’Sullivan for Spillane (55), D O’Donoghue for Casey (55), S Okunbor for Barry (57), J O’Shea for Breen (62), D Geaney for Moynihan (62).

CLARE: S Ryan; M Doherty, C Brennan, R Lanigan; C O’Dea, J Malone, A Sweeney; C O’Connor, D O’Neill; E McMahon, E Cleary, D Coughlin; P Collins, K Sexton, C Downes.

Subs: I Ugweuru for Coughlin (45), A Griffin for McMahon (45), D Walsh for Sweeney (45), G Cooney for Collins (51), D Nagle for O’Dea (54), G Cahill for Downes (54), D McDonagh for O’Connor (62), D Keating for Malone (62), S Griffin for Cleary (67), C Downes for O’Neill (67).

Referee: J O’Regan (Cork).