Kerry romp to victory over hapless Déise footballers
Waterford's Michael Curry is tackled by Kerry's Cathal Brosnan during their McGrath Cup played at Dr Crokes Park in Killarney. Photos: Sportsfile/Brendan Moran
On a weekend, there was a number of shocks across the Irish Sea in the FA Cup; there was no shock in the McGrath Cup at Killarney on Sunday as All-Ireland Champions Kerry romped to victory in a one-sided game against Waterford.
Kerry with just three of their match day squad for last year’s All-Ireland Final win over Kerry involved in this game from the off, played with the advantage of a gale force wind at their backs in the first half were 0-20 to 0-1 up at the break with Tony Brossnan playing a leading role up front for the home side who had defeated Clare in their opening fixture of this year’s competition the previous Tuesday evening.
Once Kerry won the toss and opted to play with the elements at their back in the first half, all involved with Waterford must have known that any hopes they had of pulling off a shock result against a Kerry side that, in normal circumstances, was a weakened team were already over.
The home side were on the scoreboard within a minute of the game throwing in when Brosnan put over a free from outside the Waterford 45 metre line.
Kerry continued to dominate and were eight points up before Waterford first broke the Kerry 45 metre line and had gone nine in front before Aaron Ryan struck for Waterford’s solitary score of the game on 12 minutes.
The hosts were 19 points clear at half time with Brosnan accounting for all but seven of his sides scores in the opening half with Cillian Trant hitting four points.
Even with wind advantage at their backs in the second half, Waterford were not going to get back within touching distance of the home side.
Brosnan put over a brace of early second-half scores to help extend his side's advantage within two minutes of the restart.
Sixty seconds later, Darragh Lyne helped set up Brosnan for the game's only goal, as he rounded Paudie Hunt in the Waterford goal and kicked into an empty net.
Tony Brosnan 1-15 (3tp, 2tpf, 2f), Cillian Trant 0-4 (1 tp), Keith Evans, Donagh O’Connor (Beaufort) 0-2 each, Donagh O’Sullivan, Ciaran Collins, Cian O’Grady, Evan Boyle 0-1 each.
Aaron Ryan 0-1
Michael Tansley; Darragh O’Connor (Kenmare Shamrocks), Jason Foley, Enda O’Connor; Armon Heinrich, Tadhg Morley, Joey Nagle; Liam Smith, Cillian Trant; Donagh O’Sullivan, Darragh Lyne, Cathal Brosnan; Tony Brosnan, Ciaran Collins, Keith Evans.
Sean O’Connell for Armon Heinrich (ht), Evan Boyle for Donagh O’Sullivan (ht), Gearoid Hassett for Cathal Brosnan (ht), Darragh O’Connor (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Keith Evans (ht), Cian O’Grady for Ciaran Collins (36), Paul O’Shea for Liam Smith (36), Darragh O’Connor (Beaufort) for Joey Nagle (36), Dan Murphy for Enda O’Connor (36), Liam Evans for Darragh Lyne (36), Seán Broderick for Michael Tansley (36)
Paudie Hunt; Liam Mulligan, Adam Crawford, Billy Hynes; Donie Fitzgerald, Glen Power, Tommy Martin; James Walsh, Darach Ó Cathasaigh; Darragh Walsh, Conor Murray, Conor Ó Cuirrín; Michael Curry, Stephen Curry, Aaron Ryan.
Caoimhín Walsh for Tommy Martin (18), Michael O’Brien for Conor Ó Cuirrín (ht), Colin Foley for James Walsh (40), Josh Farrell for Darragh Walsh (44), Darragh Jacob for Luke Mulligan (51), Josh Sheridan for Paudie Hunt (51), Conor Fennell for Stephen Curry (55), Cian Kiely for Adam Crawford (55).
David Murnane (Cork)
