Eight-goal Kerry hammer Wicklow to clinch Christy Ring Cup final spot

The Kingdom notched a brace of hat-tricks in Tralee. 

CLINICAL: Kerry manager John Griffin saw his side dismantle Wicklow. File pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Kerry 8-25 Wicklow 0-17 

Kerry are through to the Christy Ring Cup final with a game to spare following a 32-point hammering of Wicklow in this mismatch at the Austin Stack Park.

Due to the fact that Derry and Meath drew, and can now only reach seven points, Kerry are going to finish on top after an unbeaten run of four games that sees them sit on eight points and with Derry to play away in the final round.

Kerry have been posting huge totals and Podge Boyle has scored two hat-tricks in their previous two rounds. The Kerry talisman contributed 0-10 to the win on Satuday, it was Michael Slattery and Kevin Goulding who notched hat-tricks with Luke Rochford coming off the bench to clinch a brace of goals.

Kerry set about their task of dismantling Wicklow with a whirlwind start that saw them race into a 0-6 to 0-0 lead inside the opening eight minutes. Liam Óg O’Connor (two), Podge Boyle (two), Gavin Dooley and Michael Slattery had signaled the Kingdom’s intent in ensuring their place in the Christy Ring Cup final in Croke Park, on the June Bank Holiday weekend.

Wicklow, who lost a Christy Ring Cup final to the Kingdom in 2011, last played and beat Kerry in Aughrim in 2012 by five points but there was never a chance of a repeat result here.

This was a mismatch as Wicklow have spent 21 of the 22 seasons of the Christy Ring Cup Wicklow were never going to trouble Kerry up front despite the best efforts of Fionn Darcy, John Henderson and Sam O’Dowd.

Michael Slattery started the ball rolling with 12th-minute goal and thanks two Gavin Dooley points, Kerry had moved 1-12 to 0-5 in front after thirty minutes. But then in first half added time, Kevin Goulding struck with a brace of goals to blow Wicklow out of the water as the Kingdom led 3-12 to 0-7 at the interval.

Matters deteriorated for Wicklow in the second half as they were outscored 5-13 to 0-10 with Slattery completing his hat-trick with a brace of goals, Goulding then completed his in the 54th minute, while substitute Luke Rochford scored two more off the bench as Kerry cruised into the final.

Scorers: Kerry: M Slattery (3-2), P Boyle (0-10, 6fs), K Goulding (3-0), L Rochford (2-2), R Walsh (1f) and G Dooley (0-3 each), T Doyle and L Óg O’Connor (0-2 each), H Lenihan (0-1) 

Wicklow: F Darcy (0-4), P Doyle (0-4, 3fs), S O’Dowd, T Collins and J Henderson (0-2 each), J Doyle, W Cash and L Byrne (0-1 each) 

Kerry: C Bohane; E Leen, S McGrath, K O’Connor; J O’Connor, J Diggins, M Leane; K Goulding, H Lenihan; T Doyle, R Walsh, L Óg O’Connor; G Dooley, P Boyle, M Slattery.

Subs: L Rochford for L Óg O’Connor (47), J Conway for G Dooley (47), a Segal for J O’Connor (52), S Foran for E Leen (60), D Kearney for S McGrath (65).

Wicklow: C McNally; I Clancy, A Kavanagh, B Kearney’; S O’Dowd, J Henderson, J Boland; K Cullen, P Doran; T Collins, F Darcy; J Doyle, P Doyle, S Germaine.

Subs: C Byrne for J Boland (inj 35), J Phelan for J Doyle (45), W Cash for S Germaine (45), L Byrne for S Dowd (55), A Lynch for A Kavanagh (60) Referee; M Farrell (Offaly)