Player Ratings: Brian Ó Beaglaoich impact key for Kerry overcoming Derry
PLAYER RATINGS: kerry's Brian Ó Beaglaoich in action against Derry's Lachlan Murray. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
One of the few causes for excitement for the 47, 406 in attendance came when Lynch drove forward on a typical march forward in the third quarter. His pass was completely aimless but led to some much-needed chaos. Lynch kicked a point from play in injury time to cut the margin to three.
The All-Star was tasked with marking Paul Geaney and afforded him too much space for a simple shot from the top of the D before the half-hour mark. Otherwise stuck to his task.
The number 3 started on David Clifford once again and struggled to lay a hand on the reigning Football of the Year for the opening point of the game. As Clifford began to drop deep, Brendan Rogers retreated back to aid the marking effort.
McKaigue and Clifford were shown yellow cards for an off-the-ball skirmish in the second half. In the end, the Fossa man kicked a mark, a point and a free. He was fouled for a converted free, but the guilty party was Conor Glass. As good as you can expect in that tough test.
He will rue a wayward handpass that occurred while the game was level that led to a Joe O’Connor fisted point. Tony Brosnan managed to evade him more than once.
He did a fine job man-marking Paudie Clifford, but it completely stifled all of his attacking capability. In the second half, Doherty carried down the throat of Kerry’s defence and was swallowed by Gavin White. A David Clifford free then helped Kerry regain the lead at the other end.
Flashed an early goal chance across the goal. Did some great work to strip Sean O’Shea in the tackle only to undo it by coughing up possession moments after.
It was a decent dual between McEvoy and Sean O’Shea. McEvoy still managed to get on ball and make an impact in attack while doing his defensive duties. Laid on a score for Paul Cassidy.
Derry’s captain roared into the contest from the off with a nice score and big turnovers in his own half on Paul Murphy and Joe O’Connor. Glass is an astute defensive leader for his side and his positioning contributed to a disciplined holdout in the first half. As Derry’s challenge faded, so did he.
A display full of resolve and determination. He won kickouts he had no right to claim. He kicked two points from three shots. The second was a magnificent floater at a time when Derry desperately needed it.
One of the main reasons Derry’s attack has faltered recently is the downward form of their number 10. At times his use of ball was outright poor.
The processer. A vital link player for Mickey Harte’s side. He battled willingly and was involved in numerous flashpoints. Racked up a heap of possessions yet never truly hurt Jack O’Connor’s outfit.
A tame first half saw Kerry sit deep and defend the arch. Cassidy tried two attempts from outside of that and both dropped short. His foul on Brian Ó Beaglaoich was needless. Finally clipped a point late on. He was forced out over the sideline in a huge swing that helped the Kingdom push three clear. He was replaced by Cormac Murphy with five minutes remaining.
Struggled to impact the match. Replaced by Niall Toner three minutes into the second half.
What an awesome start. Kicked a point from play with his left and right in the opening few minutes before producing a superb block to deny Gavin White a goal. The Slaughtneil man kicked a free at the other end to finish that passage. Somehow found space to swing over another on his left despite immense pressure from both Jason Foley and Tony Brosnan before half-time.
He won his next converted free by taking on Foley and forcing him to foul. His only miss came in the 70th minute. Fought a lonely battle.
The exploits of Castlebar last week seemed to take its toll. He looked destined to burst into the game when he won a ball in front and spun a hook shot into the Davin End. It dropped wide. Derry’s conversion rate finished at 48%. Niall Loughlin came on in his place after an hour.
Derry made four subs compared to Kerry’s five and they failed to have any sort of comparable impact. Niall Loughlin, Niall Toner, Emmet Bradley and Cormac Murphy all saw action.
Safe. Solid. Off target with a first-half point attempt. Only one of his 18 kick-outs didn’t land in a green shirt.
Could have had two first-half points. Should have had at least one. Ended up with none. The first was palmed off the post, the second kicked wide. More importantly, his opposite number Ciarán McFaul had little impact.
Had one strong first-half dispossession of McGuigan to stop a building Derry attack, but otherwise struggled on the back-to-form Oak Leaf No.14. Foley was moved off McGuigan shortly after fouling him for a converted free on 41 minutes. McGuigan took the full-back for 0-4 in their time together.
An unusually restrained Tom O’Sullivan display, even before he was instructed to go across and put some manners on Shane McGuigan. Kicked wide with his sole point attempt. Assisted for Killian Spillane’s point.
Brought an assertion that was so sadly lacking in this dreadful contest. Early wide did not deter him. On target after 16 minutes. Was fouled for a converted second half free and made an intercept on 55 minutes that ended with a Seán O Shea point to put Kerry into a lead that they never relinquished thereafter.
Operated unassumingly or merely an on-field spectator? It’s a question that can be asked of several more of Morley’s colleagues. His sometimes dance partner Eunan Mulholland exerted zero damage and was whipped after 39 minutes.
Fisted over the game’s last point to cap a second half where his energy and powerful running brought him to the fore of the Kerry effort. Was involved in the Seán O’Shea lead score on 55 minutes. Forced a fine turnover off Conor Doherty.
Mixed shopping bag. Two point attempts early in the second period. One went short, one went wide. Important fetch in front of his own goal when Conor Glass floated in an injury-time delivery in search of a green flag.
Jittery. Did kick an opening half point but managed to turn himself over midway through that first period. Called ashore on 68 minutes.
One very poor kick pass out over the sideline in the opening half. Substituted on 62 minutes right after the second of his white flag pair. He left the field as Kerry’s top-scorer from play.
His most anonymous ever Kerry display? Shadowed by Conor Doherty, Paudie just could not smear his fingerprints on this quarter-final victory. His off-target effort at the end of the third quarter captured a frustrating outing for the silenced Kerry playmaker.
Another anonymous member of the half-forward line. First Kerry player to receive the curly finger. The performance of his replacement, Cillian Burke, means Moynihan will have a job on his hands to hold onto his starting berth for the clash with Armagh.
The winning of his eighth minute mark ahead of two Derry defenders was probably the highlight of a quarter-final shorn of flash moments. Had already kicked a point by this early juncture. Influence didn’t increase much thereafter, though.
Didn’t get a shot off from open play until the 43rd minute. Was dispossessed by Eoin McEvoy when there was a sniff of a goal on 52 minutes. The play ended with a Paul Cassidy levelling Derry score. Converted two frees and finished an important move, as mentioned earlier, on 55 minutes.
First half point-scorer. Short when looking to double that tally in the third quarter. Shoved onto the periphery, along with several more in green and gold. Gone after 57 minutes.
Had the lobbing of Odhran Lynch if he was daring enough to chance it on 55 minutes. He didn’t. He instead moved possession forward to Seán O’Shea for a point. Was fouled for a converted free. 7
Split the posts with his first involvement on 58 minutes.
Dylan Geaney and Adrian Spillane produced a neat one-two for the former to push Kerry four ahead approaching the finish.
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