Kildare out-class Kerry to book All-Ireland MFC semi-final place

The Kingdom never gave up the fight but the Lilywhites were deserving winners in Limerick. 

KELLY'S HEROES: A two-pointer from Greg Kelly proved vital in a period of dominance for Kildare against Kerry. File pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

KILDARE 4-12 KERRY 2-13 

A far superior Kildare were full value for their deserved victory over a lacklustre Kerry in this Electric Ireland All-Ireland MFC quarter-final at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

While the margin of success was five points in the end, that flattered the Munster runners-up, who were always playing second fiddle to their more complete and dominant opponents.

Kerry did show some fighting qualities in the last 10 minutes but, up to that juncture, they could find no sustained momentum against a Lilywhites outfit which contained all the star performers.

Indeed, it was the three two-point missiles before half-time – courtesy of Jack Reilly, Eoghan Lyons and Greg Kelly – which turned out to be the pivotal period of the contest.

By the 27th minute, and having played with the benefit of a strong wind, Kildare were only three points to the good (1-4 to 0-4), with Kerry quite satisfied to be still in contention.

The Kildare goal came as early as the third minute when a long delivery by imposing midfielder Charlie Doran caught out the Kingdom defence, and Reilly made no mistake with a blistering finish.

With Cian Stack driving them on from centre-back, Kerry, without impressing, stayed in contention. However, the three orange flags enabled Kildare to go in with a nine-point cushion (1-11 to 0-5).

Having lost Jack Collins to a broken collar bone halfway through the opening half, Kerry needed to storm out of the blocks on the resumption, but that simply didn’t happen.

By the time that Cian Keogh took advantage of great approach work from the outstanding Lyons and Páidí Ryan to slot home goal number two in the 45th minute, Kildare were in cruise control (2-11 to 0-7).

Kerry received a potential lifeline with a Maidhc Ó Sé green flag in the 50th minute and, when substitute Killian Fitzgerald arrowed over a 50 metre free, the deficit was down to six points (2-12 to 1-9).

At that stage, there was the slimmest chance of the Kingdom pulling this out of the fire, but a slip from goalkeeper Sean Sargent, resulting in Keogh bundling home his second goal, ended that hope.

Corner-back Liam Mescal was an electric attacking presence all afternoon, Doran and Ryan were a formidable midfield partnership, and Lyons knitted everything together from half-forward.

Kerry could only manage sporadic bursts of inspiration, with their substitutes combining for 1-6 off the bench, but they were a beaten side long before the final whistle.

To be fair, there was no towel thrown in, with Mikey Somers and Cillian Moynihan firing over two late two-pointers, before last-gasp goals at either end from Kildare’s Callum Cowzer and Moynihan.

Elsewhere, Tyrone saw off Galway on a scoreline of 3-17 to 0-19.

Scorers for Kildare: J Reilly 1-4 (0-2fs, 1tp), C Keogh 2-0, E Lyons 0-3 (1tp), C Cowzer 1-0, G Kelly 0-2(tp), C Doran, P Ryan, L Tennyson (’45) 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: C Moynihan 1-2 (1tp), D Keane 0-3(fs), M Ó Sé 1-0, K Fitzgerald (tpf), M Somers (tp) 0-2 each, L MacGearailt, D Murphy, M Corridon, D Lane 0-1 each.

KILDARE: J Crotty; E Markey, R Crawford, L Mescal; F Lawlor, J Doran, L Shanahan; C Doran, P Ryan; L Tennyson, A Tobin, E Lyons; J Reilly, G Kelly, C Keogh.

Subs: J Flood for Tobin (41), A Bergin for Tennyson (52), F Martin for Lawlor (58), C Cowzer for Reilly (59), G Clare for Keogh (59).

KERRY: S Sargent; J Ziober, J Breen, C Clifford; D Murphy, C Stack, M Corridon; M Ó Sé, J Collins; L MacGearailt, D Keane, D Laide; D Lane, F O’Dowd, C O’Donoghue.

Subs: M Somers for Collins, inj (15), S Clifford for Laide (39), C Moynihan for O’Dowd (39), K Fitzgerald for O’Donoghue (49), T Kennelly for Lane (58).

REFEREE: J Regan (Cork).