Kerry crush below-par Tipperary with a first-half demolition

Siofra O'Shea of Kerry. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Kerry 2-16 Tipperary 0-4 

Provincial winners Kerry proved far too strong for a below-par Tipperary side in this TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Group 2, Rd 1 game played at a wet Austin Stack Park on Sunday afternoon.

Kerry were dominant throughout the opening half, even against the wind, as they poured forward with Mary O’Connell, Aoife Dillane, Anna Galvin and Caoimhe Evans providing quality ball to a fast-moving forward division with Siofra O’Shea, the pivotal player.

O’Shea opened the scoring for the Kingdom in the sixth minute and then two minutes later, Mary O’Connell fielded a kick-out, transferred the ball to Siofra O’Shea, who found Anna Galvin, and she buried the ball in the Tipperary net.

Tipperary had major problems winning their own kickout and the Kingdom profited with a succession of points from Jayden Lucey, Aoife Dillane and Siofra O’Shea, who fisted the ball over the bar. 

Kerry led 1-4 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter and Kerry 'keeper Mary Ellen Bolger had yet to touch the ball.

Another point from Emma Costello was followed by another Tipperary kickout that was turned over by Niamh Carmody, who found Danielle O’Leary], She quickly slipped the ball to the inrushing Siofra O’Shea, who blasted the ball to the Tipp net.

Tipperary’s kickout woes continued as Kerry completed the middle third and added points from O’Shea, Lucey, Carmody and Anna Galvin. 

Tipperary mustered one attack in the 26th minute and got their only score of the half in injury time as Kerry retired 2-9 to 0-1 and it was effectively game over.

Tipperary manager David Power went for the nuclear option for the second half, introducing four subs and abandoning their defensive set-up. 

It did improve matters, but not on the scoreboard, as Kerry coasted to an 18-point win as Tipperary could only manage three points in the second half. 

Emma Morrissey, Angela McGuigan and Kirsty Crotty Ryan scored for Tipperary while Kerry emptied their bench and Kerry added seven points, Aoife Dillane and Jayden Lucey the pick of them.

Kerry face Kildare away next Saturday, and a win will secure them a home quarter-final.

Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea 1-5 (1f), A Galvin 1-2, J Lucey 0-3, A Dillane 0-2, E Costello 0-1, N Carmody 0-1, J Lynch 0-1, D O’Leary 0-1.

Scorers for Tipperary: E Morrissey 0-2, A McGuigan 0-1, K Crotty Ryan 0-1.

KERRY: M.E. Bolger; R Rahilly, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O’Connell, E Costello, A Dillane; A Galvin, M O’Connell; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchuír, C Evans; J Lucey, D O’Leary, S O’Shea. Subs: R Dwyer for N Carmody 40, L Boyle for A O’Connell 40, J Lynch for C Evans 48, J Curtin for A Galvin 48, K McGrath for E Lynch 53.

TIPPERARY: L Fitzpatrick; T Hoare, M Curley, E Cronin; K Cashman, E Buckley, S English; L Morrissey, N Shelly; A O’Shea, L Cunningham, L Spillane; C English, E Morrissey, K Crotty Ryan. Subs: A Carey for C English, A McGuigan for N Shelly, E Hogan for E Buckley, A Ryan for A O’Shea (all H/T, E Moore for S English 59.

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).