Kerry fail to convince in landing Munster title

An 11th Munster Senior Football crown in the last 12 seasons was Kerry’s reward for a gritty away display in front of 12,059 in Cusack Park, Ennis.

Leading by four by half-time and nine by the hour mark, the Kingdom were never in danger of letting slip their fourth successive provincial title but were certainly tested far more by the Banner this time around.

A commanding 14-point victory in the TUS Gaelic Grounds last summer was halved but considering that Clare had only ten survirors from the 20 players that contested the 2023 decider in contrast to 17 from Kerry, it was an admirable performance from the hosts who did create a major goal chance either side of half-time to alter the narrative.

The opening quarter proved a cagey seesaw battle as the hosts cancelled out the three-in-a-row champions on three occasions.

Kerry did carve out a glorious goal chance in the seventh minute when Tony Brosnan and Sean O’Shea combined to tee up the unmarked Joe O’Connor at the back post. However, his point blank shot was excellently smothered by goalkeeper Stephen Ryan much to the relief of the sizeable home crowd.

A four point injection in just three minutes through the Clifford brothers Paudie (2) and David along with chief marksman Sean O’Shea entering the second quarter provided the cushion to cling to for the remainder of the half as while Clare eat into that deficit four more times mainly through the inspiration of Dermot Coughlan and Emmet McMahon’s frees, the visitors were able to keep them at arm’s length to go in 0-11 to 0-07 in front by the break.

Thoughts that the Banner were happy to contain the perennial provincial superpowers were rubbished by Dermot Coughlan’s shot that was tipped away by goalkeeper Shane Murphy just before the break while immediately from the throw-in Brian McNamara played a one-two with Ciaran Downes as he bore down on goal and forced an even more impressive stop from the Dr. Crokes stopper.

In truth, the Banner needed those goals if they were to challenge Kerry who simply brushed off that set-back with nine of the next twelve points, including braces for Tony Brosnan, David Clifford and Sean O’Shea to power 0-20 to 0-11 clear by the 60th minute.

Ikem Ugwueru scores for the first time in the Championship. A memorable moment for Clare. They’re back to within five points.

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There would be a Banner backlash when an eye-catching Daniel Walsh point was bolstered by a superb Ikem Ugwueru goal in the 63rd minute when the centre-back slalomed through the Kerry defence before nestling his shot to the net to slash the deficit to just five.

With eight minutes of additional time to come, the home spirit and crowd were willing but Kerry used all their experience to take the sting out of Clare’s momentum as O’Shea (2) and substitute Paul Geaney fleshed out the final margin to seven to clinch a record 85th Munster title.

Kerry: Shane Murphy; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley (0-01), Tom O’Sullivan (0-01); Brian Ó Beaglaoich (0-01), Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; Diarmuid O’Connor, Joe O’Connor; Dara Moynihan (0-01), Paudie Clifford (0-02), Cillian Burke; Tony Brosnan (0-03), David Clifford (0-04, 0-01f, 0-01m), Sean O’Shea (0-09, 0-04f, 0-01’45, 0-01m)

Subs: Mike Breen for White (50, BS), Paul Geaney (0-01) for Moynihan (57), Stephen O’Brien for Burke (57), Barry Dan O’Sullivan for J. O’Connor (58), Dylan Casey for Ó Beaglaoich (62), Killian Spillane for Brosnan (67)

Clare: Stephen Ryan; Cillian Brennan, Manus Doherty, Ronan Lanigan; Alan Sweeney, Ikem Ugwueru (1-00), Cillian Rouine; Darragh Bohannon, Brian McNamara; Gavin Murray (0-01), Dermot Coughlan (0-01), Daniel Walsh (0-01); Emmet McMahon (0-05, 0-04f), Aaron Griffin (0-02), Ciaran Downes (0-02, 0-01f, 0-01’45)

Subs: Joe McGann for Murray (15-17, BS), McGann for Murray (54), Micheál Garry for Sweeney (56), Cormac Murray for Downes (60), Mark McInerney (0-01) for Coughlan (67), Darren Nagle for Ugwueru ((74)

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)