Kerry win ugly to set up semi-final with Armagh
CLOSE QUARTER: Derry’s Lachlan Murray and Shane McGuigan tackle Diarmuid O'Connor of Kerry. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie
No points for prettiness but Kerry won’t give a damn as they secured an All-Ireland semi-final against Armagh.
Derry went to basics and frustrated Jack O’Connor’s side for the most part until the last quarter when Kerry took over and Derry’s intense schedule this month may have come back to bite them.
A crowd of 47,406 were subjected to a game that will be forgotten quickly. The third quarter finished just as it started in stalemate. A Shane McGuigan free was matched by a Diarmuid O’Connor point. A David Clifford free was followed by a Paul Cassidy score.
In the 56th minute, a poor attempt by Ethan Doherty to grab a pass not intended for him was punished by a swift Kerry counter that Seán O’Shea finished with a point. Substiute Killian Spillane booted a fine point to double Kerry’s lead three minutes later.
Brendan Rogers’ second point of the game threatened to set up an anxious finish for Kerry but then Tony Brosnan, just before being replaced, found his range and David Clifford drew a free from Conor Glass, which O’Shea capitalised on.
A three-point game, Derry’s challenge wilted with a McGuigan wide in the penultimate minute of normal time and O’Shea’s second free, awarded for an Emmet Bradley foul on Cillian Burke, was the insurance score.
After an Odhrán Lynch point, Kerry’s range of scorers grew to 10 as Dylan Geaney and Gavin White got in on the act to give the victory a polish.
The first half was beset with inertia as each team were content to feel each other out. Kerry bossed possession but they weren’t patient enough with it. The teams were tied 0-6 apiece at the break and it was fitting as neither deserved to be ahead.
Leaving Chrissy McKaigue in his wake, David Clifford opened proceedings with a second minute point. Conor Glass came back with one of his own four minutes later but the next two scores were Kerry’s, Tony Brosnan pumping over a fine score and David Clifford rising high to beat two Derry defenders to win a mark, which he converted.
McGuigan announced himself to the game with a brace of points inside two minutes. The greatest goal opening came in the 13th minute when three Kerry defenders all attempt to score only to be thwarted. Paul Murphy initially attempted a fisted effort but the ball came back into play off the post.
Gavin White was alert enough to collect but no other than Shane McGuigan was there to dive low to deny him. The ball remained alive for Tadhg Morley to attempt a point but he too was kept out.
Five minutes later at the other end, David Clifford was palming a ball out beyond the goal-line for a Derry 45. It was that type of opening period as each side retreated in numbers and seemed more determined to cancel the other out than find fault-lines with acts of audacity.
An example of that cold war came later in the half when Gareth McKinless ripped the ball from Seán O’Shea only to be dispossessed by O’Shea later in the move in the Derry half.
Derry went ahead via a McGuigan 15th minute free but Kerry struck back with two fisted points, the first from Brian Ó Beaglaoich on an overlap on the right side and Joe O’Connor then making the most of Seán O’Shea keeping the ball from going dead in the 25th minute.
Rogers neutralised that Kerry lead seconds later only for Paul Geaney to free himself up in a central position to slot over Kerry’s sixth. But McGuigan, looking like the 2023 All-Star, added his fourth of the game in the 33rd minute.
D. Clifford (1 free, 1 mark), S. O’Shea (2 frees) (0-3 each); T. Brosnan (0-2); B. Ó Beaglaoich, J. O’Connor, P. Geaney, D. O’Connor, K. Spillane, D. Geaney, G. White (0-1 each).
S. McGuigan (0-5, 2 frees); B. Rogers (0-2); C. Glass, P. Cassidy, O. Lynch (0-1 each).
S. Ryan; T. O’Sullivan, J. Foley, T. Morley; B. Ó Beaglaoich, G White, P. Murphy; D. O’Connor, J. O’Connor; T. Brosnan, P. Clifford (c), D. Moynihan; D. Clifford, S. O’Shea, P. Geaney.
C. Burke for D. Moynihan (53); K. Spillane for P. Geaney (57); D. Geaney for T. Brosnan (62); A. Spillane for J. O’Connor (68); M. Breen for B. Ó Beaglaoich (70+3).
O. Lynch; C. McCluskey, D. Baker, C. McKaigue; G. McKinless, C. Doherty, E. McEvoy; C. Glass (c), B. Rogers; E. Doherty, C. McFaul, P. Cassidy; E. Mulholland, S. McGuigan, L. Murray.
N. Toner for E. Mulholland (39); N. Loughlin for L. Murray (60); E. Bradley for C. McFaul, C. Murphy for P. Cassidy (both 65).
D. Coldrick (Meath).
Donegal v Galway
Kerry v Armagh
Games to be played July 13/14
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