Minors Munster win over Tipperary is assessed

MUNSTER MFC FIRST ROUND Tipperary 0-4 Kerry 1-15

NOT a whole lot to report on here as it became obvious early in the second-half that Kerry would go on to record their 25th consecutive victory at Minor level stretching back to 2014. Kerry opened with the first three points before Tipperary got on the scoreboard in the sixth minute. The only time the game looked to be a live contest was when it was 0-4 to 0-3 after 17 minutes in favour of the defending Munster and All-Ireland Champions. However the impressive Paul Walsh helped guide Kerry to a lead of 0-7 to 0-3 at the break but they should really have added a least one goal to their total in the first period.

Patrick D’Arcy was the first to be denied by Tipperary goalkeeper Callum Scally in the ninth minute as Ruaidhrí Ó Beaglaoich blazed over another effort at goal with five minutes of the first-half left. Full-forward Jack Kennelly also had a shot blocked by Scally before half-time before it took a spot-kick 10 minutes after the restart for Kerry to finally get the better of the Tipperary goalkeeper.

Walsh put a lovely ball into Ó Beaglaoich’s path as Tipp centre-back Kevin Hayes was left with no option but to foul the An Gaeltacht player at the concession of a spot-kick. Hayes was sent off for a combination of a yellow and a black card as a result of the incident meaning Tipperary finished with 14 men as Walsh sent Scally the wrong way with the spot-kick to make it 1-10 to 0-4 after 40 minutes.

From there came a quiet veneer of yearning for the conclusion of the tame affair to come. A decent Conor Whelan point on the three-quarter mark was the host’s only second-half score to go with three Jack English points in the first half.

Dylan Geaney and Sean Quilter put over set-piece scores coming off the subs bench for Kerry as eight different players scored for the Kingdom in their almost routine 14 point win.

If Tipp have any ambitions on facing Kerry again this year they will have to show far more in their Losers Round play-off with Limerick firstly.

KERRY: Marc Kelliher (Glenflesk); Conor Flannery (Dingle), Kieran O’Donoghue (Killarney Legion), Owen Fitzgerald (Gneeveguilla); Colm Moriarty (Annascaul), Dan McCarthy (Kenmare Shamrocks), Dan Murphy (Rathmore); Darragh Rahilly (do), Darragh Lyne (Legion); Paul Walsh (Brosna, 1-3, 1-0 pen), Paul O’Shea (Kilcummin, 0-1), Killian Falvey (Annascaul, 0-1); Patrick D’Arcy (Glenflesk, 0-1), Jack Kennelly (Ballydonoghue, 0-1), Ruaidhrí Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht, 0-5, 4f). Subs: David Dineen (Rathmore) for Rahilly, Jack O’Connor (Beaufort) for D’Arcy, David Mangan (Laune Rangers) for O’Donoghue, Sean Quilter (Austin Stacks, 0-1 ‘45’) for Lyne, Dylan Geaney (Dingle, 0-2f) for Ó Beaglaoich and James McCarthy (Kenmare Shamrocks) for Falvey.

TIPPERARY: Callum Scally; Tommy McDonagh, Shane Lowe, Christy McDonagh; Mark O’Meara, Kevin Hayes, Johnny Ryan; Billy Murphy, Keith Ryan; Max Hackett, Alan Flannery, Devon Ryan; Christy English (0-3,

2f), Kyle Shelly, Eddie Daly. Subs: Dylan Farrelly for Flannery, Gavin Meagher for Tommy McDonagh, Conor Whelan (0-1) for Murphy, John O’Sullivan for Ryan and Rhys Byron for Daly.

REFEREE: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick)

MAINMAN

While he might have a very distinctive hairstyle, Paul Walsh’s football was the main thing people were talking about in relation to the Brosna player last Wednesday night, not only for his 1-3 but his ability to win ball and create chances, best illustrated in creating the move for the penalty he converted himself.

KEY MOMENT

The longer Tipperary went without a score in the second period, the more obvious it became that Kerry would win. Not a contest that will live long in the memory but a means to an end in the Kingdom getting their campaign off to a winning start.

TALKING POINT

Whether it is Cork or not come the next outing, the prize is still the same in winning a Munster Semi-Final, an extended run into late July/early August with two competitive matches. Love or hate the format you certainly can’t argue with its rewards for success.

Photo by Sportsfile Kerry’s Patrick D’Arcy in action against Christy McDonagh during the Munster Minor Championship quarter-final at Semple Stadium in Thurles last Wednesday.