Kerry claim 78th Munster Senior Football title with win over Tipp

KERRY senior footballers claimed their 78th Munster senior football title when overcoming the Tipperary challenge at sun soaked Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday afternoon last (3-17 to 2-10). The victory sealed a 4-in-a-row of titles for the Kingdom and Eamonn Fitzmaurice has retained a proud record of not having lost a Munster Championship game during his tenure as manager.

Kerry were full value for their ten points winning margin and recovered well after conceding a goal with just 40 seconds or so on the clock. The winners were in control at the break when leading by six points and stretched that lead to eleven points with Paul Geaney’s second goal. However, Kerry seemed to take their foot off the pedal for a while and allowed Tipperary mount a serious challenge conceding a goal on 50 minutes but a few substitutions steadied the ship once again and the Kingdom were well in control again in the final quarter.

There was a fine crowd of 21,512 present on Sunday and that attendance certainly surpassed the expectations of a lot of people including the Munster Council. Kerry folk certainly cam out in big numbers to support their teams and this was certainly appreciated players and management alike.

There were plenty positives for Eamonn Fitzmaurice and his management team to take from the game such as the performances given by Tadhg Morley and Brian Ó Beaglaoich (until he got injured), and the return to inter-county action of James O’Donoghue. However, a shoulder injury received by Colm Cooper makes the Dr Crokes man doubtful for the quarter-finals on the August weekend.

Mention of the All-Ireland quarter-finals, it’s a guessing game at this stage as to who Kerry’s opponents will be on the August Bank Holiday weekend. We do know that Kerry are destined to meet a team from the ‘A’ side of the Qualifier draw thus avoiding such potential heavyweights such as Mayo, Cork and Monaghan. Teams left in Group A include Sligo, Derry or Meath, Clare or Laois, and Cavan or Carlow. Four teams from that grouping will meet in Round 3A and the two teams that emerge will be paired against the Connaacht Final Loser (Galway/Roscommon) and Tipperary in Round 4A. Kerry and the Connacht champions will meet the winners of those two Round 4A games.

Should Kerry overcome that quarter-final obstacle, they will be paired off against the Leinster champions in an All-Ireland semi-final. That fixture is scheduled for August 28.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Tadhg O’Donoghue with his granddaughter Cliodhna Guiney, from Valentia, at the Munster Football Finals in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney on Sunday