Beaufort's Sean O’Brien impresses as Kerry shake off the remnants of 2023

WINNING START: Kerry's Keith Evans in action against Tipperary's Darragh Brennan during the McGrath Cup Group A match in Tralee. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

McGrath Cup SF: Kerry 3-20 Tipperary 0-10

MAN of the match at Austin Stack Park? Timmy Daly (Churchill), the head groundsperson who rendered the field as playable as anyone could after a month of hard Kerry rain – and an inter-county hurling game the evening prior.

Early doors, of course, but at least any half-conclusions from the night’s opening McGrath Cup exchanges had a ring of authenticity about them, rendering all the aquatic clichés unnecessary.

For Kerry’s goalkeepers, it was all a little too real as the clock ticked down the throw in: Dr Crokes’ Shane Murphy limping out of the warm-up after an unwelcome hamstring twinge, prompting an unexpected debut for Beaufort’s Sean Coffey, the son of legendary ladies stylist Mary Joe Curran. Coffey had a quiet night, as it transpired.

It was Coffey’s opposite number, the returning Tipp No 1 Evan Comerford, who felt the first sting of the January air, Kerry’s Dylan Geaney billowing the net on 44 seconds after a one-two with Killian Spillane. It wasn’t long until the Kerry duo swapped roles – Geaney’s fourth minute shot was only parried by Comerford and Spillane applied to easy finish.

Tipperary are starting afresh too, with a new feel in more ways than one. Paul Kelly has been appointed new gaffer and, if the local bush telegraph is accurate, hasn’t been slow to draw his lines in the ground. His side could have turned their ass to this after the early double-blow, but they played their way into the half, and Clonmel’s Sean O’Connor helped himself to five first-half points. Nominally a corner forward, he dropped into midfield with his sizeable frame out of possession, but moved and looped like a natural inside forward for two points from play, a pair of converted frees and a mark.

Kerry held the advantage of the early goals into the break, 2-7 to 0-7, their last point a sweet effort from the left foot of Beaufort’s Sean O’Brien. He was one of seven green and gold tyros making a first senior start, but the man making the big early impression was Joe O’Connor. The midfielder was making his first start in well over a year after an ACL rupture. Often the biggest impediment to getting it all back is psychological but O’Connor showed no ill-effects as he impressed in aerial combat.

Micheal Burns was busy, and pointed really well after holding off tight Tipp marking in the 17th minute to make it 2-4 to 0-3. However it was Tipp less pleased to hear the half time whistle as they bagged three points in a row before Barry Dan O’Sullivan and Beaufort’s O’Brien restored Kerry’s six-point lead.

Kerry made a raft of interval changes, and not just because of that, the crowd lost the will to stay engaged. Sean O’Shea came on to stretch his legs and kicked six points, Stefan Okunbor returned after missing the guts of last year’s campaign with injury, and Paul Murphy kicked a wonderful score from range.

Joe O’Connor concluded a fine night’s work with Kerry’s third goal on 46 minutes, teed up for the fisted finish by the diligence (again) from Gavin White.

Beaufort powerhouse O’Brien caught the eye throughout, his performance adored with a second point on 53 minutes.

Kerry go again on Saturday, to Rathkeale this time to face Limerick.

Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea (0-6, 3 frees, 0-1 mark), D Geaney (1-1), K Spillane (1-1, 0-1 free), J O’Connor (1-0), M Burns (0-2), S O’Brien (0-2), D Roche (0-2), D Casey, B O’Sullivan, P Murphy, R Buckley, A Spillane, C Geaney (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tipperary: S O’Connor (0-8, 5 frees, 0-1 mark), S Grogan, P Creedon (0-1 each) 

KERRY: S Coffey; J Nagle, D Casey, D Bourke; G O’Sullivan, M Breen, Seán O’Brien; J O’Connor, B O’Sullivan; K Evans, D Geaney, C Burke; K Spillane, D Roche, M Burns.

Subs: D Moynihan for Burns (HT); S O’Shea for D Geaney (HT); R Buckley for B O’Sullivan (HT), S O’Brien for C Burke (HT); J Foley for Nagle (HT); C Geaney for Spillane (HT); G White for G O’Sullivan (HT), A Spillane for Evans (47), P O’Leary for Breen (47), S Okunbor for O’Connor (47), P Murphy for Bourke (47).

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; S O'Connell, J Feehan, R O'Dowd; S Grogan (debut), C O’Shaughnessy, K Costello (debut); T Doyle, P Feehan; E Moloney, J Kennedy, C Deely; R Quigley, P Creedon, S O'Connor.

Subs: D Brennan for Quigley (4), S Neville for P Feehan (23),M Lowry for Brennan (HT), M McFadden for O’Shaughnessy (HT), D Looby for J Kennedy (49), D O’Leary for Maloney (55), K Shelly for Deeley (57), T Condon for O’Dowd (57)

Referee: James Regan (Cork)