Kerry in second-half surge

MUNSTER UNDER-21 FC SEMI-FINAL: Kerry 3-15 Limerick 2-6: A SPECTACULAR performance by Paul Geaney helped Kerry trounce Limerick…

MUNSTER UNDER-21 FC SEMI-FINAL: Kerry 3-15 Limerick 2-6:A SPECTACULAR performance by Paul Geaney helped Kerry trounce Limerick in a one-sided second half in a disappointing semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds last night.

Geaney cracked in two of his side’s three goals and he also had three points, two of them frees, as his side cruised into the final.

But he was not the only Kerry star as James O’Donoughue and Barry John Walsh also made huge contributions.

Limerick were awarded a controversial penalty seconds before half-time which was blasted to the net by Eoghan O’Connor and it left Kerry leading by a mere two points at the interval, 1-6 to 1-4.

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But Kerry were a transformed side in the second half and they had moved to 2-12 before Limerick had their first score, a goal by Donagh Kelly.

Kerry picked off a succession of points during the half as Limerick had no answer to the likes of Edmund Walsh, Barry John Walsh and Stephen O’Brien who repeatedly tormented a Limerick defence in which Ray O’Flaherty and Paul Hannon were the best performers.

KERRY: B Kelly; P Crowley, M Griffin, P Kilkenny; J Sherwood, B Shanahan, J Lyne; C Moriarty, E Walsh (0-1); J O'Donoughue (1-4), BJ Walsh (0-5), A Fitzgerald (0-1); S O'Brien, D Casey, P Greaney (2-3, 0-1 free). Subs: J Walsh (0-1) for Moriarty (41 mins), N O'Shea for Casey (51 mins).

LIMERICK: B Scanlon; P Martin, M Sheehan, R O'Flaherty; P Sheehan, P Hannon, P Quinn; T McCarthy (0-1), P Horan; P Scanlon, J Kelly (0-1), D Kelly (1-0); P O'Donnell, J O'Donovan (0-1), E O'Connor (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees).

Referee: R Hickey(Clare).