New hooter rule gets opening interrogation as Kerry snatch last gasp win
Kerry's Tomás Kennedy celebrates scoring a goal against Roscommon. Pic ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
AFTER a coaching conference in Tralee on Saturday, someone approached Kieran Donaghy and wondered what would happen if the new on-the-button hooter rule was strictly applied – as in, just as a player was kicking the final score. Consternation surely?
Donaghy wasn’t inclined to disagree.
The controversial new law got its first interrogation Sunday in Killarney as Kerry lined up a last free from midfield with five seconds of the 70 minutes remaining – and the sides level 2-17 to 1-20. Sean O’Shea put it in the mixer for Tomas Kennedy to make a spectacular fetch before fisting over the winner. Did he release the ball before the hooter sounded? Hmmm. It felt like he was still in possession when the hooter went, but try telling that to the celebrating Kerry crowd in an opening day attendance of 6,427 at Fitzgerald Stadium. Brendan Cawley awarded the point and the All-Ireland champions were out the gap – and probably out of jail on this one.
Roscommon proved every bit as tricky and awkward as Jack O’Connor probably feared. And then some.
David Clifford will quarry you out of a lot of holes, and his own particular brand of sorcery was required here as the Rossies made for home with a two point lead, 1-20 to 2-15 with five minutes remaining.
Clifford swung over a brilliant two pointer under pressure to level, and Roscommon sub Paul Carey had a chance to put them ahead in the 69th minute but he blazed wide. Somehow Kerry managed to manufacture the go-ahead score.
As St Brigids-less as Mark Dowd’s Roscommon were, the All-Ireland champions also went into Sunday’s Division 1 opener undermanned and undercooked.
New Rossies gaffer Dowd might have had limited expectations of a result but he got plenty of encouragement from a display that dulled in moments but in the overall was full of verve and intent.
Kerry, of course, are down arguably ten starters but their starting formation still had enough about it to demand an opening day two points at home – a must in terms of the base standard of spring survival.
Reputation, merited though it may be, doesn’t boil the spuds. Kerry ambled into an 0-8 to 0-2 lead, David Clifford’s lead point after nine seconds seemingly setting the terms and conditions. Michael Burns looked sharpest with his link play and second balls around midfield, and he caressed over a pair of points to boot. All told, Kerry looked like lads who’d declared for the half by the 18th minute.
Roscommon, without any of their St Brigid’s contingent - were too tame defensively, but there were positive portents further upfield; Darragh Heneghan’s pace and the trickery inside of Diarmuid Murtagh and Daire Cregg offered something tantalising.
It took half an hour but when it arrived, it was explosive with Murtagh’s 26th minute goal making it a one point game, 0-8 to 1-4. Cregg and Colleran had added points before the goal arrived, Murtagh finishing after Cregg’s initial effort was well parried by Shane Murphy – noteworthy was Darragh Heneghan’s blistering pace in the build up.
Worth noting too that Kerry were causing problems for themselves – Joe O’Connor was turned over for the Rossies’ goal, a few minutes later Armin Heinrich didn’t kick it dead and was punished as Mark Dowd’s men got a good out ball across to the open terrace, and advanced for Daire Cregg to point a 30th minute equaliser, 1-5 to 0-8.
Three minutes later midfielder Keith Doyle curled over the lead score, and if the All-Ireland champions misinterpreted the murmurings from the stand, it was easily translated. Tony Brosnan sliced an effort towards goal, but Tomas Kennedy turned into something approximating to a silk purse – he fielded spectacularly on the endline and managed to pirouette onto his right side from the tightest angle to goal. Brosnan added a point before the hooter to post a three point interval advantage, 1-9 to 1-6.
D Clifford 1-8 (1-0 pen, 1 2pt, 1m, 1f), T Kennedy (1-3, 1m), M Burns (0-2), T Morley, A Heinrich, J O’Connor, T Brosnan, S O’Shea (mark) (0-1 each)
D Cregg (0-9, 1 2pt, 3f), D Murtagh 1-6 (2 2pt, 1f) J Duggan (0-2), K Doyle, E Smith, E Colleran (0-1 each)
S Murphy; E Looney, J Foley, D Casey; A Heinrich, M Breen, T Morley; S O’Brien, L Smith; J O’Connor, S. O’Shea, M Burns; D Clifford, T Kennedy, T Brosnan.
for D Roche for Morley (temp 20-22), C Trant for Smith (48), K Spillane for Brosnan (56), R Murphy for Burns (61), D O’Sullivan for O’Brien (66), E Healy for Morley (69).
A Brady; P Gavin, C Keogh, E McCormack; E Ward, R Daly, S Lambe; K Doyle, C Ryan; D Ruane, E Smith, D Heneghan; D Murtagh, D Cregg, E Colleran.
J Tumulty for Colleran (46), P Carey for Ruane (54), J Duggan for Doyle (56), C Lennon for Smith (61), R Hughes for D Heneghan (63).
B Cawley (Kildare)
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