Kerry 1-22
Louth 2-9
Jason O’Connor reporting at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise
ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS Kerry ensured a fourth consecutive year in Croke Park for the country’s underage kingpins, after a somewhat sluggish 10 points victory over Louth in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football championship.
Captain David Clifford caught the eye again with nine points but Kerry will not be happy with the two goals they conceded to the Wee County.
Clifford had Kerry on the board after 47 seconds but a run of 1-6 between the sixth and 15th minutes was where Kerry took control as Donnachadh O’Sullivan finished off a great counter by the Kingdom for their goal in the eighth minute and a 1-3 to 0-0 lead.
Brian Friel’s switch to centre-forward worked well for Kerry in the first period but John Gallagher and Ciaran Keenan were finding scores for Louth at the other end as Kerry laboured towards half-time.
Gallagher caught the Kingdom defence napping from a free in first-half injury time in Keenan getting space to turn and shoot for a goal that had Louth trailing by 1-11 to 1-5 at the break.
Conor Morgan was black carded for Louth early in the second-half as his replacement Conor Nicholson laid off to Eoghan Callaghan for Louth’s second goal in the 39 th minute for a 1-14 to 2-6 deficit.
Kerry never looked worried however in regaining their composure as
they won a 22nd consecutive game at minor level.
Scorers for Kerry: D Clifford (0-9, 3f), B Friel (0-5, 1f), Donnachadh O’Sullivan (1-1), Donal O’Sullivan (0-3, 1f), F Clifford (0-2), N Donohoe and M Slattery (0-1 each)
Scorers for Louth: C Keenan (1-3, 2f), J Gallagher (0-6, 4f) and E Callaghan (1-0)
Kerry
1. Deividas Uosis (Dingle)
2. Sean O’Leary (Kilcummin)
3. Chris O’Donoghue (Glenflesk)
4. Cian Gammell (Killarney Legion)
5. Michael Potts (Dr Crokes)
6. Eddie Horan (Scartaglin)
7. Niall Donohoe (Firies)
8. Barry Mahony (St Senans)
9. Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil)
10. Adam Donoghue (Castleisland Desmonds)
11. David Clifford (Fossa)
12. Donal O’Sullivan (Kilgarvan)
13. Fiachra Clifford (Laune Rangers)
14. Donnachadh O’Sullivan (Firies)
15. Brian Friel (Rathmore)
Subs:
23. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks) for O’Leary (41)
17. Patrick Warren (Gneeveguilla) for Donoghue (46)
19. Ryan O’Neill (Na Gaeil) for Horan (50)
20. Michael Slattery (Austin Stacks) for Donal O’Sullivan (50)
18. Ciaran O’Reilly (Austin Stacks) for Donnachadh O’Sullivan (54)
22. Michael O’Leary (Renard) for Potts (56)
Louth
1. Alan McGauley (St Marys)
2. Alan Connor (Newtown Blues)
3. Dean McGreehan (Cooley Kickhams)
4. Dan Corcoran (Geraldines)
5. Leonard Grey (St Patricks)
6. Nicky Browne (St Mochtas)
7. James O’Reilly (Cooley Kickhams)
8. Liam Jackson (St Marys)
9. Conor Morgan (St Martins)
10. Gerry Garland (St Mochtas)
11. Conor Gillespie (St Marys)
12. Eoghan Callaghan (St Martins)
13. Ben Mooney (Geraldines)
14. Ciaran Keenan (St Marys)
15. John Gallagher (John Mitchels)
Subs:
18. Conor Nicholson (Dundalk Gaels) for Morgan (Black Card, 35)
17. Fergal Malone (Cooley Kickhams) for Gillespie (47)
19. Jack Murphy (St Martins) for Browne (47)
24. Shane Hickey (Mattock Rangers) for Garland (50)
22. Keelan O’Neill (Glen Emmets) for Mooney (56)
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
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That’s incredible
@Jim Demps: the fast lane was left wide open for Wade to get through… You wouldn’t see a hole that big in regular season. Still though, great vision and speed to score. Big things await this guy.
@Peter Cavey: it certainly does have all the hall marks of a pre season game but to score on a 65 yarder on your first touch is pretty special.
Delighted for him. Took some set of balls to do this, hope it works out for him.
Delighted for tbe guy, took way too much flak on departure.
That’s the thing about American Football.. Runners usually don’t sidestep, jink or hand-off, just take the contact and set up again. Strange Sport. (Not saying that I could do any better.)
@Seamus Quinn: they do jink and sidestep
@Colm Connolly: and I’m pretty sure he didn’t sidestep or hand off anyone en route to scoring that TD either….
@Liam Flague: I’m not saying he did but the original comment said that running backs dont jink or sidestep which is clearly not true if you have ever watch even 1 game
@Colm Connolly: I know, but, y’know.. more.
@Seamus Quinn: You must be watching a different sport to the one I watch. Literally the best side steps and jinks in world sport are found in the NFL.
@Liam Flague: He certainly seems to send the first defender the wrong way with a shimmy just after he gets the ball. No-one’s expecting someone to get through that area with the ball in hand so after that yeah it’s a straight race and he doesn’t need to step anyone else.
@Seamus Quinn: no hand off cos the defender will rip your arm off if you try . Loads of jinks and steps by running backs though
@Limón Madrugada: Fair enough. Arms are kinda handy. Still think they’re in the habit of taking the hit instead of trying to beat the last man. Wade might try things a little differently..