Magical minors make it five-in-a-row of Munster titles

Kerry 2-21 Clare 0-3

IN so much as it can be analysed as a contest, it went to an extreme beyond ‘one-sided’ if there is such a term. It’s easy to forget Clare scored the first point of the game through midfielder Diarmuid Ryan such was Kerry’s domination thereafter as their fifth consecutive Munster Minor title and a 46th in total was won with consummate ease on the day. A bit of lethargy in a 15-minute period in the first half between the seventh and 22nd minute where some wasteful and wretched efforts at points were attempted did take the life out of the game somewhat but there was never any doubt about who would win. David Clifford operated around the full-forward line and was the main fulcrum of everything Kerry tried to do in the forward line with scoring and distribution.

Clare goalkeeper Mark Lillis was forced to make a good save from Donnachadh O’Sullivan in the eighth minute with Kerry leading by 0-4 to 0-1 but there followed a very tough period on the eye without a score although the Kerry defence to their credit weren’t distracted by the difficulties the forward line were having at the other end in doing their jobs efficiently and keeping the

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County away from scores. Clifford lifted the long lull in scoring with eight minutes of the first period left as he brought his first-half total to six with Fiachra Clifford and Brian Friel adding scores in giving Kerry a 0-10 to 0-2 lead at half-time. A free from Clare captain Dermot Coughlan was the visitors only other first half score in the 26th minute.

To describe the second-half as a procession would be a bit of an understatement as Kerry were a lot more accurate in their scoring with Donal O’Sullivan starting to catch the eye with his endeavours. The only moment of worry was not to do with the match itself but rather an injury to Clifford on the three-quarter mark as Jayme O’Sullivan was dismissed for a second yellow card for his challenge on the Kerry Minor captain. Leading by 0-17 to 0-2 at the time it was the correct decision to withdraw the Fossa player as Patrick Warren replaced him. Another Kerry substitute in Ciaran O’Reilly rattled the crossbar shortly after his introduction in the 52nd minute. However even though it looked like Kerry would go through the game without a green flag, two would come in injury time through Donal O’Sullivan to put the margin between the sides at the end to 24 points.

A 59th minute free from Coughlan was Clare’s only score in the second period as a tame effort at a goal from full-forward Gavin Cooney was the only other memorable chance of note they had in the second period. The year isn’t over for the Banner county but after making the progress they have through the playoffs to this point it’s very hard to see how they can lift themselves for an All-Ireland quarter-final, the only consolation being that the side they face is unlikely to be as dominant and rampant as the Kingdom. Leinster will be the province of interest to both counties in the last eight, the competition only at the semi-final stage as of last night but displays like last Sunday’s will only increase people’s expectations about where the Kerry Minors will go from here.

They played within themselves at times you sensed last Sunday and as the Cork performance proved they do have the ability to lift it when the occasion rises. Of the five provincial successes over the period since 2013 this is the biggest winning margin (24 points) in a decider by a Kerry Minor side, one that will raise expectations about where the 2017 class will go from here. At this point in time it will take a hell of an effort for any side to stop them as they embark on the All-Ireland campaign.

KERRY: Deividas Uosis (Dingle), Sean O’Leary (Kilcummin), Chris O’Donoghue (Glenflesk), Cian Gammell (Killarney Legion), Michael Potts (Dr Crokes), Eddie Horan (Scartaglin), Niall Donohoe (Firies), Barry Mahony (St Senans, 0-1), Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil), Adam Donoghue (Castleisland Desmonds), David Clifford (Fossa, 0-6), Donal O’Sullivan (Kilgarvan, 2-8, 3f), Fiachra Clifford (Laune Rangers, 0-2), Donnachadh O’Sullivan (Firies, 0-2), Brian Friel (Rathmore, 0-1). Subs: Jack Griffin (Dr Crokes, 0-1) for Friel, Michael O’Leary (Renard) for Gammell, Patrick Warren (Gneeveguilla) for Clifford, Ciaran O’Reilly (Austin Stacks) for Donnachadh O’Sullivan, Ryan O’Neill (Na Gaeil) for Donohoe and Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks) for Sean O’Leary.

CLARE: Mark Lillis, Jack Sheedy, Jayme O’Sullivan, Joe Miniter, Sean Rouine, Fergal Donnellan, Colin McNelis, Diarmuid Ryan (0-1), Keith White, Ross Phelan, Dermot Coughlan (0-2, 2f), Ross O’Doherty, Gearóid Cahill, Gavin Cooney, Rian Considine. Subs: Ciaran O’Donoghue for Considine, Danny Griffin for White, Colm O’Brien for Cahill, Conor McMahon for Phelan, Aidan Reynolds for Cooney and Seamus Casey for Rouine.

REFEREE: David Murnane (Cork)