Kerry Minor Football 2022

[Tadhgeen]

A great win for Kerry. They dug deep and that will stand to them. Lots of room for improvement and that’s good too.

[Kingdomson]

Oh me of little faith!!
I was watching two games on two screens (keeping an eye on Clare vs Roscommon) at the same time. This minor match was a dog of a game but a great one to win for Kerry. Honestly, I thought Tyrone would win this game, and they played for long spells like they expected to win it. However, the Kerry youngsters were the better team and worked tremendously hard for this victory and it's great to win a dogfight against Tyrone at any level. Kerry have come out the wrong side of dogfights far too often against Tyrone but thankfully not today!

Well done to our Kerry minors!

[hatchetman]

Fair play to Kerry, they weren't great but they dug out a win.
How bad must Derry be if that very poor Tyrone team beat them well.
I won't be surprised if we get a chance for revenge against Cork.
Who else is left in it?

[Mickmack]

Jun 11, 2022 20:00:27 GMT hatchetman said:

I won't be surprised if we get a chance for revenge against Cork.

Cork were eliminated today.

[ciarraimick]

Jun 11, 2022 20:00:27 GMT hatchetman said:

Fair play to Kerry, they weren't great but they dug out a win.
How bad must Derry be if that very poor Tyrone team beat them well.
I won't be surprised if we get a chance for revenge against Cork.
Who else is left in it?

Minors are very unpredictable. Derry beat Cork and Cork destroyed us after we destroying Cork previously. Its hard to determine real formbut a great win for us all the same.

[greengold35]

Jun 11, 2022 20:00:27 GMT hatchetman said:

Fair play to Kerry, they weren't great but they dug out a win.
How bad must Derry be if that very poor Tyrone team beat them well.
I won't be surprised if we get a chance for revenge against Cork.
Who else is left in it?

Tyrone beat Derry by 4 points with Tyrone getting a goal in injury time; Dublin play Galway & Mayo play Kildare tomorrow.

[hatchetman]

Jun 11, 2022 20:12:17 GMT Mickmack said:

Jun 11, 2022 20:00:27 GMT hatchetman said:

I won't be surprised if we get a chance for revenge against Cork.

Cork were eliminated today.

I won't bother with the lottery this week!

[Whosinmidfield]

Jun 11, 2022 20:00:27 GMT hatchetman said:

Fair play to Kerry, they weren't great but they dug out a win.
How bad must Derry be if that very poor Tyrone team beat them well.
I won't be surprised if we get a chance for revenge against Cork.
Who else is left in it?

Tyrone must have had a good bit of luck on the day as they scored 4 goals to Derry’s none yet still only managed to win by a point or two! There’s a good chance I would think despite losing to them that Derry are a better side than Tyrone. Despite the 2 provincial losers winning today I would expect Mayo and Dublin to come through tomorrow.

[fitz]

Any win against Tyrone at any level is a fine day’s work

[dc84]

Just shows the up and down nature of underage, we won that match deservedly I felt. It was a tough watch as Tyrone seemed very defensive but winning a tight game like this can only be a good thing.
I'd expect dublin and mayo to advance as well , would it be kerry dublin then?

[mg72]

Jun 12, 2022 7:01:00 GMT dc84 said:

Just shows the up and down nature of underage, we won that match deservedly I felt. It was a tough watch as Tyrone seemed very defensive but winning a tight game like this can only be a good thing.
I'd expect dublin and mayo to advance as well , would it be kerry dublin then?

Kerry play the winners of Mayo/Kildare in the semi final

[diego]

Jun 12, 2022 7:01:00 GMT dc84 said:

Just shows the up and down nature of underage, we won that match deservedly I felt. It was a tough watch as Tyrone seemed very defensive but winning a tight game like this can only be a good thing.

Sure we had 15 behind the ball most of the day and out-Tyroned Tyrone with the bit of sledging and tactical injuries.

Great to win it though. Colm Browne had a huge game. Massive score from Fionn Murphy from that placed ball on the 45 near the end which proved to be the winner. Evan Boyle and Jack Clifford very assured performances. Dillon kicked a couple of mighty scores. Shay O'Meara in goals made some vital interventions.

Kerry just seemed to want it more and played with great spirit and adapted better to the conditions.

Commentator was saying it was a red card for about 10 mins but corrected himself before the end. Darragh O'Connor came on instead when the sin bin period had expired.

[onlykerry]

Is there a case to be made to develop an equivalent to the Tailteann Cup for underage teams from the "weaker" counties - surly fostering interest at the underage levels is the key to improving the pool of senior players in these counties. It is very evident that the teams contesting the QF and onwards stages of underage football competitions are predominantly the stronger counties at senior level.
I think hurling have B championships where Kerry have had success that must surely be a help to them in building a more competitive senior team.

[veteran]

Kerry 0-8 Tyrone 1-4 HT 0-6 1-2

During the week I agonised over whether to make the more convenient journey to Tralee or to take the road less travelled to Portlaoise. I decided to head up the M7 in order to lend shouts and screams and expletives to the seventeen year olds, reasoning that Kerry supporters were more likely to take the shorter journey to see the novelty hurling match. You will understand of course that the expletives were reserved exclusively for the referee. Mr. Molloy from Galway gave me and my fellow adventurers from An Riocht several opportunities to display the extent of that vernacular.

On the way up, I listened to the hurling commentary before losing the Radio Kerry signal coming up to halftime. In spite of a spirited performance we were trailing, I think, by about eight points at that stage and I got the impression that our goose was being prepared for the oven. I later found out the goose arrived on the table a bit on the roasted side.

It must be said that O'Moore Park is a beautifully appointed Stadium and , suitably, looked spick and span for the occasion. It of course is blessed with the centrality of its location.

There was a fair scattering of us and the beauty of a pitch of this size is that we were all grouped together more or less. This lends itself to very boisterous outpourings of support and it was heart warming to hear the sound of Kerry Kerry Kerry echoing over the grounds at various stages of the game. That battle cry must have been a huge source of comfort and encouragement to the fledglings out on the field. They responded.

The opening phases were very cagey before Kerry created a great movement to leave Odhran Ferris on the ball, certain to score a goal. As he was about to unload he, to my unbiased eyes, was upended by a combination of the goalie and corner back, resulting in a definite "penalty". No says Mr. Molloy and play was waved on. Cue a primeval outburst of rage from the Kerry supporters. Relationships with Mr. Molloy were never mended after that unforgivable dereliction of duty. Worse was to follow shortly afterwards when Tyrone conjured one of those goals where the ball is slung across the goal area to be finished off by slapping it to the net. A two goal swing in the blink of any eye. Oh man, the heart was sinking and the blood was boiling at this stage. What can an old man do, apart from letting the referee know about his ancestry. That two goal upheaval discommoded our lads for a while but not for long.

It was clear that we had six very capable backs, and elegant, languid Evan Boyle at midfield, a dynamo in Eddie Healy and up front Cormac Dillon was a constant threat, orchestrating his fellow attackers. The problem up front was that they were faced by a solid, well organised defence augmented, as indeed the Kerry defence was, by huge numbers flooding back. This resulted in a lot of sterile play, resulting in a pitifully low scoring game. It ain't my cup of tea. This is the way of the modern game for better and more likely for worse.

In any case, in spite of the ultra defensive nature of the game, it was engrossing because the teams were so evenly balanced with the result in doubt until literally the last whistle. Of course neutrals, very likely, would not use the word engrossing with the result, I suspect, that few neutrals bother going to games anymore. Where was I. After that two goal swing, Kerry started to look the more impressive side and kicked a few fine points from Cormac Dillon, Jack Clifford, Paddy Lane and Niall Collins. I hope I have identified them correctly because it is not easy when you are not familiar with young boys.

One point up at the break and if scores were scarce in the first half then they almost totally dried up on the resumption. In spite of that the excitement was feverish with every scrap of possession vital and every stray pass liable to put your team on death row. Eddie Healy got our first point of the second half , a marvellous effort after powering through. Believe it or believe it not our only other score came from a long range free, struck expertly by Fionn Murphy from Rathmore. During that half, there were two crucial incidents. Shay O'Meara went down low to make a great save. Had that gone in it may have won it for Tyrone. Now ,after making that great save, Shay hade to pick himself up and make his way out through a forrest of tackling Tyrone players, clearly fouled by two of those tackles. Definite free out by a normal thinking referee! No siree, says Mr. Molloy , you are own here Shay. Happily, being on his own didn't deter Shay as he swept it out to one of the backs.

The other incident happened not too far away from me. A Tyrone layer was shouldered over the side line by ? Niall Collins. The linesman signals a line ball to Kerry. Not so fast there lads said Mr. Molloy. He rushes in and brandishes a black card at young Niall and throws in the ball. As I said, every decision in a nail biter can be the difference between sinking and swimming. Why was the black card brandished? I haven't got a clue. If there was foul play involved surely a yellow or a red was the appropriate decision. It is not unreasonable to say Mr. Molloy was no friend to us yesterday.

Be that as it may, the final whistle was as melodious a sound as I have heard for a long time. It was a victory wrought from stubborn defiance, fortified by huge dollops of fortitude. Our goalie and defence were magnificent with Colm Browne an irrepressible force at CHB. Evan Boyle had some massive moments at midfield , perhaps a little too laid back at times. This game will bring him on a mile. Replaced in the second half due to tiredness induced by his layoff. The forwards found it difficult for long stages against the mass defence but each contributed.

All in all, it was a hugely satisfying win, particularly noteworthy because of our opponents. On the way out a fellow traveller summed it best " they made us suffer but it was worth it". How right he was . At different stages our lads put us through the wringer but all's well that ends well.

By the way, did I mention the referee!

[Mickmack]

Jun 12, 2022 9:50:55 GMT diego said:

Jun 12, 2022 7:01:00 GMT dc84 said:

Just shows the up and down nature of underage, we won that match deservedly I felt. It was a tough watch as Tyrone seemed very defensive but winning a tight game like this can only be a good thing.

Sure we had 15 behind the ball most of the day and out-Tyroned Tyrone with the bit of sledging and tactical injuries.

Great to win it though. Colm Browne had a huge game. Massive score from Fionn Murphy from that placed ball on the 45 near the end which proved to be the winner. Evan Boyle and Jack Clifford very assured performances. Dillon kicked a couple of mighty scores. Shay O'Meara in goals made some vital interventions.

Kerry just seemed to want it more and played with great spirit and adapted better to the conditions.

Commentator was saying it was a red card for about 10 mins but corrected himself before the end. Darragh O'Connor came on instead when the sin bin period had expired.

Now if the seniors learned to win tight games like that we would be made up.

[greengold35]

Jun 12, 2022 10:01:25 GMT veteran said:

Kerry 0-8 Tyrone 1-4 HT 0-6 1-2

During the week I agonised over whether to make the more convenient journey to Tralee or to take the road less travelled to Portlaoise. I decided to head up the M7 in order to lend shouts and screams and expletives to the seventeen year olds, reasoning that Kerry supporters were more likely to take the shorter journey to see the novelty hurling match. You will understand of course that the expletives were reserved exclusively for the referee. Mr. Molloy from Galway gave me and my fellow adventurers from An Riocht several opportunities to display the extent of that vernacular.

On the way up, I listened to the hurling commentary before losing the Radio Kerry signal coming up to halftime. In spite of a spirited performance we were trailing, I think, by about eight points at that stage and I got the impression that our goose was being prepared for the oven. I later found out the goose arrived on the table a bit on the roasted side.

It must be said that O'Moore Park is a beautifully appointed Stadium and , suitably, looked spick and span for the occasion. It of course is blessed with the centrality of its location.

There was a fair scattering of us and the beauty of a pitch of this size is that we were all grouped together more or less. This lends itself to very boisterous outpourings of support and it was heart warming to hear the sound of Kerry Kerry Kerry echoing over the grounds at various stages of the game. That battle cry must have been a huge source of comfort and encouragement to the fledglings out on the field. They responded.

The opening phases were very cagey before Kerry created a great movement to leave Odhran Ferris on the ball, certain to score a goal. As he was about to unload he, to my unbiased eyes, was upended by a combination of the goalie and corner back, resulting in a definite "penalty". No says Mr. Molloy and play was waved on. Cue a primeval outburst of rage from the Kerry supporters. Relationships with Mr. Molloy were never mended after that unforgivable dereliction of duty. Worse was to follow shortly afterwards when Tyrone conjured one of those goals where the ball is slung across the goal area to be finished off by slapping it to the net. A two goal swing in the blink of any eye. Oh man, the heart was sinking and the blood was boiling at this stage. What can an old man do, apart from letting the referee know about his ancestry. That two goal upheaval discommoded our lads for a while but not for long.

It was clear that we had six very capable backs, and elegant, languid Evan Boyle at midfield, a dynamo in Eddie Healy and up front Cormac Dillon was a constant threat, orchestrating his fellow attackers. The problem up front was that they were faced by a solid, well organised defence augmented, as indeed the Kerry defence was, by huge numbers flooding back. This resulted in a lot of sterile play, resulting in a pitifully low scoring game. It ain't my cup of tea. This is the way of the modern game for better and more likely for worse.

In any case, in spite of the ultra defensive nature of the game, it was engrossing because the teams were so evenly balanced with the result in doubt until literally the last whistle. Of course neutrals, very likely, would not use the word engrossing with the result, I suspect, that few neutrals bother going to games anymore. Where was I. After that two goal swing, Kerry started to look the more impressive side and kicked a few fine points from Cormac Dillon, Jack Clifford, Paddy Lane and Niall Collins. I hope I have identified them correctly because it is not easy when you are not familiar with young boys.

One point up at the break and if scores were scarce in the first half then they almost totally dried up on the resumption. In spite of that the excitement was feverish with every scrap of possession vital and every stray pass liable to put your team on death row. Eddie Healy got our first point of the second half , a marvellous effort after powering through. Believe it or believe it not our only other score came from a long range free, struck expertly by Fionn Murphy from Rathmore. During that half, there were two crucial incidents. Shay O'Meara went down low to make a great save. Had that gone in it may have won it for Tyrone. Now ,after making that great save, Shay hade to pick himself up and make his way out through a forrest of tackling Tyrone players, clearly fouled by two of those tackles. Definite free out by a normal thinking referee! No siree, says Mr. Molloy , you are own here Shay. Happily, being on his own didn't deter Shay as he swept it out to one of the backs.

The other incident happened not too far away from me. A Tyrone layer was shouldered over the side line by ? Niall Collins. The linesman signals a line ball to Kerry. Not so fast there lads said Mr. Molloy. He rushes in and brandishes a black card at young Niall and throws in the ball. As I said, every decision in a nail biter can be the difference between sinking and swimming. Why was the black card brandished? I haven't got a clue. If there was foul play involved surely a yellow or a red was the appropriate decision. It is not unreasonable to say Mr. Molloy was no friend to us yesterday.

Be that as it may, the final whistle was as melodious a sound as I have heard for a long time. It was a victory wrought from stubborn defiance, fortified by huge dollops of fortitude. Our goalie and defence were magnificent with Colm Browne an irrepressible force at CHB. Evan Boyle had some massive moments at midfield , perhaps a little too laid back at times. This game will bring him on a mile. Replaced in the second half due to tiredness induced by his layoff. The forwards found it difficult for long stages against the mass defence but each contributed.

All in all, it was a hugely satisfying win, particularly noteworthy because of our opponents. On the way out a fellow traveller summed it best " they made us suffer but it was worth it". How right he was . At different stages our lads put us through the wringer but all's well that ends well.

By the way, did I mention the referee!

Thanks Veteran, wonderful as always - I am prone to criticising referees when Kerry played but from my armchair I think it’s a long time since I saw such biased officiating - spoke to someone me one who was there and he said Collins was black carded for sledging. However, we seemed to find it harder to get frees, Odhran Ferris & Shay O’Meara we’re denied as you rightly say but there were other times, particularly overcarrying which the ref ignored - hopefully we won’t encounter him again!

[diego]

Had a look again at the penalty claim for Ferris at 5 mins in to the game. Brilliant bit of defending by Tyrone no. 6 to slap the ball off his boot just before he could bury it. No penalty.

Not sure sledging is even the word for it, but running a few yards to shout in the opponent's ear after a turnover is not very sporting and if every ref gave a black card for this I would applaud them. To be fair it was the only obvious incident of it's type in the match.

[gaelicden]

It's Mayo for Kerry in 13 days time. They beat Kildare 3-18 to 3-12. Should be a tough test.
Dubs are out as well having lost 0-7 to 0-10 to Galway. 3/4 provincial champions gone before the semi final stage shows the competitive nature of it. Those 3 champions going out in very low scoring games is a worry however.

[clarinman]

Jun 12, 2022 15:47:28 GMT gaelicden said:

It's Mayo for Kerry in 13 days time. They beat Kildare 3-18 to 3-12. Should be a tough test.
Dubs are out as well having lost 0-7 to 0-10 to Galway. 3/4 provincial champions gone before the semi final stage shows the competitive nature of it. Those 3 champions going out in very low scoring games is a worry however.

Kildare scored 2 late goals against mayo to bring the difference back to 6 points. Mayo have been very consistent winning all 5 games in Connacht. They hammered Galway in the round robin and then beat them by 6 points in Connacht final. Kerry will be up against a very good team.

[veteran]

Jun 12, 2022 12:38:29 GMT diego said:

Had a look again at the penalty claim for Ferris at 5 mins in to the game. Brilliant bit of defending by Tyrone no. 6 to slap the ball off his boot just before he could bury it. No penalty.

Not sure sledging is even the word for it, but running a few yards to shout in the opponent's ear after a turnover is not very sporting and if every ref gave a black card for this I would applaud them. To be fair it was the only obvious incident of it's type in the match.

I just looked at the penalty incident for the first time on Youtube. How can you dogmatically say it was not a penalty? The goalie came out and made a sliding tackle on young Ferris , taking the feet from under him. I beg to differ with your verdict , Diego. The fact that the defender may have got a touch or not is irrelevant because young Ferris was taken out of the game by the goalie thus preventing him from regaining possession if indeed the defender got a touch as you allege.

The sledging allegation makes sense of the brandishing of a black card. Being at the match that was not clear to me. Sledging is a clear black card offence and it is appropriate that it is punished. But .,....

I attend a fair few games and I don’t recall a black card being issued for that offence before. Now perhaps this referee takes a very serious view of such incidents and that is fine. That is fine provided he habitually cites those incidents . I have no problem in that case. However, if he does not habitually punish that particular infraction and, worse still, if this was his first time doing do then I have a big problem making an example of a seventeen year old. In the case that this was virgin territory for the referee , it would have been consistent with his overall unbalanced handling of the game.

[exiled]

Mayo will be tough opposition. Very hardworking side with some talented forwards. Twins playing for them with Kerry blood..

[greengold35]

Jun 12, 2022 18:44:17 GMT clarinman said:

Jun 12, 2022 15:47:28 GMT gaelicden said:

It's Mayo for Kerry in 13 days time. They beat Kildare 3-18 to 3-12. Should be a tough test.
Dubs are out as well having lost 0-7 to 0-10 to Galway. 3/4 provincial champions gone before the semi final stage shows the competitive nature of it. Those 3 champions going out in very low scoring games is a worry however.

Kildare scored 2 late goals against mayo to bring the difference back to 6 points. Mayo have been very consistent winning all 5 games in Connacht. They hammered Galway in the round robin and then beat them by 6 points in Connacht final. Kerry will be up against a very good team.

Challenge games can often be misleading but Kerry have beaten both Mayo & Galway this year - not too much can be read into these results given the unpredictable results though to date.

[diego]

Jun 12, 2022 19:14:05 GMT veteran said:

Jun 12, 2022 12:38:29 GMT diego said:

Had a look again at the penalty claim for Ferris at 5 mins in to the game. Brilliant bit of defending by Tyrone no. 6 to slap the ball off his boot just before he could bury it. No penalty.

Not sure sledging is even the word for it, but running a few yards to shout in the opponent's ear after a turnover is not very sporting and if every ref gave a black card for this I would applaud them. To be fair it was the only obvious incident of it's type in the match.

I just looked at the penalty incident for the first time on Youtube. How can you dogmatically say it was not a penalty? The goalie came out and made a sliding tackle on young Ferris , taking the feet from under him. I beg to differ with your verdict , Diego. The fact that the defender may have got a touch or not is irrelevant because young Ferris was taken out of the game by the goalie thus preventing him from regaining possession if indeed the defender got a touch as you allege.

The sledging allegation makes sense of the brandishing of a black card. Being at the match that was not clear to me. Sledging is a clear black card offence and it is appropriate that it is punished. But .,....

I attend a fair few games and I don’t recall a black card being issued for that offence before. Now perhaps this referee takes a very serious view of such incidents and that is fine. That is fine provided he habitually cites those incidents . I have no problem in that case. However, if he does not habitually punish that particular infraction and, worse still, if this was his first time doing do then I have a big problem making an example of a seventeen year old. In the case that this was virgin territory for the referee , it would have been consistent with his overall unbalanced handling of the game.

I'd be willing to give officials the benefit of the doubt when it's not a clearcut decision given they get 1 view and 1 angle of these incidents. It may not be the definitive judgement on this, but I'm fairly certain the Tyrone centre back knocks the ball away before momentum of the players leads to a collision but not a foul in my opinion.

Not familiar with the ref so can't say if he has a consistent zero tolerance approach to sledging. Tough lesson for the young lad, but thankfully it didn't prove decisive in the match outcome.

[Jo90]

Jun 12, 2022 12:38:29 GMT diego said:

Had a look again at the penalty claim for Ferris at 5 mins in to the game. Brilliant bit of defending by Tyrone no. 6 to slap the ball off his boot just before he could bury it. No penalty.

Not sure sledging is even the word for it, but running a few yards to shout in the opponent's ear after a turnover is not very sporting and if every ref gave a black card for this I would applaud them. To be fair it was the only obvious incident of it's type in the match.

In the entire history of Tyrone-Kerry games at all levels, for the first ever black card for sledging to be given to a Kerry man seems unjust to say the least. The no. of sledging misdemeanours must be 50:1 to Tyrone.

[southward]

Jun 13, 2022 10:21:41 GMT Jo90 said:

Jun 12, 2022 12:38:29 GMT diego said:

Had a look again at the penalty claim for Ferris at 5 mins in to the game. Brilliant bit of defending by Tyrone no. 6 to slap the ball off his boot just before he could bury it. No penalty.

Not sure sledging is even the word for it, but running a few yards to shout in the opponent's ear after a turnover is not very sporting and if every ref gave a black card for this I would applaud them. To be fair it was the only obvious incident of it's type in the match.

In the entire history of Tyrone-Kerry games at all levels, for the first ever black card for sledging to be given to a Kerry man seems unjust to say the least. The no. of sledging misdemeanours must be 50:1 to Tyrone.

Yeah, typical, that. In fairness though, it couldn't have been more obvious - he was jumping up and down in front of yer man. Adrenaline got the better of him, I suppose. Tyrone would be sneakier about it.

[glengael]

Jun 12, 2022 10:01:25 GMT veteran said:

Kerry 0-8 Tyrone 1-4 HT 0-6 1-2

During the week I agonised over whether to make the more convenient journey to Tralee or to take the road less travelled to Portlaoise. I decided to head up the M7 in order to lend shouts and screams and expletives to the seventeen year olds, reasoning that Kerry supporters were more likely to take the shorter journey to see the novelty hurling match. You will understand of course that the expletives were reserved exclusively for the referee. Mr. Molloy from Galway gave me and my fellow adventurers from An Riocht several opportunities to display the extent of that vernacular.

On the way up, I listened to the hurling commentary before losing the Radio Kerry signal coming up to halftime. In spite of a spirited performance we were trailing, I think, by about eight points at that stage and I got the impression that our goose was being prepared for the oven. I later found out the goose arrived on the table a bit on the roasted side.

It must be said that O'Moore Park is a beautifully appointed Stadium and , suitably, looked spick and span for the occasion. It of course is blessed with the centrality of its location.

There was a fair scattering of us and the beauty of a pitch of this size is that we were all grouped together more or less. This lends itself to very boisterous outpourings of support and it was heart warming to hear the sound of Kerry Kerry Kerry echoing over the grounds at various stages of the game. That battle cry must have been a huge source of comfort and encouragement to the fledglings out on the field. They responded.

The opening phases were very cagey before Kerry created a great movement to leave Odhran Ferris on the ball, certain to score a goal. As he was about to unload he, to my unbiased eyes, was upended by a combination of the goalie and corner back, resulting in a definite "penalty". No says Mr. Molloy and play was waved on. Cue a primeval outburst of rage from the Kerry supporters. Relationships with Mr. Molloy were never mended after that unforgivable dereliction of duty. Worse was to follow shortly afterwards when Tyrone conjured one of those goals where the ball is slung across the goal area to be finished off by slapping it to the net. A two goal swing in the blink of any eye. Oh man, the heart was sinking and the blood was boiling at this stage. What can an old man do, apart from letting the referee know about his ancestry. That two goal upheaval discommoded our lads for a while but not for long.

It was clear that we had six very capable backs, and elegant, languid Evan Boyle at midfield, a dynamo in Eddie Healy and up front Cormac Dillon was a constant threat, orchestrating his fellow attackers. The problem up front was that they were faced by a solid, well organised defence augmented, as indeed the Kerry defence was, by huge numbers flooding back. This resulted in a lot of sterile play, resulting in a pitifully low scoring game. It ain't my cup of tea. This is the way of the modern game for better and more likely for worse.

In any case, in spite of the ultra defensive nature of the game, it was engrossing because the teams were so evenly balanced with the result in doubt until literally the last whistle. Of course neutrals, very likely, would not use the word engrossing with the result, I suspect, that few neutrals bother going to games anymore. Where was I. After that two goal swing, Kerry started to look the more impressive side and kicked a few fine points from Cormac Dillon, Jack Clifford, Paddy Lane and Niall Collins. I hope I have identified them correctly because it is not easy when you are not familiar with young boys.

One point up at the break and if scores were scarce in the first half then they almost totally dried up on the resumption. In spite of that the excitement was feverish with every scrap of possession vital and every stray pass liable to put your team on death row. Eddie Healy got our first point of the second half , a marvellous effort after powering through. Believe it or believe it not our only other score came from a long range free, struck expertly by Fionn Murphy from Rathmore. During that half, there were two crucial incidents. Shay O'Meara went down low to make a great save. Had that gone in it may have won it for Tyrone. Now ,after making that great save, Shay hade to pick himself up and make his way out through a forrest of tackling Tyrone players, clearly fouled by two of those tackles. Definite free out by a normal thinking referee! No siree, says Mr. Molloy , you are own here Shay. Happily, being on his own didn't deter Shay as he swept it out to one of the backs.

The other incident happened not too far away from me. A Tyrone layer was shouldered over the side line by ? Niall Collins. The linesman signals a line ball to Kerry. Not so fast there lads said Mr. Molloy. He rushes in and brandishes a black card at young Niall and throws in the ball. As I said, every decision in a nail biter can be the difference between sinking and swimming. Why was the black card brandished? I haven't got a clue. If there was foul play involved surely a yellow or a red was the appropriate decision. It is not unreasonable to say Mr. Molloy was no friend to us yesterday.

Be that as it may, the final whistle was as melodious a sound as I have heard for a long time. It was a victory wrought from stubborn defiance, fortified by huge dollops of fortitude. Our goalie and defence were magnificent with Colm Browne an irrepressible force at CHB. Evan Boyle had some massive moments at midfield , perhaps a little too laid back at times. This game will bring him on a mile. Replaced in the second half due to tiredness induced by his layoff. The forwards found it difficult for long stages against the mass defence but each contributed.

All in all, it was a hugely satisfying win, particularly noteworthy because of our opponents. On the way out a fellow traveller summed it best " they made us suffer but it was worth it". How right he was . At different stages our lads put us through the wringer but all's well that ends well.

By the way, did I mention the referee!

Thanks for that Veteran. I got a few chances to sneak to the radio at work so as to listen in Saturday afternoon but not many. Thank you for the pictures. Any win over Tyrone is welcome. Portlaoise is a good venue indeed.

[mayofan1]

Jun 12, 2022 19:47:05 GMT exiled said:

Mayo will be tough opposition. Very hardworking side with some talented forwards. Twins playing for them with Kerry blood..

Yes the Hurley brothers from Claremorris. Their father is a Kerry man. More hurling though I think as he was heavily involved in setting up the claremorris hurling team in recent years. Niall up front is very good along with Clarke. Mayo have a highly rated team this year. I have not seen any Kerry minor games this year but I’m sure as always are talented. Winner of this game will win the all Ireland in my opinion.

[kerryboyo]

Kerry have beating mayo 2 times in challenge games but I wouldn’t take much notice to those games

[Joxer]

Any confirmation on when and where the semi-final will be played? Croke Park on June 26th makes most sense but when did that ever impact decisions!

[Sons of Pitches]

Jun 15, 2022 9:15:53 GMT Joxer said:

Any confirmation on when and where the semi-final will be played? Croke Park on June 26th makes most sense but when did that ever impact decisions!

Confirmed for Tullamore at 14:45 on Saturday 25th.