All-Ireland MFC Semi-final/Kerry 1-10 Laois 1-8: This All-Ireland semi-final had a bit of everything: magic football, blanket defending and some dodgy decisions. The salient point is a new breed of Kerry football appears to be developing. Laois will not be defending their title next month because of ruthless defending from the Munster champions
Other developments yesterday left a sour taste in the mouth of the Laois manager Seán Dempsey. He paid his dues to Kerry's excellent first-half performance but the GAA management committee only informed them at midday of the failed appeals of their five suspended players (two would have been certain starters).
"We were in the hotel this morning at 12 o'clock still waiting on word back from the appeals after being promised by the president, yesterday evening, we would have word back last night," said Dempsey. "That's no way to be treating players at under-age. It's an absolute shambles."
Couple this with the debatable dismissal of wing back Niall Donagher, for two yellow cards, and they had a case for complaint. He was booked in each half for upending Kerry's magician-in-chief Darren O'Sullivan. "I thought it was very harsh," said Dempsey afterwards.
They were the only cautions received by Laois. The opposition received eight yellow cards yet had an extra player on the pitch for 28 minutes.
In the early stages Laois were unable to get any ball to their key men, Michael Tierney and Donie Brennan, as Kerry threatened to rip them apart. Great scores from Paul O'Connor, Rory Keating, Mark Evans and Brian Moran set Kerry on their way. Then, in the 16th minute, O'Sullivan seared passed Donagher before stepping inside goalkeeper Colm Munnelly to fire the ball to the net.
Laois, to their credit, turned a 1-6 to 0-1 deficit into a two-point game by the final quarter. Kerry, however, found another gear. Tierney finished with 1-6, all the points from frees, but Laois wasted possession by firing high balls into their outmanned full-forward line. Brennan was carted off with a suspected broken collarbone after a late hit from Ciarán Kelliher.
Kerry progress to face Tyrone on September 26th. On yesterdays display they have enough strength and class to prevail.
KERRY: B Kealy; P Reidy, L Quinn, K Young; D Doyle, C Kelliher, D O'Connor (0-1); B Moran (0-2, one free), A Kennelly; M Evans (0-2, one free), D O'Sullivan (1-0), M O'Donoghue; S Murphy, R Keating (0-2), P O'Connor (0-3, two frees). Subs: C O'Mahony for P Reidy (32 mins), K O'Leary for M O'Donoghue (half-time), A Maher for S Murphy (47 mins), P Reidy for M Evans (53 mins), B Looney for C Kelleher (61 mins).
LAOIS: C Munnelly; C Healy, M Timmons, B Meredith; K Smith, C Begley, N Donagher; E Butler, C Rogers; S O'Neill, M Tierney (1-6, six frees), S O'Leary; I Fleming (0-1), D Brennan (0-1), D Conway. Subs: B Mortimer for C Healy (32 mins to half-time), D Reddin for D Conway (37 mins), J Delaney for S O'Neill (46 mins), B Mortimer for D Brennan (62 mins).
Referee: J White (Donegal).
The GAA management committee turned down the appeals of the players from the Laois and Cork minors after suspensions were handed down for their brawl on July 31st in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Also, Cork selector Keith Ricken's 48-week ban was upheld.
