by David Byrne at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
Kerry 1-28 Limerick 0-8
It was being deemed a David versus Goliath mismatch before a ball was even thrown in, and Limerick, albeit boosted by the glimmer of hope that Kerry were missing their talisman David Clifford through injury, never came within fighting distance of the rarefied heights of their far superior All-Ireland hopefuls.
Sharper, stronger and more composed from the start, the Kingdom took their opponents apart ruthlessly and posted the joint biggest ever winning margin in a Munster final – matching the 1919 decider when Kerry overcame Clare with 23 points to spare in Cusack Park.
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Played at a sun-drenched Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, Limerick really had a mountain to climb before a ball was even kicked on Saturday afternoon, and when Killian Spillane slotted over with just 29 seconds gone, the uphill battle began.
With Kerry leading by nine points at half-time, the contest was effectively over at an early juncture.
Limerick, who were clearly set up to try and hit Kerry on the counterattack, created a number of half goal chances but with Josh Ryan isolated in the full-forward position, Billy Lee’s charges only managed one point from play in the opening 35 minutes. At the break Kerry led 0-12 to 0-3 after an incredibly poor and lacklustre display of football from both sides. Both sides were level on just one occasion in the opening 35 minutes when Ryan kicked over a well-taken ‘45 in the eighth minute.
As for Kerry, the conundrum of what way to approach the game turned out to be quite simple. They were without Clifford, but that did not hamper their ability to break down a resilient Limerick side. The fact that all six of Kerry’s starting forwards scored – with Stephen O’Brien completing that impressive tally in the 42nd minute – will certainly please Jack O’Connor ahead of his side’s All-Ireland quarter-final in four weeks’ time.
A total of 11 different scorers pointed for O’Connor’s side who ran out eventual 23-point winners.
One statistic that really highlights the mismatch is the fact both sides each only conceded one free, an unheard-of stat in a football game in the modern era, and neither side were brandished with a card of any colour.
O’Connor expects David Clifford to return to full Kerry training next week after sitting out Saturday afternoon’s clash.
On medical advice, the Kerry management team did not include the Fossa man in the match day panel after he picked up a leg injury in the semi-final win over Cork earlier this month, but his setback isn’t deemed to be serious.
“He picked up an injury against Cork,” said the Kerry manager. “We weren’t being clever or anything but we thought it was going to come right but it just took a bit longer to come around than we thought.
“The medical advice was not to play him in this game. He’s got back doing a bit away from the full training. I’d say he’d be doing a fair bit of training next week.”
O’Connor again voiced his concern that Kerry now have a four-week wait ahead of their next competitive game − the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
“Look, of course four weeks is an issue and that’s why the system next year is going to be fairer for everybody,” he said. “I’m not too concerned about the game today but I am relatively concerned about having four weeks off. I’ve gone on record as saying that we’ve played eight games in 10 weeks in the League and we’re playing three games in 12 weeks in the championship and sure that can’t be right. That system had to be fixed.”
It was the 17th time Kerry won the Munster championship since the turn of the millennium, and after a second successive 20-points plus landslide provincial final victory for the Kingdom, the discussion of the viability of provincial competition now comes to the fore yet again.
However, O’Connor was quick to point out that it isn’t a concern for himself and his Kerry side.
“It’s not my issue,” he said. “Sure of course people will talk like that but what can you do? We just have to play the games that are in front of us and do as good as we can so that’s for somebody else to decide that.”
Limerick manager Billy Lee also quickly dismissed questions about whether the heavy defeat should be used as an example in the argument of making changes to the current format.
The Newcastle West man said he wasn’t interested in commenting on whether the 23-point difference between the teams was a means of justifying the rejected Proposal B, which would have seen a league format implemented in the All-Ireland football championship.
“That’s b******s,” he said. “Not interested in it today. We’ve got to look at ourselves today. To me, that would be deflecting. Let’s be honest.”
He also admitted his Limerick side had a lot to learn when coming up against a team like Kerry, but is confident the Treaty men can continue to improve and make progress in the years ahead.
However, Lee acknowledged it was a disappointing afternoon.
“We won’t sugar-coat it,” he said. “We have big chins and will take it on the chin. We are not into the business of hiding from what happened out there and there is no point. We have a lot to learn when we come up against teams like Kerry.
“That’s proper end Division 1; we know that and we know we have work to do to face into Division 2. But I am backing these guys to the hilt.”
“I’ve great faith in these guys, I back them to the hilt, I am very proud of them, and we’ll take it on the chin. And we have to take it on the chin if we want to find an improvement going forward, and that’s our job as a management team to strive to find that improvement.
The result means Limerick’s 126 year wait for a Munster SFC title has been extended as a Kerry team entertained the 14,587 in attendance to secure what was their 83rd Munster title.
KERRY: Shane Ryan; Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan (0-3); Brian Ó Beaglaoich (0-2), Tadhg Morley, Gavin White (0-1); Diarmuid O’Connor, Jack Barry; Paudie Clifford (0-2), Seán O’Shea (0-6, one ‘45, one free) (capt.), Stephen O’Brien (0-1); Tony Brosnan (0-3), Paul Geaney (0-4, one mark), Killian Spillane (1-3)
Subs: David Moran for O’Connor (temp 26-28); Adrian Spillane (0-1) for O’Brien, Dylan Casey for Foley, Moran for O’Connor (all 51 mins); Micheál Burns (0-2) for Killian Spillane (53 minis); Paul Murphy for Morley (56 mins); Gavin Crowley for Ó Beaglaoich (temp 57-full time).
LIMERICK: Donal Ó Sullivan (joint captain); Sean O’Dea, Brian Fanning, Michael Donovan, Cian Sheehan (0-03), Iain Corbett (joint captain) (0-02), Paul Maher, Darragh Treacy, Cillian Fahy, Adrian Enright, Brian Donovan, James Naughton, Peter Nash, Josh Ryan (0-02, one ‘45, one free), Hugh Bourke.
Subs: Robbie Bourke for Hugh Bourke (half time), Colm McSweeney for Nash (47), Gordon Brown (0-1) for Maher (47), Tommy Griffin for Adrian Enright (47), Robert Childs for Fanning (61)
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
STATS:
First half: Kerry – 0-12; Limerick – 0-3
Second half: Kerry – 1-16; Limerick – 0-5
Wides: Kerry – 7; Limerick – 7
From play: Kerry – 1-25: Limerick – 0-6
Frees conceded: Kerry – 1; Limerick – 1
Yellow cards: Kerry – 0; Limerick – 0
Red cards: Kerry – 0; Limerick – 0
Attendance; 14, 587
