8/11/2024 - Intermediate Football Final – Kerry Boston vs Cork Boston
By Neil McEnaney
Full Time Score:
Kerry Boston: 2-14
Cork Boston: 2-12
We were treated to an excellent intermediate final that could have went either way right up until the last kick of the ball as it bounced off nearly everything in the Kerry square except for over the line for a goal. Congratulations to Kerry Boston and commiserations to Cork Boston who will no doubt be back again next year.
It was the late change to the line up Sean McCarthy who opened the scoring for Cork after Eoin Walsh found him in the full forward line. McCarthy took on his man and blasted it over from close range. Cork kept the pressure on, turning over the Kerry kick out and doubling their lead with O’Riordan kicking a nice point from the top of the D.
Sean Guidan opened the scoring for Kerry from a free kick from the deck from outside the 45 which sailed over with plenty to spare. Cork worked the ball up the field quickly with Joe Boyle finding Hugh McDonald with a half yard of space which he kicked over the bar.
Cork were on top in the middle third in the opening quarter and were turning over a lot of Kerry’s kick outs. Jack Lynch won one of these kick outs and moved it quickly to Niall O’Connor. O’Connor had space and fisted it through to Eoin Walsh. Walsh dived fist first to the ball to finish into the bottom corner for the game’s first goal.
Kerry needed to change something and Deividas started taking the Kerry kickouts which added distance from the set balls. Gary Vaughan broke through the tackle for Kerry to kick a nice point off his right to bring them back into the game. Kerry started finding space in the Cork defence with Ryan O’Grady turning his man to kick a nice point before Guidan added another from the right wing off his trusty left boot.
A high ball into McCarthy in the full forward line for Cork caused havoc in the Kerry defence as he was fouled as he turned gifting Cork the penalty. Eoin Walsh steeped up to take the penalty but it was well saved by Davidas in the Kerry net. Walsh hit the resulting 45 but was denied by the post.
After the penalty save, Kerry started getting back into the game through the free taking of Guidan. Finbarr Murphy found space in the Cork defence and slipped it through to O’Grady. O’Grady went straight for goal and finished low and hard for Kerry into the net to give the Kingdom a two point lead.
Cork responded immediately with a beautiful point from Lynch off his left foot while under pressure. Kerry then worked the ball through the hands of Jim Lynch to Ryan O’Grady. O’Grady had nearly a carbon copy of his first goal burying it into the bottom corner.
A point from Walsh from a free finished the scoring of the first half as Kerry went into the break 3 points up.
Half Time Score:
Kerry Boston: 2-5
Cork Boston: 1-5
Sean O’Riordan made a great run through the center and fisted through to Feidhelm Joyce who kicked a great point on the run. A long ball into Fergal O’Brien was collected well. O’Brien worked it through to John O’Riordan who scored a great point to leave just one between the sides.
Kerry worked the ball well up the field and were well denied for the goal by Kieran McEnery in the Cork nets. Cork worked the ball quickly up the field to McCarthy who took on his man and fisted it over from a tight angle to bring the sides level. The target man McCarthy got on the end of high ball into him again and fisted it over to bring Cork ahead.
Kerry needed a spark to get their second half going and it was the dangerous O’Grady who provided it kicking a lovely score from a tight angle. A turnover for Kerry was moved quickly to O’Riordan who kicked a point with plenty of space. O’Grady added another with the help of the post after a great solo run.
Gary Vaughan showed great speed and fitness coming into the final stretch first setting up O’Grady and then Cooper for points. Cork were going for route one football into the danger man Sean McCarthy, but Kerry started getting on top in their own full back line forcing turnovers on the big man.
Coming into the final stretch, Cork were chasing the game. Lynch scored a great point from his left foot under pressure. Cork will be disappointed with some wayward kicking in front of the posts in the final quarter.
Kerry were 4 up into injury time when a high ball into the square broke kindly for the Cork sub who finished low into the bottom corner to leave just a point between the sides. Kerry got the kickout out and were patient with the ball as they moved it up the field kicking what they hoped was their insurance point.
In a grandstand finish, Cork moved the ball quickly up the field and Feidhelm Joyce received the ball on the Kerry 13 meter line. Joyce turned and shot, striking the inside of the Kerry post which then bounced off Kerry keeper and out of play. The referee blew the full time whistle and Kerry are the Boston Intermediate Champions of 2024.
Please see link below to anyone who would like to watch the game back:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJP_dNSCitM&t=1s
Finally, a huge thank you to our commentators; John Moylan, Greg Lundy and Eoin Casey for volunteering their time and adding to the entertainment in both games. Thanks lads.
Kerry Boston:
Padraig Doyle, Deividas Uosis, Paul Ring, Mike Godley, John Cooper (0-1), Gary Vaughan (0-1), George Kealy, Niall O’Connor, Sean Guiden (0-3), Finbarr Murphy (0-1), Connor Stark (0-1), Ryan O’Grady (2-4), Liam Doherty
Cork Boston:
Kieran McEnery, Mark Dalton, Ronan Hurley, Paddy O’Driscoll, Joe Boyle, Fearghal Rooney, Jack Lynch (0-2), Sean O’Rioirdain (0-3), Shawn Sullivan, Feidhelm Joyce (0-1), Eoin Walsh (1-2), Hugh McDonald (0-1), Sean McCarthy (0-3)
Man of the Match: Gary Vaughan
Referee: Diarmuid Boylan
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