You are > Home > GAA: Kerry learn little in victory
20 January 2011
GAA: Kerry learn little in victory By Murt Murphy
Kerry 2-17 Limerick IT 0-5
KERRY cruised into a McGrath Cup semi-final meeting with All-Ireland champions Cork in Tralee next Sunday following this quarter-final mismatch against Limerick IT, played at Austin Stack Park. Kerry welcomed Tomás Ó Sé back to dominate at centre back but Kerry trainer Jack O’Connor summed the game up afterwards when he said that nothing could be gleaned from a game that was so one-sided, so no analysis is required. Kerry bossed the game from the very outset with Darran O’Sullivan looking very sharp, back to lead the attack after playing at wing back last week against IT Tralee. It was game that attracted only a handful of spectators to the Tralee venue. It is doubtful thay they got value for their money and maybe the early rounds of this and similar competitions should see the GAA open the gates and allow free entry. They appear to have very little to lose. Jack O’Connor shuffled his pack for the second week in a row but next week against Cork, Kerry supporters will learn more about the new players that have been giving a chance in this competition. O’Connor gave starts to Kevin O’Dwyer at corner back, Eamon Hickson at wing back, Alan O’Sullivan and Seamus Scanlon became the latest midfield pairing while Barry O’Grady got a run a wing forward with Darran O’Sullivan returning to the forty. If anything can be gleaned from Kerry’s two outings to date, it is that there are a few players who have done themselves no harm, but no conclusions can possibly be drawn until Kerry came face to face with a young Cork side this Sunday. It would appear though that Kerry’s inside line may well be the only line that will survive for the semi-final as Kieran Donaghy and two Geaneys, David and Paul, have been performing well and have earned their spurs so far. Kerry have been playing the direct ball to Donaghy as their main offensive ploy thus far with great success as Donaghy who, skippered the side on Sunday, is in imperious form, catching almost everything that comes his way. That has allowed both David Geaney and Paul Geaney to profit as they bagged an impressive 2-9 between them on Sunday, to add to the 1-7 of the previous weekend. But anybody who thinks that Colm Cooper may have to fight for his place when he returns would be mistaken. While the Dingle lads have done well thus far, the defenders of IT Tralee and LIT, with respect, are well below county standard. It’s also worth remembering that both these sides play in the Trench Cup and not the Sigerson. Darran O’Sullivan looked very lively against LIT and set-up many of Kerry’s scores but neither Gary Sayers nor Barry O’Grady are likely to make it when the going gets tough, with Niall O’Mahony a possibility for a wing forward slot.
Expect David Moran – if not used at wing forward – to start along side Anthony Maher against Cork, as Seamus Scanlon has still some way to go before regaining his fitness after his back problems, while Alan O’Sullivan has done nothing wrong and can be satisfied with his performances to date. O’Connor has a severe shortage of defenders due to injury at present so another eye-catching performance from Jonathon Lyne should see him wear the number five shirt against Cork while Shane Enright is another who hasn’t put a foot wrong but Jason Sexton will be a sterner test on Sunday. Marc Ó Sé is on the way back and will start along with Padraig Reidy and Tomás Ó Sé so one place will be up for grabs, with the possibility that Aidan O’Mahony will return. Tomás Mac An tSaoir did nothing wrong in goal expect he got precious little to do so Brendan Kealy will probably get the nod against the Rebels. LIT, thanks to two early points from their Limerick senior Ger Collins, trailed 0-4 to 0-2 after 15 minutes, with Alan O’Sullivan, Gary Sayers and two David Geaney frees being on the mark for Kerry. However, with Tomás Ó Sé, Padraig Reidy and Jonathon Lyne rock solid at the back, LIT could find no way through. And a succession of points, including a superb effort from wing back Lyne, saw Kerry race 0-8 to 0-2 clear by the 30th minute. It was game over in the 32nd minute when David Geaney’s 45 was punched to the LIT net by his cousin Paul, though those who saw video footage are claiming it was an own goal by a LIT defender. Kerry led 1-10 to 0-3 at half time and early second half points from Alan O’Sullivan and Darran O’Sullivan extended Kerry’s lead still further. Then two Paul Geaney points after brilliant approach work by Kieran Donaghy was followed in the 48th minute by a David Geaney goal that saw Kerry race 2-14 to 0-3 and the rest was the game was purely academic. Kerry’s real state of health will be more apparent when they renew rivalry with the old enemy Cork this Sunday in Tralee. Kerry: T Mac An tSaoir; K O’Dwyer, P Reidy, S Enright; J Lyne (0-2), T Ó Sé, E Hickson; S Scanlon, A O’Sullivan (0-2); G Sayers (0-1), Darran O’Sullivan (0-2, 0-1 free), B O’Grady (0-1); D Geaney (1-6, 0-4 frees), K Donaghy, P Geaney (1-3). Subs used: N O’Mahony for G Sayers (ht); D Moran for S Scanlon (47); C O’Mahony for T Ó Sé (47); D O’Sullivan for S Enright (47); M O’Donoghue for K Donaghy (52). Limerick IT: P Dwyer; S Bolton, N Brady, P Dalton; N Gaughan, E Leamy, P Sheehan; E Cummins, C Talty; D McNamara, D Clohessy, E O’Connor; D Heffernan, G Collins, G O’Gorman Subs used: T McCarthy for D Clohessy (43); S Lenihan for E Leamy (45); S Hayes for D Heffernan (50); D Murtagh for P Dalton (55). Referee: B Tyrell (Tipperary).
