Kerry 1-23

Tipperary 0-5 

Paul Brennan reports from Templetuohy

IT WILL BE an early season meeting of Kerry and Cork in Killarney on Saturday week after the Kingdom booked their place in the McGrath Cup final with minimum fuss against Tipperary to the tune of a 21-point win this evening.

Jack O’Connor sent a strong team to Templetuohy, intent on securing a cut at Cork in 10 days, after the Rebels booked their place in the final with a win over Waterford on Tuesday night. Kerry made six changes from the team that beat Limerick by 23-points a week ago, but the travelling side were no weaker for the changes.

David Clifford, Darragh Moynihan and Mike Breen were excused for Sigerson Cup duty, while Stefan Okunbor and Pa Warren have club commitments at the weekend, but Kerry’s deputies were more than up for the task. When one considers those replacements included Sean O’Shea, Paul Murphy and Tadhg Morley, it’s easy to see how Tipperary were on a hiding to nothing in this match.

An early point from a Killian Spillane mark settled Kerry into their rhythm, and scores from Stephen O’Brien and O’Shea soon followed.

When Dan O’Donoghue, who made his Kerry senior debut last week, raided up from corner back to kick Kerry’s fourth score, Tipp boss David Power would have sensed he and his players were in for an arduous evening.

By the water break Kerry were 0-8 to no score ahead, and they were nine ahead before the home side registered their first score – a converted free from goalkeeper Michael O’Reilly. By the time Conor Sweeney scored Tipp’s first point from play – arguably the best score of the half after a sweeping counter-attack – Kerry had 12 on the board, and led 0-12 to 0-2 at the interval.

The second half was a blur of Kerry points and substitutes on both sides as O’Connor and David Power ran their benches.

Sweeney (free) and Eanna McBride had early second half scores for Tipperary but Kerry were 0-15 to 0-4 ahead at the second water break, and then Eanna O Conchuir teed up Paudie Clifford for a tap-in goal in the 56th minute for the game’s only green flag.

O’Connor was, understandably, pleased with the attitude from his players, but acknowledged that Cork will be a much sterner test of his Kerry team.

Scorers for Tipperary: C Sweeney 0-3 (2f), M O’Reilly 0-1 (f), E McBride 0-1

Scorers for Kerry: K Spillane 0-6 (1m), S O’Shea 0-5 (3f, 2m), P Clifford 1-2 (0-1f), P Geaney 0-2 (1m), D Roche 0-2, T Brosnan 0-2, D O’Donoghue 0-1, M Burns 0-1, S O’Brien 0-1, G O’Sullivan 0-1 (m).

Tipperary

1. Michael O’Reilly (Clonmel Commercials)

2. Shane O’Connell (Golden-Kilfeacle)

3. Liam Ryan (Clonmel Commercials)

4. Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule)

23. Mark O’Meara (Grangemockler Ballyneale)

6. Ciaran Cannon (Clonmel Commercials)1

7. Colm O’Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan)

8. Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers)

9. Mark Russell (Aherlow)

10. Jordan Moloney (JK Brackens)

11. Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen)

12. Bill Maher (Kilsheelan Kilcash)

13. Eanna McBride (JK Brackens)

14. Shane Foley (Moyle Rovers)

15. Mark Stokes (Kilsheelan Kilcash)

Subs:

25. Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers) for Stokes (31)

16. Kuba Behan (JK Brackens) for M O’Reilly (ht)

24. Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers) for C Cannon (ht)

21. Jack Kennedy (JK Brackens) for M O’Meara (47)

19. Paul Devlin (Eire Og Annacarty) for L Ryan (47)

5. Leon Kennedy (Grangemockler Ballyneale) for B Maher (60)

18. Ben Comerford (Grangemockler Ballyneale) for S Foley (60)

22. Darragh O’Leary (Ardfinnan) for C O’Shaughnessy (69)

17. Tadhg Carew (Aherlow) for M Russell (72)

20. Christy English (Ballyporeen) for E McBride (72)

26. Tom Tobin (Rockwell Rovers) for J Moloney (72)

Kerry

1 Shane Ryan (Rathmore)

2 Dan O’Donoghue (Spa)

3 Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)

4 Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)

5 Paul Murphy (Rathmore)

6 Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)

7 Gavin Crowley (Templenoe)

8 Sean O’Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks)

9 Adrian Spillane (Templenoe)

10 Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes)

11 Paudie Clifford (Fossa)

12 Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks)

13 Killian Spillane (Templenoe)

14 Paul Geaney (Dingle)

15 Dara Roche (Glenflesk)

Subs:

17 Brian Ó Beaglaíoch (An Ghaeltacht) for G Crowley (43)

18 Graham O’Sullivan (Piarsaigh na Dromoda) for P Murphy (47)

23 Éanna Ó Conchúir (An Ghaeltacht) for D Roche (51)

22 Adam Donoghue (Castleisland Desmonds) for S O’Brien (55)

19 Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes) for P Geaney (58)

20 Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys) for P Clifford (58)

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick)

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