The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Hard-fought win on the road in ladies’ trip to Clare
KERRY came away from Doonbeg with a share of the spoils after a hard-fought well-earned point against Clare on Sunday.
Kerry started off the better and registered the first three scores of the game. Sarah Houlihan with the first inside the first minute from a free after Hannah O’Donoghue was fouled.
This was soon followed up with her first from play. O’Donoghue (pictured) was next on the scoresheet. Kerry were enjoying the early exchanges and Clare were finding it difficult to settle but this soon changed Grainne Nolan with two frees in the ninth and eleventh minute.
Roisin Looney opened her Clare account soon after and the sides were level approaching the twelfth minute. Emma Dineen put Kerry back in the lead and soon after Sarah Houlihan had a chance of a goal, but her shot was well saved by Clare goalkeeper Ciara Harvey. Kerry were a point up at this stage, but Clare retook the lead.
Two pointed frees from Grainne Nolan restored Clare’s one-point advantage. Lorraine Scanlon point for Kerry had the sides level for the third time by the eighteen minute.
Andrea Murphy for Kerry and Grainne Nolan for Clare exchanged points before Clare struck for the first decisive score of the game. Clare’s Fidelma Marrinan with 1-1 in quick succession. Patrice Diggins of Kerry reduced the deficit to a single goal, but Clare were about to increase their lead rapidly with two quick fire goals within the space of a minute.
Tara Kelly and Grainne Nolan with the goals to increase Clare’s lead to nine points with five minutes left in the half. Sarah Houlihan got the last score of the half for Kerry with a point from a free to leave the score line reading Clare 3-7 Kerry 0-8.
The half-time interval allowed Kerry to regroup and to plan for the second half. Two substitutions were made at the start of the second half.
Megan O’Connor came on for Andrea Murphy and
Miriam O’Keeffe came on for
Patrice Diggins.
Kerry needed to start the second half brightly and this they did. O’Donoghue opened the scoring in the second half with her second of the afternoon. This was quickly followed by a Megan O’Connor goal from a free which caught the Clare defence off guard.
Kerry were now in the ascendancy and had reduced the deficit to four points. Captain Amanda Brosnan raised the white flag from a free to leave a goal between the sides. Clare sensed Kerry were beginning to get a grip of the game and responded immediately.
Captain Laurie Ryan who was causing Kerry plenty of trouble throughout the game popped up from centre-back with a goal to extend Clare’s lead to six points. It would have been easy for Kerry to drop their heads after the latest setback but to their credit they responded with great determination with points from Emma Dineen and captain Amanda Brosnan with her second from a free.
Clare’s first point in the second half arrived in the 46th minute from Eimear Keane and it was to be their last score of the game as Kerry threw everything at Clare for the remainder of the game scoring the last four points Sarah Houlihan with two from play and two from frees to finish the game honours even Clare 4-8 to Kerry 1-17.
Credit to Kerry for putting in a serious effort throughout the game despite the various setbacks Clare threw at them. It is a game that is sure to stand to Kerry who had numerous players making their debut and acquitted themselves with distinction.
KERRY: S. Warren, E Lynch, A Desmond, Sarah Murphy, A O’Connell, K Cronin, B Ryan, L Scanlon (0-1f), A Brosnan (0-2f), N, Carmody, E Dineen (0-2), S Houlihan (0-8; 5f), A Murphy (0-1), P Diggins (0-1), H O’Donoghue (0-2) Subs: M O’Connor (1-0f) for A Murphy, M O’Keeffe for Patrice Diggins, A O’Callaghan for E Dineen