The Connemara Gaels advanced to the semi-final of the senior
football championship with a convincing win over Kerry. The Gaels were on top in most areas of the
field throughout and looked to be well on their way after Ian Burke netted 11
minutes into the second half. The Cullen
twins did well at corner back to hold Darragh O'Brien and Shane O'Callaghan to
a handful of scores from play. The Gaels
face a different prospect in Christopher's next Sunday in the semi final.
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| Shane O'Callaghan with Lee Cullen in pursuit.... |
The Gaels largely dominated the first 30 minutes of play and
went in at the break 5 points to the good.
The only real blemish on the back line was an early Darragh O'Brien goal
that was well worked and well taken.
O'Brien was played in with a lovely ball over the top and finished well. The Gaels answered in style with six points
on he trot before Coleman Mulkerrins netted a fine goal to put the Gaels in the
drivers seat. Traffic was virtually one
way now as the Gaels dominated the midfield stakes, and snuffed out the Kerry
attacks. Kerry managed points from David
Larkin and O'Brien before half time, and at the break it was a 1-9 to 1-4 Gaels
advantage.
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| ...Cullen this time with O'Callaghan giving chase. |
Kerry got the first score of the second half through Darren
Clabby. The next 4 scores came from the
Gaels as the Connemara men cemented their
dominance and a Kerry turnaround looked increasingly unlikely. Graham and Burke pointed from frees, before
Mulkerrins added another point and Burke a goal with 10 minutes gone of the
restart. With the goal the Gaels went 10
points into the lead and the outcome looked increasingly inevitable. Kerry put some pressure on the Gaels defence
in the final quarter and forced Eoin Connolly into a couple of good saves. Ronan Kennedy who entered as a sub almost
netted, but his shot flew narrowly over the crossbar. O'Brien, Colm Schwer, and Darren Clabby
pointed as full time approached, but the hole was too big for points to dig Kerry
out. A couple of goals were needed at that stage. The Kingdom won a penalty in injury time and
O'Brien netted to improve the look of the score, but it was the end of the road
for Kerry and the Gaels move on to the semi-final.
Kerry: P. Bailey, S. Driscoll,
D. Larkin (0-1), M. Godley, B. Kelliher, E. Mullen, S. Cunningham, I. Whelan, C. Schwer (0-1), D. Clabby (0-2), J.
Fitzpatrick, S. O'Callaghan, D. O'Brien (1-4).
Sub: R. Kennedy (0-1). Gaels: E. Connolly, L. Cullen, C. Cullen, S.
Conneely (0-1), R. Kiely, D. Doolan, R. Hyde, D. Comer (0-1), M. Lundy, N.
Graham (0-3), D. Hogan (0-1), I. Burke (1-5), C. Mulkerrins (1-3).
By Rory O'Donnell
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