The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Footballers let lead slip twice in League semi-final
Under-21 are beaten by Cork in Munster Final
TO cough up the lead once was misfortunate but to give it up twice - against May - was downright careless, as the senior footballers lost their Allianz League semi-final after extra-time in mid-April.
Seven days after drawing with Mayo in the final round of the League, Kerry faced the Connacht med again, this time in Croke Park and this time with a place in the League final at stake.
Leading by four points with mere minutes to go a stray Kieran Donaghy pass led to Kerry conceding a penalty, which Pat Harte scored. Mayo forced a draw and extra-time.
Early in the second period of extra-time Kerry led by three points. Colm Boyle’s goal levelled the game. Richie Feeney’s point gave Mayo the lead. Paul Galvin won a ‘45’ in the dying second but Bryan Sheehan pulled his kick wide and Kerry were out of the competition.
Meanwhile, the county’s Under21 footballers suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Cork in the Munster Final.
Under the management of Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Kerry played some very good football but needed an excellent Shane Carroll point to level the game and force extratime. Cork took the lead in the first period but Chris Brady’s converted penalty kept Kerry very much in touch as the match headed to an exciting conclusion under Austin Stack Park’s floodlights but Kerry could force a winning goal or an equalising point and Cork retained their provincial title on a 2-12 to 1-14 scoreline.
Elsewhere, in the first bround of the Munster Minor football championship Kerry suffered a 2-9 to 0-8 defeat to All-Ireland champions Tipperary in Austin Stack Park.
The Kingdom, managed by Mickey Ned O’Sullivan, were outclassed for most of the contest, but they would recover through the losers round, where wins over Waterford, Limerick and Clare saw them win their way back into the Munster final where they faced Tipperary once more.