Under 16s seal final berth after thriller

KERRY qualified for the All Ireland Under 16 final after a courageous extra time victory over Kildare in Sean Treacy Park, Tipperary Town last Wednesday.

It really was a game for the ages as both sides set about their task with gusto, but there had to be a victor, and in the finish Kerry’s superb fitness levels shone through in extra time.

One could not help but feel sorry for the Kildare’s girls at the end of the game as they had hugely contributed to an absorbing contest.

The game ebbed and flowed all through, and at times it was impossible to predict a winner.

Irish basketball international Siofra O’Shea was the ace in Kerry’s pack, and her haul of three goals and twelve points – with three goals and two points coming from play – was a testament to her all round brilliance.

O’Shea’s performance was helped in no small manner by a superb team effort, with many of the frees that she slotted over coming after one of her team matter were fouled.

The game didn’t get off to a great start for Kerry when Jodie Flanagan goaled after four minutes following a mix up in defence. Kildare added a point immediately afterwards, but the impressive Danielle O’Leary struck for the first of her two goals for Kerry after a good through pass from Gemma Kearney. Kerry’s netminder Ciara Butler then pulled off a great penalty save at the expense of a point from Orlaith Sullivan.

As if stung by this let off, Siofra O’Shea struck for Kerry’s second goal following a lovely pass from Rachel Kilgallen. Kerry were living dangerously though, and Aoife Rattigan crashed the ball off the crossbar when straight through.

Once again Kerry responded following this let off and three Siofra O’Shea free kicks pushed them 2-3 to 1-2 ahead. The sides swapped two points apiece for the remainder of the half, and Kerry took a 2-5 to 1-5 lead in at the break.

Kerry made a great start to the second half when Siofra O’Shea goaled after 20 seconds following a superb catch from the throw in by the athletic Mary O’Connell. Kildare responded immediately with two points, before Butler was called upon to make her second great save of the game. The Kerry backs were mopping up everything that Kildare could throw at them with Kearney, Maud Kelly and Aoife Dillane particularly prominent.

Rachel Kilgallen was working tirelessly in the forwards, and her combination with O’Leary and Ella Teahan was opening up holes in the Kildare defence. Clodagh Evans pointed to push Kerry 6 ahead once more , but Katie O’Loughlin struck a goal for Kildare to bring it back to a three point game.

Orlaith Sullivan added a point straight afterwards, and then O’Loughlin struck for her second goal of the game a minute later. Suddenly Kerry found themselves a point down with 10 minutes gone in the second half.

Kerry responded with a pointed O’Shea free, and Ella Teahan from play, before Kildare struck for their third goal in six minutes with O’Loughlin once again applying the finish.

O’Shea and Rattigan swapped points before Butler was called upon to make her third great save of the game. Points from impressive substitute Gillian Wheeler and Orlaith Sullivan pushed Kildare 4-12 to 4-10 ahead with 10 minutes left and the Lilywhites seemed to have the legs on the Kingdom.

This Kerry side are made of stern stuff however and O’Shea slotted over two frees to level the contest once more. Kildare’s Sullivan and the speedy Clodagh Evans traded points, before Clodagh Evans kicked what looked like the winning point for Kerry.

Credit to Kildare, however, who never gave up, and Rattigan levelled the contest deep into injury time with a monster point to bring the game to extra time.

When games go to extra time it is often down to which team has the best conditioning work done – and Kerry came up trumps in this regard. Another goal from the throw in by O’Shea set the tone and was added to by points from Clodagh Evans, Ella Teahan, and an O’Shea free, to give them a healthy 5-17 to 4-15 lead at the break.

The second half was equally as fruitful for Kerry. Substitute Ciara McCarthy struck for a goal and O’Leary and O’Shea added further points. Kildare’s reply was a solitary point from Wheeler as the Lilywhites had no answer to Kerry’s high tempo. Referee Niall McCormack then called time on proceedings, and the Kerry players and management ran to embrace each other after a job well done.

Kerry will now play Galway in the All Ireland final on July 25 with the venue to be confirmed. Galway hammered Ulster champions Donegal in their All Ireland semi final by 3-22 to 4-4.

The reigning All Ireland champions will provide a stern test for Kerry and will go into the game as hot favourites after such a facile victory.

KERRY Ciara Butler, Maud Kelly, Rachel O’Connor, Ava Doherty, Gemma Kearney, Rachel Dwyer, Aoife Dillane, Aisling O’Connell, Mary O’Connell, Rachel Kilgallen, Danielle O’Leary (2-1), Ella Teahan (0-2), Clodagh Evans (0-3), Siofra O’Shea (3-12,10f), Mary Collins Subs: Ciara McCarthy (1-0) for M Collins(h/t), Keri Ann Hanrahan for R O’Connor (37 E/T) , Ciara Fitzgerald for A Doherty (37 E/T)

KILDARE Eleanor Traynor, Lisa Shaw, Ellie Fitzpatrick, Deirdre Doyle, Ciara Price (0-2,1f), Louise Lenehan, Kelly Riordan, Sarah Rose Merrick Katie O’Loughlin (3 goals), Sally Kielty, Aoife Rattigan (04,2f), Ruth Birchall (0-1), Orlaith Sullivan (0-4,2f), Jodie Flanagan (1-1,0-1pen), Haley McCormick Subs: Mia Doherty (L Lenehan,13), Sally Murphy (0-2) (S R Marrick,h/t), Gillian Wheeler (0-2) (J Flanagan 39)

REFEREE Niall McCormack (Laois)