Kerry strike back from ten down
JOE MCDONAGH CUP, ROUND 5
Antrim 1-20 Kerry 2-21
A STIRRING comeback saw Kerry’s hurlers turn a 10-point deficit into a fully deserved four-point victory over Antrim at a sunny Cushendall in Saturday as Fintan O’Connor’s side rounded off their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign in perfect style.
Prior to the game, the hosts were looking at a permutation that a victory coupled with Westmeath beating Carlow would send them into the final and after 20 minutes, leading by 1-10 to 0-3, it looked every bit they were the team that had it all to play for. Yet, this game was to turn on its head with Kerry upping the ante, hunting in packs, pressuring the hosts into mistakes and ultimately, taking over the game.
The introduction of Tomás O’Connor coincided with this change of dynamic on a day that the Kingdom gave Tom Murnane a fitting send-off in his final day in county colours.
Shane Conway was unerring from placed balls, converting twelve including one ‘65, while Jack Goulding bagged a 50th minute goal that gave Kerry a lead they would hold until the death, but it was Mickey Boyle’s major in first half-stoppage time that really tipped the balance in Kerry’s favour as they moved to within one at the break.
For Antrim, Neil McManus hit 0-17 including six from play, but the fact the rest of the team contributed just 1-3 between them tells its own tale as Kerry stood tall in defence, closed down space and totally out-hustled the Saffrons who now find themselves in a relegation playoff with the Christy Ring Cup winners.
Antrim began at a lightning pace with Donal McKinley firing over inside the first minute before Neil McManus opened his account for the day.
A Shane Conway free got Kerry off the mark, but they were to struggle in the opening 20 minutes as Antrim piled on the scores and on eight minutes, they scored the game’s opening goal. Conor McCann hit the post with an initial effort, but the rebound fell to Ciaran Clarke on the right and he fired to the far corner of the net.
After 20 minutes, Antrim were
McDONAGH CUP
Carlow Westmeath
Laois Antrim Meath I think he was lukewarm at that stage whether he’d play on and we kind of convinced him to stay and I think he’s after benefiting the other young fellas around the place. The likes of Tomás O’Connor who’d really look up to him and feel he gave them great help along the way. cruising, leading 1-10 to 0-3 and should have had a second goal on 11 minutes when Conor Johnston somehow hit the post from point-blank range, but the introduction of O’Connor for the Kingdom altered the course of the opening period as mistakes began to creep into Antrim’s play, with fouls punished by Conway from placed balls, while Boyle – deployed around the middle after the reshuffle – and Goulding also chipped in with points.
The Munster men ate into Antrim’s lead, outscoring the hosts by 1-8 to 0-2 for the remainder of the half with their goal coming in stoppage time when Brandon Barrett popped an exquisite pass PWD 5 4 0 5 4 0
5 5 5
2 2 0
0 0 0
+/- Pts 1 +20 8 1 +15 8
L3 -4 4 3 +12 4 (p) 5 -53 0 (r) to send Mickey Boyle through and he made no mistake, drilling to the net to cut Antrim’s lead at the break to one, 1-12 to 1-11.
It was all-square two minutes after the break as Conway pointed a free, but two in-a-row from the hosts gave the home side the lead once again.
There was still two in it on 50 minutes when Kerry grabbed the lead they were to hold onto until the final whistle when Jack Goulding whipped the sliotar to the net after his initial shot was blocked down.
Try as the might, Antrim just couldn’t take a grip on this game as Kerry’s defence stood tall, won the breaks and snuffed out any danger as Antrim were to rely solely on McManus frees for the remainder.
The visitors were much more fluid going forward, working the openings and had a much greater spread of scores with Brendan O’Leary, Mickey Boyle, Tomás O’Connor and Pádraig Boyle all chipping in with Conway converting the frees as they ran out deserving winners to finish their campaign on a high and score a stirring victory that looked so unlikely after the opening exchanges.
ANTRIM: R Elliott; A Graffin, J Dillon, C McKinley; P Burke, S McCrory, D Kearney; K Molloy, E Campbell; D McKinley (0-1), N McManus (0-17, 10 frees, 1 65), N Elliott; C Johnston (0-1), C McCann (01), C Clarke (1-0) Subs: J McNaughton for N Elliott (HT), E McCloskey for D McKinley (43), R McCambridge for P Burke (62)
KERRY: M Stackpoole; J Buckley, B Murphy, J O’Connor; S Weir, M Boyle (1-2), D Collins; B O’Leary (0-1), D Griffin (0-1); P Boyle (0-2), S Nolan, T Murnane; J Goulding (1-1), B Barrett (0-1), S Conway (0-12, 11 frees, 1 65) Subs: T O’Connor (0-1) for S Nolan (19 mins), J Conway for J Goulding (59), J Diggins for T Murnane (70+4), E Murphy for D Griffin (70+5)
REFEREE: Patrick Murphy (Carlow)