Tipp exit Under 20 Football Championship after Kerry defeat
Tipperary exited the Munster Under 20 Football Championship following a five-point defeat to Kerry in this round 3 clash on Wednesday evening.
GAA: Eirgrid Munster Under 20 Football Championship Phase 2 Round 3
Kerry 1-15
Tipperary 1-10
Report: Shane Brophy at Austin Stack Park, Tralee
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Cormac Dillon (Kerry)
SCORERS – Kerry: Tomas Kennedy 1-2; Ian O’Sullivan (3 frees), Cormac Dillon (1 free) 0-4 each; Luke Crowley 0-2; Odhran Ferris, Eddie Healy, Daniel Kirby 0-1.
Tipperary: Orrin Jones 0-4 (2 frees); Daithi Hogan 1-1; Robbie McGrath 0-2 45s; Micheal Freaney, Shane Ryan (free), Cian Smith 0-1 each.
The Premier needed to win by nine points to have any chance of progressing to the final and produced a spirited performance, but Kerry upped the gears in the second half to turn a one point half time lead into a five point win.
Tipp trailed by just one point at half time, 0-5 to 0-4, and will feel they should have been in front as they had the two best goal chances, Michael Freaney and Shane Ryan both denied by superb Michael Tansley saves at the expense of 45s which goalkeeper Robbie McGrath converted. Tipp’s other two points in the half came from frees by Orrin Jones and Shane Ryan.
Kerry manager Tomas O Se brought on some big hitters at half time, including Luke Crowley and Cormac Dillon and they helped turn the game in their favour with six points between them with Michael Freaney managing Tipp’s only score in the third quarter.
A Tomas Kennedy goal on 43 minutes was the key score as Kerry opened up a nine point lead at one stage but Tipp played strong to the end and late points from subs Daithi Hogan and Cian Smith were followed by a Hogan goal with the last play of the game to end Tipp’s six-game campaign on a high.
TEAMS – Kerry: Michael Tansley; Gearoid Evans, Ryan Diggin, Maidhci Lynch; Charlie Keating, Cian Lynch, Darragh O’Connor; Rob Stack, Cathal Brosnan; Fionn Murphy, Odhran Ferris, Daniel Kirby; Ian O’Sullivan, Tomas Kennedy, Paddy Lane.
Subs: Luke Crowley for Murphy (HT); Cormac Dillon for Lane (HT); Eddie Healy for Brosnan (37); Aidan Crowley for Kirby (41); Adam Segal for Keating (50).
Tipperary: Robbie McGrath (Galtee Rovers); Jack O’Neill (Ardfinnan), Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney), Darragh Spillane (Fethard); Darragh O’Brien (Aherlow), Sean O’Meara (Grangemockler/Ballyneale), Charlie King (Ballina, Capt); Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials), Eoin Doocey (Arravale Rovers); Thomas Charles (Clonmel Commercials), Joseph Lawrence (Rockwell Rovers), Micheal Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash); Orrin Jones (Arravale Rovers), Tommy O’Connor (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan).
Subs: Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers) for O’Neill (blood 1-11); Killian Butler for O’Meara (11 inj); Daithi Hogan (St Patrick’s) for Ryan (HT); Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers) for Higgins (44); Cian Smith (Clonmel Commercials) for O’Connor (49); Niall O’Connor (Clonmel Og) for O’Brien (52).
Referee: Chris Maguire (Clare)