Kerry rock the champions to take title

Munster Ladies SFC: Kerry denied defending champions Waterford what would have been their 12th title in 14 years with a gutsy performance in a thrilling Munster Ladies SFC final at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday.

Kerry having already lost to the champions by nine points in the round robin series, it all seemed to be going according to script when Waterford raced into a 2-2 to 0-0 lead after just eight minutes.

However, Kerry, superbly led by the magnificent Geraldine O'Shea at full forward, rallied and after Patrice Delaney goaled in the 15th minute they rocked the champions with a succession of points to lead 1-8 to 2-4 at the interval.

Waterford had a real battle on their hands in the second half but despite winning a lot of possession, they kicked 12 wides in a row, until finally Mary O'Donnell landed the equalising point in the 45th minute to set up a grandstand finish.

Kerry threw down the gauntlet in no uncertain manner when O'Shea finished a great move to the Waterford net to give her side the lead with nine minutes to go.

Back came Waterford and they laid siege to the Kerry goal looking for the equaliser and while they continued to waste chances, they did manage to draw level with three points in a row and it looked odds-on the game would go to a replay.

However Kerry weren't to be denied and after Katie Kenneally gave them the lead with a point, it was fitting that O'Shea should have the final say when she pointed a close-in free to give the girls from the Kingdom their first title at this level since 1993.

In the curtain-raiser Tipperary defeated Limerick in the Munster JFC final 0-11 to 0-9 after being six points in arrears at half-time, to win their first title at this level.

Scorers - Kerry: G O'Shea 1-6 (0-2 frees); P Dennehy 1-1; K Kenneally 0-2; N Fealy, K O'Driscoll, S O'Connor 0-1 each Waterford: A Wall 1-2 (0-1 free); R Hallahan 1-0; M O'Rourke, M O'Donnell 0-2 each; A Crotty, J Torpey, L Wall, D Breathnach 0-1 each.

KERRY: A O'Donoghue; D Fenton, G Ní Fhlatharta, J Murnane; D Shanahan, C Kelly, D O'Sullivan; C Sexton, E O'Connell; K Kenneally, N Fealy, P Dennehy; S O'Connor, G O'Shea, D Corridan Subs: K O'Driscoll for Fenton; R Ní Chinnéide for Shanahan; S Delaney for Corridan; J Johnson for Ní Chinnéide.

WATERFORD: S Hickey; D Frost, D O'Rourke, N O'Connor; A Crotty, E Power, J Torpey; M O'Donnell, C O'Keeffe; L Wall, D Breathnach, R Hallahan; M O'Rourke; A Wall, A Murphy. Subs: M Ryan for O'Keeffe; D Nagle for A Murphy; M McGrath for O'Rourke.

Referee: D O'Mahony (Tipperary).