Kerry 0-14
Clare 0-3
Paul Brennan reports from Austin Stack Park, Tralee
KERRY MADE A comfortable start to the defence of their Munster and All-Ireland titles when they accounted for Clare with minimum fuss at Austin Stack Park, Tralee last night.
Manager Jack O’Connor will pleased that his team, of which Mark O’Connor was the only starter from the side that started against Donegal in last year’s All-Ireland final, negotiated this first round match with plenty to spare, but he will doubtless be disappointed with what was a patchy and flat performance.
Kerry took just 14 of 27 scoring chances and barely threatened the Clare goal, and O’Connor will know that much improvement is needed ahead of what is a knockout Munster semi-final with Cork,
It took seven minutes before Kerry got their first score, but once the excellent Conor Geaney opened the Kingdom’s account the scores came with regularity from there to the end of what was never really a meaningful contest.
By half time Kerry led by 0-10 to 0-1, Geaney posting four points from play, with Stephen O’Sullivan, in the other corner, raising two flags.
Kerry’s first nine points came from play, an indication of Clare’s inability to marshal any sort of defence against the champions, with Cormac Linnane’s 31st minute converted free making it a round 10 points for Kerry at the break.
Clare’s sole score was a 16th minute Keelan Sexton free; the only one of four scoring chances the Banner took in the opening half.
Clare got the first score of the second half, a Sexton free, and while remaining dominant Kerry managed just four points in a lacklustre second half. Gavin White clipped a score in the 41st minute and Evan Cronin added another in the 17th minute.
The final quarter was notable only for two frees converted by the respective goalkeepers, Billy Courtney for Kerry in the 20th minute and Killian Roche pointed Clare’s third and final score in the 58th minute.
Scorers for Kerry: Conor Geaney 0-4, Stephen O’Sullivan, Cormac Linnane (0-1f) 0-2 each, Mark O’Connor, Bryan Sweeney, Gavin White, Evan Cronin, Billy Courtney, Michael Foley 0-1 each.
Scorers for Clare: Keelan Sexton 0-2 (0-2f), Killian Roche 0-1 (0-1f).
Kerry
1 Billy Courtney (Dr Crokes)
2 Darren Brosnan (Gneeveguilla)
3 Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
4 Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
5 Gavin White (Dr Crokes)
6 Mike Breen (Beaufort)
7 Daniel O’Brien (Glenflesk)
8 Mark O’Connor (Dingle)
9 John Mark Foley (Kilgarvan)
10 Brian O Seanachain (Ballydonoghue)
11 Bryan Sweeney (Listowel Emmets)
12 Sean O’Shea (Kenmare)
13 Stephen O’Sullivan (Templenoe)
14 Cormac Linnane (Beale)
15 Conor Geaney (Dingle)
Subs
18 Evan Cronin (Spa) for Linnane (44)
17 Dara O’Shea (Kenmare) for T O’Sullivan (52)
19 Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses) for White (52)
21 Brandon Barrett (Ardfert) for O’Shea (54)
23 Michael Foley (Spa) for S O’Sullivan (54)
20 Ronan Buckley (Listry) for JM Foley (57)
Clare
1 Killian Roche (Cooraclare)
2 Kieran Killeen (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
4 Niall McCarthy (Lissycasey)
21 Colm Pyne (Killimer)
3 Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare)
6 Conor Downes (Naomh Eoin)
17 Colin Hehir (MIlltown Malbay)
5 Killian Burke (Cooraclare)
9 Sean O’Donoghue (Cooraclare)
12 Conor O’Halloran (Eire Og)
13 Cormac Murray (Milltown Malbay)
10 Paraic McNamara (Kilmaley)
22 Eogan Tubridy (Doonbeg)
15 Alan Sweeney (St Breckans)
11 Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
Subs
8 Cillian Brennan (Clondegad) for K Burke (ht)
14 Nigel Murray (O’Currys) for P McNamara (ht)
19 Jack Morrissey (Cooraclare) for E Tubridy (41)
20 Rory McMahon (Kildysart) for C Pyne (54)
24 David Foran (KIllimer) for A Sweeney (54)
Referee: John Ryan (Cork)
Wouldn’t be surprised to see RvP leave in the summer. I still think he feels betrayed by Ferguson (ie giving him a guarantee that he wouldn’t leave for three years when he signed) and also the rumours of Moyes training regime not suiting him the way it did last year. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think he will.
Rooney will stay, and he’ll also get that obscene wage packet of a reported £300k, which based on his current form over the past two years, is an absolute disgrace, and I for one would be happy to let him walk. Rooney is a slob, who when he gets to his 30′s will decline faster than you can say four Big Mac’s please!!
Make no mistake about it, there will be a serious overhaul in the summer.
With regards to Mata, playing him on either flank is just not going to work, and if he keeps it up, he’s just flushed £37.1m down the pan, he has to play as a 10 behind the striker/s. What United need to do, is to drop the 4-4-2, or at least the version Moyes is playing, because it’s alienating his most creative player. a formation of 4-2-3-1 would be ideal, and with the current team, I’d play it with Rafael, Evans, Jones, Evra, Carrick, Fletcher, Januazaj, Mata, Rooney & RvP up top.
As a United fan, it irks me to see Liverpool doing well, but you can’t deny they’re playing some incredible football at the moment, certainly the best since 09′ season under Rafa, and this will be their best year to make a push for the title (top 4 is sewn up, bar a complete collapse of epic proportions!!)
Rooney a slob are u serious ? One of the hardest working players in the game
As a Liverpool fan I genuinely appreciate a rational comment from a United fan, or any football fan really.
Good comment.
Agree with everything, especially the formation your suggesting but i have to disagree with you about rooney being a slog, he’s one of the hardest working players in the league…
Slob*
I agree on everything bar RvP leaving dublinlad… I’d say he feels very betrayed at the fact that fergie left, as it was one of the main reason’s he left arsenal, but I can’t see clubs queuing up to pay money for a guy who has proven this season that he has not gotten over his injury woes and is going to be thirty one next year… Plus he’s one of the few world class players left at united, can’t do with losing any of them!
@Declan – It’s just my opinion, I’d back that up by saying he always look leggy, and the fact that he’s been sent on warm weather training for the past 2 years in a row because he can’t recover from injuries quick. You look at Ronaldo, Giggs et al, they look after their bodies, Rooney doesn’t. You can be sure as hell, he was slugging down cans of booze and turkey sambos over Christmas, and as a professional athlete, you just can’t do that. Put simply, he’s a glorified larger lout at times.
@Ferg – Appreciate it! Constructive debate is always good, and, contrary to popular belief, we can be civilised at times. I genuinely hope you don’t do well, ever, but at times we have to be realistic :-)
@Nathan – Again, appreciate take on it, but I would say the same to you, that I’ve said to Declan.
@Leo – Don’t get me wrong, I hope he does stay, as he’s a sensational player, but his general attitude this season seems to me that he’s off in the summer. There’s talk of Cavani not happy at PSG, that he’s not happy with the formation they’re playing under Blanc, it’s too geared for Zlatan, and more often than not, he’s pushed out wide, you wonder would they be interested ?
As long as he gets to play for United, where he plays it doesn’t Mata!
Really ? We’re still going there with that one?
I thought he meant he wanted to play anywhere but united
Premier league, championship……. Anywhere really!
Dublin lad your spot on. Personally I would let Rooney go, his form has been decent this season but he just isn’t the player he should be and certainly not worth 300k per week. Moyes does need a more European style formation, united have decent players up front when everybody is fit but they need 3/4 defenders. 100million would go a long way to sorting them out, not sure if moyes is the man to do it though.
Jimmy you are delusional if you think Rooney & RVP are gonna leave this summer ..,
Delusional? Do you honestly expect Rooney and RVP to stay at a club that won’t be in the champions league next year? Rooney may study for the sake of his greed but RVP will be gone.
Replace “at” with “but” and I’d say that’s closer to how he currently feels.
Chelsea reject. He will probably be captain next season after the 2 strikers leave in the summer, him or Chris Smalling will be captain
Every United artical on here its the same people… No no no I am a Liverpool fan. I just spend all my time talking about Manchester United.
I’m just going to keep leaving complaints on comments until the trolls are removed.This app used to be deadly for articles and a bit of banter but these ejits have ruined it something terrible
DublinLad was making sense…. & them spouted garbage in the last part of his comment. How do Liverpool have 4th sewn up? They are 3 points ahead of Tottenham with 12 games to play! I’m also ruling Tottenham in the race for the title. While yanited & Neverton fight for 6th. That last sentence makes me very very happy
Johnjobrady & his 10 accounts (89/90, Cicero, Barlow, Bazinga etc)
He’s nearly as bad as the very confused ’9times’. No ’9times’ today he must be trying to work out how to use a can opener!
Liverpool force still out I see
Barry…. Nice court suit
Liverpool fans have every right to comment on all UTD stories cause they’re going to win the league now
And you’ll still be called 89/90 for bout the next 50 years mate cause pool will win nothing
With any luck Stephen
Yes yes everybody here is Barlow etc , now put the Goosebumps book down and turn off the light like a good lad it’s a school night after all
Come on city
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there Barry
Possibly the worst response ever 89/90…. Congrats