No Rebel yell but it was still a Premier event

SUN SHINES AND ORDER IS RESTORED AS KERRY OVERCOME EARLY GOAL TO OVERPOWER TIPPERARY

IT may have been a Munster Final minus its rebel yell but this certainly wasn’t going to stop the 21,000 or so spectators from converging on Killarney on a day awash with glorious sunshine. Yes, it’s true, we missed the tide of red-and-white, the banter and the atmosphere that comes when our neighbours converge on the N22 to cross swords with the Kingdom.

The Cork and Kerry minors did their best to serve up an entertaining prelude and Fossa’s David Clifford made his presence known with a scintillating performance. But there was still a feeling of what might have been once 2pm arrived.

It also felt strange strolling through the streets of Killarney watching the odd Cork jersey dotted among the crowd. But tradition waits for no man and the show must go on regardless. The town kept its part of the bargain, however, as the unmistakable essence of fast food, beer and tobacco hung in the air as the sun beat down on the pavements creating that special atmosphere unique to Killarney.

Perhaps an even greater shock than Tipperary’s early goal was the non-appearance of raincoats and umbrellas. Few could have foreseen given the foul weather of last week that a late call up for bottled water and sun cream would be on the cards. Match day programmes have many uses and the rows of ‘pitched programmes’ across O’Connor’s Terrace protecting faces from the sun was a welcome, if unexpected, sight.

The early goal seemed to give Tipp fans a glimmer of hope and made their journey seem worthwhile for it was they who during the game’s early moments made the most of the occasion with chants of ‘Tipp, Tipp, Tipp’ giving Kerry folk an idea of what Semple Stadium is like when things get going. Tipp manger, Liam Kerins, punched the air and held a clinched fist to the Tipp crowd and for a brief moment memories of Clare in ‘92 rippled through Kerry souls.

However, Kerry were soon rescued by St Paul as the Dingle man – backed up by Paul Murphy – settled Kerry and from then on the crowd began the process of assessing Kerry’s chances against Dublin later this summer based on the performance. It was a job well executed in the finish as crowds made for the bars and restaurants to chew over the game and savour a memorable day. Another sweet Munster Final victory for the Kingdom and a first four-in-a-row since 1978.

All in all, it was a special day, even if the N22 was the quietest road out of Kerry on Sunday evening!

Photos by Michelle Cooper Galvin Cathal Ó Dubhda and Caroline Ní Dhubhda, Dingle, at the Munster Football Finals in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney on Sunday.

Clockwise from top left: Tim Murphy, Ballyseedy; Sharon Sugrue, Cromane and Sinead Collins, Killarney; Mary Lynch and Rita Moriarty, Killarney; Satires O’Connor and Siobhan Burns, Killarney; Sean and Pat Moynihan, Killarney.