Kerry MFC final: East Kerry regain minor title after penalty controversy

A controversial penalty awarded in the 51st minute which saw Calum Cronin find the net from the spot for the second time saw East Kerry beat champions North Kerry

Mon, 21 Aug, 2023 - 22:24

Murt Murphy

Kerry MFC final

East Kerry 2-10 North Kerry 0-13

A controversial penalty awarded to East Kerry in the 51st minute which saw Calum Cronin find the net from the spot for the second time saw East Kerry beat champions North Kerry in the Kerry MFC final at Austin Stack Park before a huge crowd.

It was a game that East Kerry just about deserved to win, and brought them their seventh minor title in eight years, though Evan Boyle hardly deserved to be on the losing side.

North Kerry were quickly out of the blocks when Aaron Kennelly grabbed the throw-in and drove through the heart of the East Kerry defence before parting to Oisin Healy who opened the scoring. But East Kerry leveled from the kickout when Tadgh Gosney's shot at goal was brilliantly saved by Brien Dineen only for Ted O’Gorman to fire over the rebound.

Evan Boyle was dominant at midfield for North Kerry early on but his forwards were turning ball over and not looking for a player on their shoulder. Tadgh Gosney gave East Kerry the lead but Boyle and Oisin Healy played a neat one-two with Boyle leveling the contest.

North Kerry full back and Kerry minor David Mulvihill thundered into the game and set up Shawn Wren for the first of his two points in the opening period. North Kerry had the first of three goal chances that were saved by excellent keeping by East Kerry’s Pierce Moynihan.

East Kerry then added two points from Callum Cronin and Keelan O’Shea to lead 0-4 to 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter. North Kerry were denied twice by superb saves from Pierce Moynihan and East Kerry got momentum when Calum Cronin converted a penalty after Jamie Moynihan (son of Kerry legend Seamus) was hauled down. Points from Aaron Carey, Oisin Healy, Paudie Finucane and Shawn Wren reduced the deficit to 1-6 to 0-7 at the interval.

The second half was a rip roaring affair with Cronin increasing East Kerry’s lead to three but points from Ruairi O’Connell and two mighty efforts from Kerry minor captain Boyle leveled the contest at the three quarter stage.

A Sean Doolan point kept East Kerry in front but North Kerry hit back to take the lead thanks to a Shawn Wren mark (0-12 to 1-8), but then came the penalty award to East Kerry for a foul on Doolan that looked harmless. Callum Cronin put his side two clear and that saw out the game to reclaim the title after another epic battle.

Scorers for East Kerry: C Cronin (2-2, 2-0 pens), S Doolan (0-3, 2fs), K O’Shea, O Fleming, T O’Gorman, T Gosney and J McCarthy (f) 0-1 each)

Scorers for North Kerry: E Boyle (0-4, 1f), S Wren (0-3, 1m), O Healy (0-2, 1’45), R O’Connell, P Finucane, A Carey and G O’Keeffe (0-1 each)

North Kerry: B Dineen (Beale); C Egan (Tarbert), D Mulvihill (Tarbert), L Sheridan (Duagh); J Carmody (Emmets), P Walsh (do), R O’Connell (St Senan’s); A Kennelly (Emmets), E Boyle (Ballyduff); P Finucane (Tarbert), S Wren (Tarbert), L Rochford (Ballyduff); O Healy (Asdee), A Carey (Emmets), D O’Keeffe (Moyvane).

Subs: M Coolahan (Tarbert ) for C Egan (h/t), G O’Keeffe (Finuge ) for L Rochford (37), M Kelly (Duagh) for L Rochford (49), I Conway (Finuge) for O Healy (55), P Brosnan (Moyvane) for O O’Neill (60).

East Kerry: Pierce Moynihan (Glenflesk); S Maher (Kilcummin), C O’Connor (Rathmore), G Barry (Gneeveguilla); O O’Neill (Spa), Padraig Moynihan (Rathmore), D Stack (Kilcummin); J Moynihan (Glenflesk), K O’Shea (Kilcummin); O Fleming (Killarney Legion), T O’Gorman (Fossa), T Gosney (Listry ); C Moynihan (Rathmore), C Cronin (Glenflesk), S Doolan (Kilcummin).

Subs: E Murphy (Listry) for T Gosney (49), J McCarthy (Spa) for T O’Gorman (57), J Doyle (Gneeveguilla) for S Doolan (60).

Referee: G Murphy (Skellig Rangers).