Kingdom overcome the Royals (Kerry 8-15 Meath 1-04)

Sunday, 21 August 2011 18:35

Kerry do the Royal on Meath.
Kerry 8-15 Meath 1-4
What a difference a year makes as the Kerry Senior B's (Junior Team) have showed fantastic progress under Seamus O'Shea and Donal Barry as they dominated this Aislinn McGinn Junior C/ship game against Meath in JP O'Sullivan Park, Killorglin from start to finish recording an 8-15 to 1-04 over the Royal County.

Kerry opened the scoring within 12 seconds as Norma O'Sullivan lobbed in a high ball which bounced over the Meath keeper and before Meath could recover Lorretta Maher passed to Mary Herlihy who slotted it under the keeper and followed this with a superb point, all in the first 5 minutes.
Kerry dominated all areas of the field in the opening quarter and their control of the game saw Norma O'Sullivan take her second goal as Mary Herlihy passed to her having broke down a Meath challenge to see Kerry ahead 11 points to no score in the opening 10 minutes. Amy Foley and Mary O'Keefe each with 2 further points apiece saw Kerry lead 3-6 to 0-0 at the end of the 1st quarter.

Meath conceded numerous frees as Kerry attacked in waves and Meath were unable to hold them thus Kerry had 4 frees by the 20th minute as Elaine O'Connor, Amy Foley, Mary O'Keefe and from Ann Marie O'Donoghue put this game out of Meath's reach as Kerry's all scored from frees and further points from play by Foley, Mary Herlihy, O'Keefe and an O'Donoghgue goal had this game wrapped up as a contest as Meath first score of the encounter came from Shannon McDonagh in the last minute of the opening half. At the short whistle Kerry 5-12 Meath 0-01.


At the restart Meath deceived the Kerry keeper in similar style to Kerry’s opening goal as she misjudged the dropping ball which hit her body and went in off the upright. Meath rallied and took a point on the run and from that kick out Kerry went on the attack as Sarah Cunnigham was introduced for Elaine O'Connor and was fouled in possession and Mary O'Keefe drilled straight to the Meath net as the Keeper could do nothing to stop it. Cait Lynch and Rosie Young broke down a Meath attack and working the ball up field between Loretta Maher and Cunningham who passed to Muireann O'Shea and sent the Meath keeper the wrong way. Another attack saw Mary O'Keefe hand pass her point, giving Kerry a 7-13 to 1-01 advantage at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Meath had the next 2 scores as Hannah Fortune had to stretch full length at point blank to deny Meath a green flag at the expense of a 45 which was pointed by Meath’s Niamh Crowe and this was followed by another from play by Aisleen Regan. In the closing minutes Sarah Cunningham tested the Meath keeper and won as she shot from the 13 meter line and sent it low to back of the Meath net and the last score of the game fell to Cunningham who fisted her point. Kerry now have 1 more game away to Mayo, but are secure knowing that they have secured a semi final place in the 2011 Aislinn McGinn C/ship having comprehensively beaten Meath on a final score line of Kerry 8-15 Meath 1-4.

Kerry will take the positives from this game, in that all of the forwards scored, the half back line of Cassandra Buckley, Cait Lynch and Rosie Young were solid covering the full back line from any attack and from midfield on each worked as a solid unit and as the Meath backs tried to clear ball after ball our attackers became very good defenders.

A very special thank you to the Laune Rangers Ladies Football Club for providing refreshments and having their field in immaculate condition as usual and to the Killorglin & District Pipe Band for providing the music.

Kerry:
Hannah Fortune (Scartaglin), Shona Roche (Na Gaeil), Julie Brosnan (Scartaglin), Marian Shine (Desmonds), Cassandra Buckley (Spa), Cait Lynch (Desmonds), Rosie Young (Abbeydorney), Norma O'Sullivan (Listowel Emmetts) (2-00), Loretta Maher (Duagh), Amy Foley (Laune Rangers) (0-05), Mary Herlihy (Scartglin) (2-02), Elaine O'Connor (Scartaglin) (0-01), Mary O'Keefe (Desmonds) (1-05), Ann Marie O'Donoghue (Laune Rangers) (1-02), Muireann O'Shea (Laune Rangers) (1-01)

Subs Used: 19 Sarah Cunningham (Na Gaeil) (1-02) for Elaine O’Connor, 17 Laura Dunne (Abbeydorney) for Marian Shine, 22 Megan Galvin Listowel Emmetts) for Rosie Young, 18 Maura O’Connor (Firies) Mary Herlihy and 23 Amanda O’Donnell (Listowel Emmetts for Mary O’Keefe.
Subs: 16- Nicole Horan - Kerins O'Rahillys, 21- Jenny Murphy - Na Gaeil, 22- Eilis Dillion – Duagh, 27- Sinead Guiney – Desmonds, 24- Claire O'Sullivan – Kenmare, 25 -Meave Barry (Na Gaeil), 26- Carol Wrenn (Finuge St Senans)