Munster double won at a canter

IT was a Munster final day devoid of any of the drama with which we’ve come to associate it.

Sure the crowds turned out as they always do – thirty one and a half thousand souls made their way into Fitzgerald Stadium – with their colours and their banter, but pretty much from the moment a ball was kicked in anger there was no suspense. We knew what was going to happen.

The early start possibly didn’t help. A high noon throw in for the minor game sounds better on paper than it was in reality. On top of that Peter Keane’s men were head and shoulders better than their rivals from the Banner.

Inspired by the brilliance of David Clifford the Kingdom ran out 2-21 to 0-3 winners. At the time people marvelled – rightly – at the brilliance of the minors’ forward displays, but in hindsight the ability of the Kerry backs to restrict Clare to just three scores (and just one in the second half) was quite remarkable.

“While we’re very happy with how we played, there are still a few things we want to work on for the All Ireland quarter-final,” manager Peter Keane, always striving for more, said after the match.

That of course brought us to the main course – the contest between the Munster old firm. It didn’t take too long for the air to go out of this balloon either. Straight from the throw-in David Moran thundered towards goal and assisted Paul Geaney for the game’s opening score.

Kerry started the game with four unanswered points inside the opening three minutes and after that nobody was left under any illusion as to how this game was going to play out.

Fair enough Kerry only led by four at the break – 0-11 to 0-7

– but once they tacked on another 1-2 at the beginning of the second half it became a box-ticking exercise.

All that said Kerry showed certain vulnerabilities in the game. Cork created a number of goal-scoring opportunities, which had they been taken might have made a game of this.

Even then one got the sense that Kerry always had another gear or two in hand had they been required. 1-23 to 0-15 at the finish.

The victory set Kerry up for an All Ireland quarter-final date at the end of the month with Connacht runners-up Galway. Much like either the minor or the senior Munster final, this one didn’t live up to expectations.

Again within seconds of the game getting underway the Kingdom had the ball over the bar – Johnny Buckley, who had a great game, setting up Paul Murphy for the opener.

Galway, however, fashioned a goal chance after another two minutes forcing a save from Brian Kelly who was in inspired form between the sticks. The Tribesmen really needed to make use of that chance.

Instead Kerry draw first blood with Kieran Donaghy – assist David Moran – nabbing the game’s opening (and only) goal after thirteen minutes. The goal seemed to decide the game as a contest.

Despite Kerry not playing anywhere near their best, and despite Galway creating a couple of goal-scoring opportunities, Kerry were never in much danger of actually losing the game.

They ran out 1-18 to 0-13 winners (1-10 to 0-8 at half-time).