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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