NORMAL SERVICE IS RESUMED
Kerry make light work of Munster title holders Tipp with Clifford to the fore
IF the 2020 provincial championships offered romance and generation-bridging story arcs, it looks like the summer of 2021 will see the traditional superpowers hold sway.
The fall from grace for Cavan and Tipperary were writ large yesterday as they gave up the Ulster and Munster titles they won with such drama last winter. And that’s after an Allianz League campaign in which they both fell through the relegation trapdoor into Division 4.
Tyrone and Kerry restored a level of predictability by coasting to victory, the latter setting up a familiar Munster final against Cork in a fortnight. A thunderbolt strike to the net from David Clifford set Kerry on their way coming up to the first water break and Kerry’s dominance was such that Peter Keane could afford to withdraw the Fossa star in the 54th minute.
By that stage Tipperary’s discipline was gone and they were down to 13 men. Jason Lonergan’s black card and 10-minute sin bin compounded the straight red card for Michael Quinlivan for a closed fist tackle on Gavin Crowle.
The contest had already ebbed away from them. That Tipperary had to go back to 1928 for the last Munster championship victory on home soil says everything about the historical baggage that this fixture is weighed down by.
Kerry then get a chance to atone for last year’s surprise defeat by their old rivals and Killian Spillane was one who will be pushing hard for inclusion after clipping three points off the bench.
Tadhg Morley’s black card in injury time hardly mattered as Kerry won by 11 pulling up.
Tipp’s tone was set from the off with Brian Fox listed at corner-forward for Tipperary but sitting back as a sweeper, and himself and Robbie Kiely like two security guards minding either side of the D.
The Premier made no bones about bringing everyone bar the twin towers of captain Conor Sweeney and Michael Quinlivan back behind the ball when Kerry had possession. And the reigning Munster champions were clever in playing a controlled and patient game when in possession early on, allowing them to settle into the game while taking chunks off the clock so the red-hot favourites couldn’t put a flurry of scores together.
All Kerry then had to show for a bout of early possession was a Seán O’Shea free while Bill Maher made up for an early wide with another surging support run to earn the foul that Conor Sweeney converted.
Just as the game seemed to be drifting quietly to the water break following another O’Shea free, the bit of Kerry inspiration came from a familiar source.
David Clifford announced his genius with his very first touch of the game – a thumping finish to the top corner after Gavin White hit the burners to torch through and slip him in with a handpass. Clifford had plenty still to do but the sheer power of his shot left goalkeeper Evan Comerford watching on like an innocent bystander.
Just like that, Paul Geaney tagged a point and O’Shea clipped another free and Kerry were 1-4 to 0-1 ahead at the water break.
Kevin Fahey curled a brilliant point in response from all of 45 metres and Jack Kennedy finished off a smart move with another quality point but Tipperary were seven down when Jack Kennedy was brought down for a penalty just as he was about to pull the trigger on goal. Conor Sweeney stepped up and slipped it to the other corner as Shane Ryan dived to his left.
Clifford and marker Shane O’Connell were both yellow carded for getting to know each other off the ball and just as Tipperary got back within four with that penalty, Kerry almost casually reeled off the last four points of the half, Seán O’Shea a rampaging presence.
Trailing then 1-11 to 1-3, the holders had it all to do, especially when under real pressure to retain their kick-out. Kerry were quick about figuring how to pick their way through all the bodies back, cornerback Tom O’Sullivan playing almost as a wing-forward and popping up to clip two good scores.
A sweet curled point from Clifford after a loose clearance from Evan Comerford was sandwiched between Tipperary frees from Sweeney and Jack Kennedy before Kerry almost found the net a second time. Paul Murphy was one of a number of high profile substitutes quickly introduced by Peter Keane and he played a part in the build up where Stephen
O’Brien flashed a shot that
Comerford parried out for a
45.
Killian Spillane was another of those substitutes to make an instant impact and he stretched Kerry’s lead out to nine, 1-15 to 1-6, when Michael Quinlivan saw red for a closed fist challenge on Gavin Crowley. With 20 minutes to go, that was pretty much that, especially when a harsh enough black card for Jason Lonergan left Tipp with just 13. Their title defence fizzled out then in disappointing fashion but nobody will be able to take the triumph of a unique winter championship away from them.
Kerry: S Ryan; B Ó Beaglaoich, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; M Breen (P Murphy 42), G Crowley (T Morley 62), G White; D Moran, D O’Connor; S O’Brien, S O’Shea, P Geaney (T Walsh 46); D Clifford (J Barry 54), M Burns (K Spillane 46), P Clifford.
ScorerS: S O’Shea 0-8 (0-5f, 1 45), D Clifford 1-2 (01f), K Spillane 0-3, T O’Sullivan 0-2, P Geaney, D O’Connor, P Clifford, D Moran 0-1 each. yellow card: D Clifford 29, J Barry 63.
BlacK card: T Morley 72. wideS: 2 (4).
Tipperary: E Comerford; S O’Connell, J Feehan, C O’Shaughnessy (S Foley 60); B Maher, K Fahey, R Kiely (J Harney 60-66); J Kennedy, Conal Kennedy (Colman Kennedy 69); E Moloney (J Lonergan 19), C Bowe (S O’Brien 52), P Looram (P Feehan h-t); B Fox, C Sweeney, M Quinlivan.
ScorerS: C Sweeney 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3fs), J Kennedy 0-3 (0-2fs), K Fahey 0-1. yellow card: E Moloney 7, S O’Connell 13, B Fox 17, K Fahey 47.
BlacK card: J Lonergan 53. red card: M Quinlivan 50. wideS: 3 (3). referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh). aTTendance: 3,500.