Understrength Kerry retain title with ease

McGRATH CUP FINAL: Kerry 0-13 Clare 0-7:IT WAS all too easy for an experimental Kerry side as they retained the McGrath Cup at the Dr Crokes Grounds, Killarney, on Saturday.

This was a worrying display for Clare manager Michael McDermott, who was fielding near his strongest side, with the exception of Garry Brennan and Ger Quinlan, while Kerry were without half of their first-choice 15.

Kerry boss Jack O’Connor was well aware Cork next Sunday in the NFL opener will pose a far sterner test. “It been good that the younger lads have got a chance (Jonathon Lyne, Pádraig OConnor, Shane Enright, Eamon Hickson) as we are still without Tom O’Sullivan, Killian Young and Tommy Griffin in defence, so from that point of view, its been a good McGrath Cup.”

Clare went ahead, 0-3 to 0-1, inside the opening five minutes with points from David Tubridy, Cathal O’Connor and wing back John Hayes, with David Geaney posting Kerry’s opening score.

However, Kerry assumed complete control at midfield where David Moran was dominant. With Darran O’Sullivan switching from centre forward to the edge of the square, he tormented the Clare defence with his pace but seven first-half wides meant they failed to put Clare away even though the visitors failed to score for 29 minutes of the opening half. Kerry, thanks to three more Geaney points and two frees from David Moran, led 0-7 to 0-4 at the break.

Kerry were still wasteful despite the excellence of Geaney, who added three more points as Kerry led 0-12 to 0-5 with just nine minutes remaining. Clare’s Cathal O’Connor scored an opportunist goal in the 57th minute.

KERRY:T Mac An tSaoir; P Reidy, M Ó Sé, P OConnor; A O'Mahony, T Ó Sé, J Lyne; S Scanlon, D Moran (0-3, two frees, one 45); G Sayers, Darran O'Sullivan (0-1), D Walsh (0-1); D Geaney (0-6), M O'Donoghue (0-1), P Geaney (0-1). Subs:B O'Grady for G Sayers (half-time), A Fitzgerald for M O'Donoghue (half-time), Danny O'Sullivan for P O'Connor (55 mins), E Hickson for A O'Mahony (57 mins), P McCarthy for T Ó Sé (62 mins).

CLARE:J Hayes, L Healy, B Duggan, M McMahon, Graham Kelly, Gordon Kelly John Hayes (0-1), M Foran, C O'Connor (1-1), D Daly, D Tubridy (0-1), N Browne (0-1), R Donnelly, T Ryan, A Clohessy (0-3, two frees). Subs:N White for Graham Kelly (32 mins), S Brennan for D Tubridy, G Fannin for B Duggan (both 53 mins), A Cahill for D Daly, C Ryan for T Ryan (both 60 mins).

Referee:Conor Lane (Cork)