ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS Kerry suffered a shock defeat to the local IT Tralee in an engaging McGrath Cup quarter-final, but the devil is in the detail.
This was a totally unrecognisable Kerry team from the one that won the county’s 37th All-Ireland title last September, with not a single All-Ireland senior medal winner involved for Kerry.
Indeed, the closest Kerry had to All-Ireland experience in Austin Stack Park was their manager, Darragh O Se, who assumed the managerial duties in the absence of Eamonn Fitzmaurice who, with almost the entire Kerry senior squad, was still away on the team holiday.
Drawing from O Se’s own U-21 squad and an eclectic group of club players meant an upset was always quite likely. The ITT side, managed by Noel Kennelly, sensed a shock was possible and went about their business in an assured manner from the start.
With IT Tralee lining out with just two non-Kerry players in their team, there was a real derby feel to this contest before 800 hundred spectators. But the contest fizzled out in the final quarter as the students taught this inexperienced county team a harsh lesson.
The first quarter was an even affair until Conor Keane’s 15th minute goal edged the IT ahead for the first time. Kerry responded well and a string of points from Gavan O’Grady, James Crean, Kevin McCarthy and Colin McGillicuddy restored a slender lead for Kerry, 0-8 to 1-4.
In a real see-saw first half, IT Tralee took the initiative again and late scores from Stacks duo Denis McElligott and Ciaran O’Connell helped the students to a 1-6 to 0-8 half time lead.
Advertisement
The game looked like it was slipping away from the IT in the third quarter as Kerry opened up a 0-13 to 1-6 lead by the 44th minute but thereafter the IT owned the game. Keane rolled his penalty past Shane Murphy after sub Padraig O’Shea was fouled and then Keane turned provider for O’Shea to bundle the ball past Murphy in the 48th minute to give IT Tralee a 3-8 to 0-13 lead.
Kerry’s shape and challenge fell apart after that and Limerick senior panellist Pater Nash raised a fourth green flag for the students who recorded just their third McGrath Cup win and consign the All-Ireland champions to a humbling defeat.
Scorers for IT Tralee: Conor Keane 2-5 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), Padraig O’Shea 1-1, Peter Nash 1-0, Jack Savage 0-3 (0-1f), Denis McElligott, Ciaran O’Connell, Cillian Cromwell 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: Gavan O’Grady 0-3 (0-3f), James Crean 0-2 (0-1f), Paul Kennelly, Gary Sayers 0-2 each, Kevin McCarthy, Tom O’Sullivan, Colin McGillicuddy, Adam Barry, Micheal Burns, Liam Carey, Killian Spillane 0-1 each.
Kerry's Jack Savage played for IT Tralee today. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
IT TRALEE
1. Shane Kenny (Castlegregory)
2. Mark Egan (Dr Crokes)
3. Gavin Crowley (Templenoe)
4. Jason Lyne (Dr Crokes)
13. Gavin O’Shea (Dr Crokes)
14. Peter Nash (Limerick)
15. Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys)
Subs
Padraig O’Shea (Currow) for Quille (46 mins)
Sean Flynn (Cork) for Egan (50 mins)
Alan Moriarty (Legion) for Savage (60 mins)
Conor O’Brien (Clare) for O’Connell (68 mins)
Jason Brennan (Sligo) for McElligott (68 mins)
KERRY
1. Shane Murphy (Kilcummin)
2. Sean T Dillon (St Senans)
3. Caoimhin O Beaglaoinh (An Ghaeltacht)
4. Donal Maher (Kilcummin)
8. Colin McGillicuddy (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
9. Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)
10. Adam Barry (Brosna)
11. James Crean (Annascaul)
12. Gary Sayers (Keel)
13. Kevin McCarthy (Kilcummin)
14. Gavan O’Grady (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
15. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
Subs Brian O Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht) for Maher (22)
Paul Kennelly (Ballydonoghue) for Crean (29)
Liam Carey (Beaufort) for B O Beaglaoich (HT)
Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for A Barry (44)
Micheal Burns (Dr Crokes) for K McCarthy (50)
Cormac Coffey (Kerins O’Rahillys) for S O’Connor (60)
Kerry lose McGrath Cup opener to IT Tralee team inspired by 2-5 from Conor Keane
IT Tralee 4-12
Kerry 0-16
ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS Kerry suffered a shock defeat to the local IT Tralee in an engaging McGrath Cup quarter-final, but the devil is in the detail.
This was a totally unrecognisable Kerry team from the one that won the county’s 37th All-Ireland title last September, with not a single All-Ireland senior medal winner involved for Kerry.
Indeed, the closest Kerry had to All-Ireland experience in Austin Stack Park was their manager, Darragh O Se, who assumed the managerial duties in the absence of Eamonn Fitzmaurice who, with almost the entire Kerry senior squad, was still away on the team holiday.
Drawing from O Se’s own U-21 squad and an eclectic group of club players meant an upset was always quite likely. The ITT side, managed by Noel Kennelly, sensed a shock was possible and went about their business in an assured manner from the start.
With IT Tralee lining out with just two non-Kerry players in their team, there was a real derby feel to this contest before 800 hundred spectators. But the contest fizzled out in the final quarter as the students taught this inexperienced county team a harsh lesson.
The first quarter was an even affair until Conor Keane’s 15th minute goal edged the IT ahead for the first time. Kerry responded well and a string of points from Gavan O’Grady, James Crean, Kevin McCarthy and Colin McGillicuddy restored a slender lead for Kerry, 0-8 to 1-4.
In a real see-saw first half, IT Tralee took the initiative again and late scores from Stacks duo Denis McElligott and Ciaran O’Connell helped the students to a 1-6 to 0-8 half time lead.
The game looked like it was slipping away from the IT in the third quarter as Kerry opened up a 0-13 to 1-6 lead by the 44th minute but thereafter the IT owned the game. Keane rolled his penalty past Shane Murphy after sub Padraig O’Shea was fouled and then Keane turned provider for O’Shea to bundle the ball past Murphy in the 48th minute to give IT Tralee a 3-8 to 0-13 lead.
Kerry’s shape and challenge fell apart after that and Limerick senior panellist Pater Nash raised a fourth green flag for the students who recorded just their third McGrath Cup win and consign the All-Ireland champions to a humbling defeat.
Scorers for IT Tralee: Conor Keane 2-5 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), Padraig O’Shea 1-1, Peter Nash 1-0, Jack Savage 0-3 (0-1f), Denis McElligott, Ciaran O’Connell, Cillian Cromwell 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: Gavan O’Grady 0-3 (0-3f), James Crean 0-2 (0-1f), Paul Kennelly, Gary Sayers 0-2 each, Kevin McCarthy, Tom O’Sullivan, Colin McGillicuddy, Adam Barry, Micheal Burns, Liam Carey, Killian Spillane 0-1 each.
IT TRALEE
1. Shane Kenny (Castlegregory)
2. Mark Egan (Dr Crokes)
3. Gavin Crowley (Templenoe)
4. Jason Lyne (Dr Crokes)
5. Denis McElligott (Austin Stacks)
6. Cian Horan (Glenflesk)
7. Cillian Cromwell (Monaghan)
8. Alan Duggan (Austin Stacks)
9. George Bastible (John Mitchels)
10. Ciaran O’Connell (Austin Stacks)
11. Conor Keane (Legion)
12. Padraig Quill (St Senans)
13. Gavin O’Shea (Dr Crokes)
14. Peter Nash (Limerick)
15. Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys)
Subs
Padraig O’Shea (Currow) for Quille (46 mins)
Sean Flynn (Cork) for Egan (50 mins)
Alan Moriarty (Legion) for Savage (60 mins)
Conor O’Brien (Clare) for O’Connell (68 mins)
Jason Brennan (Sligo) for McElligott (68 mins)
KERRY
1. Shane Murphy (Kilcummin)
2. Sean T Dillon (St Senans)
3. Caoimhin O Beaglaoinh (An Ghaeltacht)
4. Donal Maher (Kilcummin)
5. Paul McMahon (St Pats)
6. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
7. Shane O’Connor (John Mitchels)
8. Colin McGillicuddy (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
9. Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)
10. Adam Barry (Brosna)
11. James Crean (Annascaul)
12. Gary Sayers (Keel)
13. Kevin McCarthy (Kilcummin)
14. Gavan O’Grady (Glenbeigh/Glencar)
15. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
Subs
Brian O Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht) for Maher (22)
Paul Kennelly (Ballydonoghue) for Crean (29)
Liam Carey (Beaufort) for B O Beaglaoich (HT)
Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for A Barry (44)
Micheal Burns (Dr Crokes) for K McCarthy (50)
Cormac Coffey (Kerins O’Rahillys) for S O’Connor (60)
Referee: Michael Collins (Cork)
Waterford and UCC book places in the McGrath Cup semi-finals
O’Connor and O’Neill shine as Cork see off Tipperary to reach McGrath Cup semi-final
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Conor Keane First Day Out GAA IT Tralee McGrath Cup Kerry