Three extra-time goals see Kerry past Roscommon and into U20 All-Ireland final

GOALS WIN GAMES: Tomás Kennedy of Kerry scores his side's third goal. Pic: Paul Phelan/Sportsfile

KERRY 3-17 ROSCOMMON 0-17

A scintillating blitzkrieg of three goals in the second period of extra-time allowed Kerry to wrestle back momentum as they, eventually, stormed past a gallant Roscommon in the Dalata Hotel Group All-Ireland U-20 FC semi-final at Semple Stadium in Thurles.

Man-of-the-match Daniel Kirby, captain Paddy Lane, and senior star Tomás Kennedy, all rattled the net, as Tomás Ó Sé’s bench came to the fore when needed most, with Jack Joy and Dara Hogan (twice) supplying the vital assists.

In cold, wet and windy conditions, the action never rose above the mediocre in an opening half riddled by mistakes and turnovers. Roscommon won the toss, and opted to play against the elements, the lively John McGuinness pointing in the second minute.

Kerry soon settled, with Lane quick to make his presence in the full-forward line. The Kingdom skipper recorded an early double, from play and placed ball, before big midfielder Niall Heneghan cut through for a Roscommon equaliser on ten minutes.

Gearóid White set up Lane for his third point, and second from play, as the opening quarter ended with Kerry holding a slender one-point lead, 0-3 to 0-2. Kennedy looked slightly restricted by the dead leg he picked up in Killarney on Sunday.

White fired over a superb two-pointer in the 17th minute, with Kirby and Jack O’Sullivan quickly raising white flags to increase the Kingdom advantage to five points. It could have been more, but Carroll was foiled by a Patrick Gaynor save.

Kennedy manufactured the last point of the half (0-8 to 0-2) on the 30-minute mark, but Roscommon almost got in for a goal in injury-time with Kacper Robak fumbling a Charlie O’Carroll delivery, but Cathal Enright’s strike was deflected wide by the retreating Kirby.

The scrappy nature to proceedings continued in the third quarter, with both sides only adding two points each to their respective tallies. Dean Casey and O’Carroll (free) were on the mark for Roscommon, with Kennedy and White replying for Kerry.

Robak made a fine reflex stop from a Casey flick, before the Kingdom moved seven points clear (0-11 to 0-4) when Kirby drove over a nice point in the 49th minute. Amazingly, Kerry would not score again from there to the full-time whistle.

McGuinness continued to be the energetic bundle of energy that Cian Smith’s outfit required, and he fired over two more from play as they launched a spirited fightback. By the 60th minute mark, the gap was down to three (0-11 to 0-8), O’Carroll and ‘keeper Patrick Gaynor with placed balls.

Kerry’s composure was now wilting all over the field, with numerous balls slipping from their collective grasp as the pressure intensified. O’Carroll’s ballooning two-point free left the bare minimum between the sides, before super-sub Ruairí Kilcline kicked a last-gasp equaliser six minutes into added time.

Roscommon had the momentum going into extra-time, but Kerry had the breeze in the first ten minutes. Both sides exchanged pointed frees, but the Munster side finished strongly with points from subs Jack Joy and Dara Hogan, and Kirby’s third, moving them three up (0-15 to 0-12).

Everything changed on the final changeover with Austin Stacks duo Kirby and Lane clinically finishing goal opportunities in the 71st and 73rd minutes. Roscommon were shell-shocked, and Kennedy put the icing on the cake with green flag number three to seal a hard-earned victory.

Scorers for Kerry: P Lane 1-4 (0-2fs), D Kirby, T Kennedy 1-3 each, G White 0-3 (1tp), J O’Sullivan, J Joy, D Hogan, M McKivergan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Roscommon: C O’Carroll 0-6 (0-2fs, 2tpf), J McGuinness 0-4, R Kilcline 0-3 (0-1f), N Heneghan, D Casey, P Gaynor (’45), C Grogan (f) 0-1 each.

KERRY: K Robak; M Lynch, G Evans, D Stack; E O’Flaherty, A Ó Beaglaoich, P Walsh; E Boyle, D Kirby; J O’Sullivan, G White, M O’Carroll; R Carroll, T Kennedy, P Lane.

Subs: S Ó Cuinn for O’Carroll (42), M McKivergan for Walsh (47), D Hogan for Carroll (53), D Sargent for O’Flaherty (57), J Joy for O’Sullivan (60+5), P Finucane for Boyle (67 inj), J Curtin for White (75), I Brosnan for Stack (77).

ROSCOMMON: P Gaynor; D O’Higgins, M Gillooly, N Birzins; K Kelly, E Carthy, C Murray; N Heneghan, C Enright; C McKeon, D Casey, E Collins; J Curran, C O’Carroll, J McGuinness.

Subs: R Kilcline for Curran (37), D Kennedy for McKeon (39), K Hester for Casey (49), D Higgins for Collins (51), S Tighe for O’Carroll (60+2), C Grogan for Murray (61), L Finneran for O’Higgins (61), Casey for Tighe (73), O’Carroll for Kennedy (76).

Referee: S Mulhare (Laois).