ALLIANZ NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 2A

posts after a foul on Eoin McCormack followed by a converted 65 from the Pat’s man after Martin Stackpoole inexplicably dropped a long ball from Gary Byrne and we were back to a five-point game.

But that was as close as Wicklow would get. Andy O’Brien tried to flick another long ball to the net but Stackpoole was alert and two Conway frees pushed it out to a seven-point game as Wicklow welcomed back Michael Boland to the fray in place of George O’Connor after a long lay-off through injury with 50 on the clock.

One of the most worrying statistics from a Wicklow point of view was that they failed to score from the 47th minute to the 67th minute, an Andy O’Brien 65 after Stackpoole had come to the rescue from the Pat’s attacker yet again ending the 20-minute drought to make it 1-18 to 1-11, Brandon Barrett with Kerry’s other score.

Andy O’Brien would close Wicklow’s scoring late on and a fine flurry from the visitors with white flags raised by Michael O’Leary and Fionan O’Sullivan left Fintan O’Connor’s men worthy winners by 1-20 to 1-12 on what Wicklow will consider to be a very disappointing day at the office.

Kerry remain unbeaten. They welcome Antrim to Austin Stack Park on March 1 at 12.30pm for what should be a cracker of a game.

Wicklow will head to O’Connor Park in Tullamore to face Offaly in their final league game on the same day where they will look to make a major impression on their future Christy Ring Cup opponents.

With their safety more or less guaranteed in the league the result won’t be the most important aspect of the visit to the midlands, the performance will be what Eamonn Scallan will be looking at as they look to build on last year’s disappointment.

– Kerry: Shane Conway 0-11 (9f, 1 65), Jason Diggins 1-0, Brandon Barrett 0-3, Michael Slattery 0-2, Jordan Conway 0-1, Dan Goggin 0-1, Michael O’Leary 0-1, Fionan O’Sullivan 0-1.

Wicklow: Andy O’Brien 0-9 (5f, 2 65), Pádraig Doyle 1-0, Enda Donohoe 0-2 (1f), Danny Staunton 0-1.

Conor McNally; Martin O’Brien, Bryan Kearney, Peter Keane; Gary Byrne, Billy Cuddihy, John Henderson; Eamonn Kearns, Warren Kavanagh; Danny Staunton, Enda Donohoe, Eoin McCormack; Pádraig Doyle, Andy O’Brien, George O’Brien. Subs: Michael Boland for G O’Brien (50), Luke Evans for E McCormack (59), Ciaran Breen for B Cuddihy (63), Gary Hughes for P Doyle (69).

Scorers WICKLOW: KERRY:

Martin Stackpoole; Eric Leen, James O’Connor, Sean Weir; Evan Murphy, Mikey Boyle, Jason Diggins; Dan Goggin, Michael Leane; Michael O’Leary, Shane Conway, Brandon Barrett; Michael Slattery, Jordan Conway, Colum Harty. Subs: Bryan Murphy for J O’Connor (h/t), Fionan Mackessy for D Goggin (52), Nathan O’Driscoll for M Slattery (59), Conor O’Keeffe for E Murphy (63), Fionan O’Sullivan for M Leane (65).

REFEREE:

Chris Mooney (Dublin)