Only three points separated the teams in this junior All-Ireland football final between two well-matched teams at McDonagh Park in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, on Saturday. Roscommon and Kerry remained close with scores level on six occasions.
The title match, because of its point-for-point nature, was free flowing, entertaining and, at times, heart-stopping. The first 15 minutes of the first half were tight with the teams playing with equal scores on three occasions in that period.
Kerry pulled away briefly in the first half when Jack Dennehy and John Shanahan stretched the lead by three points in as many minutes. But a determined Roscommon levelled with 10 minutes to go. The only occasion Roscommon appeared in danger was when Kerry's John Quirke made a soaring run toward goal but he missed badly.
Roscommon began to dominate and the game flowed in their favour as they finished the first half three points to the good, (0-8 to 0-5).
The game continued in Roscommon's favour in the secondhalf when Gary Cox pointed from play. With a four-point deficit Kerry narrowed the gap by two points. With three minutes to go, the teams were level at 11 points each but Roscommon scored three points, and ensured that the title was theirs.
ROSCOMMON: S Curran; Ian Daly, G Mockler, N Galvin; B Mannion, Paul Noone, A McPadden (0-1); K Keane (0-1), D Gillooly (0-1); G Cox (0-2), B O'Brien (0-1), C Lynch; J Neary, K Mannion (0-2), R O'Donohue (0-5). Subs: J Heneghan for Lynch.
KERRY: D Murphy; D McNamara, M O'Donghue, L Harty; N Sheehy, K Scanlon, S O'Mahony; P Somers, J Daly; J Shanahan (0-7), D Moynihan, L Murphy; J Dennehy 0-3), J Quirke, B Scanlon. Subs: E Hennessy (0-1) for Quirke, L Brosnan for L Murphy, M Quirke for Daly.
Referee: E Murtagh (Longford).
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