All Ireland Junior Football Championship Final
Kerry 2-18 Mayo 2-11

By Colm Gannon at Croke Park for gaa.ie

Kerry retained the All Ireland Junior Football Championship in Croke Park with devastating display on Saturday afternoon. They trailed by 0-4 to 0-2 after the first 16 minutes, but from there on in they outscored Mayo by 2-8 to 0-0 up to the half time whistle.

Their first goal came on 20 minutes when Niall O’Shea beat Eoin O’Donoghue all ends up before firing it low to the net on the near post. That goal kicked Kerry into gear and kicked five more points over the next eight minutes before O’Shea rustled the back of Mayo’s net for the second time after a powerful run by Brian O’Seanachain through the heart of the Mayo defence sent him clear.

The second half start just as the first ended with Kerry landing a score through Hurley, but Mayo were about to launch an improbable attempt at a comeback from 13 points behind.

Conor Keane and Darren Coen landed a couple of quick points, then Michael Forde hit attempt for one that fell short and through the hands of Darragh O’Shea in the Kerry goal.

Two minutes later Mayo half time sub Robert Holian had the ball in the back of the net and there was just five between the sides. Mayo cut the gap back to three with thanks to scores from Coen and Keane and they looked like they might just do it.

But Kerry responded like champions do and reeled off five points on the bounce to push themselves well clear as the game entered its final quarter, with David Foran kicking three fine scores in that run and Mayo’s Matthew Flanagan being called on a number of times to keep out a third Kerry goal.

For the second year in a row, Kerry picked up the title by beating Mayo in the final in Croke Park and now move level with Cork in the national roll of honour with 17 Junior All Ireland’s each.

Scores for Kerry: N O’Se 2-0, S M O’Conchuir 0-5 (2fs), K Hurley 0-3, P O’Donoghue 0-3 (1f, 145) D Foran -0-3, A Spillane 0-1, J Foley 0-1, D Roche 0-1, A Barry 0-1.

Scores for Mayo: D Coen 0-5 (3fs) C Keane 0-4, Micheal Forde 1-1, R Hollian 1-0, J Kelly 0-1.

Mayo: M Flanagan; P Ferrick, N Freeman, E O’Donoghue; B Duffy, J Kelly, J Forkan; M Togher, P Collins; B Reape, M Forde, K Gibbons; D Coen, A Farrell, C Keane. Subs: S Gaughan for P Collins, R Holian for B Reape, R Mallee for A Farrell, S Akram for E O’Donoghue (BC), R Doherty for P Ferrick.

Kerry: D O’Shea; F Clifford, J Foley, C O’Luing; P Clifford, A Barry, R Wharton; A Spillane, J C O’Connor; B O’Seanachain, P O’Donoghue, D Foran; N O’Shea, K Hurley, S M O’Conchuir. Subs: K O’Sullivan for P Clifford, L Bastible for J Foley, M O’Donnell for A Spillane, D Roche for K Hurley, A Barry for D Foran, D O’Shea for B O’Seanachain.

Referee: S Gilmartin (Donegal).

Click Here for some photos from the game.


Kerry Junior Football Team V Mayo
All Ireland Junior Championship Final

The Kerry Junior team to play Mayo in the All Ireland Junior Football Final in Croke Park on Saturday (2pm) shows 3 changes in personnel from the side that defeated Lancashire in the Semi final.

Patrick Clifford, who was introduced in the semi final, comes into the half back line in place of Laurence Bastable; John C. O’Connor, who was also introduced in the semi final, starts in midfield in place of Michael O’Donnell and team Captain, Paul O’Donoghue, is recovered from injury and regains his place at centre forward in place of Kevin O’Sullivan who deputised for him against Lancashire.

The team lines out as follows:

1 Darragh O’Shea Ballydonoghue
2 Fionán Clifford Waterville
3 Jason Foley Ballydonoghue
4 Cathal Ó Lúing An Ghaeltacht
5 Patrick Clifford Templenoe
6 Andrew Barry Na Gaeil
7 Robert Wharton Renard
8 Adrian Spillane Templenoe
9 John C. O’Connor Kerins O’Rahillys
10 Brian Ó Seanacháin Ballydonoghue
11 Paul O’Donoghue (C) St Marys
12 David Foran St Senans
13 Niall O’Shea Dromid Pearses
14 Kieran Hurley St Pats
15 Sean Michéal Ó Conchúir An Ghaeltacht
Fir Ionaid:
16 Kieran Fitzgibbon Kenmare
17 Kevin O’Sullivan Kenmare
18 Dara O’Shea Kenmare
19 Laurence Bastible John Mitchels
20 Sean T Dillon St Senans
21 Michael O’Donnell Austin Stacks
22 Dara Roche Glenflesk
23 Adam Barry Brosna
24 Lee O’Donoghue Glenflesk

Bainistíocht
Bainisteóir: Stephen Wallace (Ardfert)
Róghnóirí: Timmy O’Sullivan (Kerins O’Rahillys), Jimmy Keane (Brosna), Brian Hickey (Skellig Rangers).

Additional Players on the Kerry Junior Panel:
Daniel Daly (St Marys),
Conor O’Shea (St Marys), Shane Fitzmaurice (Brosna), Darren Brosnan (Gneeveguilla), Stephen O’Sullivan (Templenoe) and Ciarán Keating (Skellig Rangers) were not considered due to injury.