Sport

Perfect start puts Kerry clear

MUNSTER MFC FIRST ROUND/Kerry 1-12 Tipperary 2-7: TWO LATE Tipperary goals put a gloss on the score as a Kerry side under new…

Thu Apr 15 2010 - 01:00

MUNSTER MFC FIRST ROUND/Kerry 1-12 Tipperary 2-7:TWO LATE Tipperary goals put a gloss on the score as a Kerry side under new boss Pat O'Driscoll deservedly advanced at Austin Stack Park last night.

Kerry did the damage in opening eight minutes with an explosive scoring burst of 1-4 without reply.

Mark Reen opened Kerry’s account with a superb point in the second minute and Thomas Hickey added another within a minute. Tipperary were chasing shadows as Hickey raced through the middle in the fourth minute and he fed Gavin O’Grady, who quickly transferred the ball to the inrushing Mark Reen, who blasted the ball to Tipperary net.

Two Billy Hewitt points and a Liam Boland free was all Tipp had to show as Kerry led 1-6 to 0-3 at the interval.

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Kerry took over again in the third quarter with a string of points from Eanna O’Connor, Gavin O’Grady and Hickey as they looked to be cruising as they led 1-11 to 0-4 at the end of the third quarter.

Tipperary never gave up as Kerry ran their bench and two late goals from Boland and Shane Leahy cut the deficit to two points.

Time, however, was not on Tipperary’s side.

KERRY: P McCarthy; P Kilkenny, D Culhane, F McNamara; J Walsh, L Bastible, J Hickson; D Somers, G Durant; M Reen (1-2), T Hickey (0-2), M Mangan; B Dwyer (0-1), G O’Grady (0-4, two frees), E O’Connor (0-3, one free). Subs: J Moynihan for B Dwyer (47 mins); T Morley for G O’Grady (50); A Thompson for J Hickson (54); E Kiely for D Somers (58); C Cox for E O’Connor (60).

TIPPERARY: P Nolan; P Dalton, J Ryan, S Taylor; M Murphy, N O’Meara, P O’Meara; K Seymour, J O’Callaghan; D Leahy, B Harkin, B Maher; L Boland (1-3, 0-1 from free), B Hewitt (0-3, one free), L McGrath. Subs: M O’Sullivan for M Murphy (10 mins); S Leahy (1-1) for K Seymour (25); K Kennedy for N O’Meara (32, blood); C O’Sullivan for J Ryan (44); S Power for D Leahy (44); L Treacy for B Maher (46).

Referee: R Hickey (Clare).

Last night’s losing teams enter a play-off, with Waterford meeting Clare next Monday (in Cusack Park at 6.30pm) and the winner playing Tipperary on Saturday week. The winner of that will take on Cork in the provincial semi-final on May 12th. On

the same day, Kerry will meet Limerick in the other semi-final.