Clifford fires Kingdom into final
KERRY had to work hard to reach their fifth successive Junior AllIreland final on Saturday in Páirc Tailteann as a resurgent Kildare side kept supporters guessing.
Kerry held a 1-6 to 0-1 lead by the 16th minute through Paudie Clifford’s goal. Midfielders Kieran Murphy and Ronan Murphy were Kerry’s driving force.
Increasing their margin to nine points by the 22nd minute, the result looked secure until Kildare scored six consecutive points.
Relying on Declan Campbell and Barry Noone frees, points from Brian Travers and David Malone meant Kildare trailed 1-9 to 0-9 at half-time.
Barry Noone reduced the margin to two points at the beginning of the second half. Niall Ó’Sé, Pádraig O’Connor, Denis Daly, Paudie O’Connor and Thomas Hickey points gave Kerry a 1-14 to 0-10 lead with 12 minutes remaining.
Leading 1-17 to 0-12 with six minutes left, Kerry’s thoughts ventured to their impending All-Ireland final with Galway, allowing Kildare to close the margin.
When Campbell and Eoghan Lawless points left six in the difference, Lawless’s 63rd-minute penalty meant three separated the sides, until Cillian Fitzgerald palmed Kerry’s 66th-minute goal.
SCORERS – Kerry: P Clifford 1-3 (1 ‘45); N Ó Sé 0-4 (2f; C Fitzgerald 1-0; THickey(2f);R Murphy 0-3 each; PO’ Sullivan, D Daly, K Murphy, P O’ Connor 0-1 each. Kildare:E Lawless 1-2 (pen, 1f); B Noone (2f), D Campbell (3f, 1 ’45) 0-4 each; M Nolan 0-2; B Travers, D Ma lone 0-1 each.
K ERR Y–DÓSé;T Wallace, DD onog hue, PO’ Su ll ivan;CÓSé, D Daly, P O’ Connor; K Murphy, R Murphy; E Cronin, P Clifford, R Buckley; T Hickey, L Donoghue, N Ó Sé. Subs: C Fitzgerald for Buckley (38), C Farley for L Donohue (42), GO’ Leary for Cronin (55), SDil lion for Wallace (58), G Horan forCÓ’ Sé(59),J Brosnan for O’Sullivan (60).
K IL DARE–D Campbell; K Corri gan, MG race, TD ore; G Waters, EM cM on ag le, N Sherry; L Power, B Travers; D Ma lone, M Nolan, E Lawless; C Murray, M Sherry, B No one. Subs: D Flaherty for Sherry (38), SO’ Leary for Murray (44), T Barron for McMonagle (44), SM aug han for No one (49), CD iv illy for Dore (55), J Jennings for Nolan (59).
REF – L Devenney (Mayo).