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Tipp turn it on in the second half

Tipperary 2-14 Kerry 1-14: TIPPERARY MADE history when for the first time they won back-to-back Munster minor football championship…

Mon Jul 09 2012 - 01:00

Tipperary 2-14 Kerry 1-14:TIPPERARY MADE history when for the first time they won back-to-back Munster minor football championship titles thanks to a superb second half at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

The sides were level at 0-2 and 0-4 each, before Niall Sheehy pointed Kerry in front after 14 minutes. And the full forward capitalised on a lucky rebound when the ball came off a Tipperary defender in front of goal and he cracked a low shot past Evan Comerford.

Kerry were in front by 1-9 to 0-5 two minutes before the interval but two points by Jason Lonergan and Tom Kirwan left only five points between them at the break.

Ian Fahey pointed for Tipperary within 30 seconds of the restart and after two minutes Colman Kennedy angled his punched effort perfectly to score a superb Tipperary goal. A point by Steve O’Brien tied it up.

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Another superbly taken goal, this time by Tom Kirwan, had Tipperary in front and they had scored 2-4 without replay before Kerry had their first point of the second half by Sheehy.

Only a goal separated them with two minutes remaining but points by Conor Keane and Fahy sealed it for Tipperary who had an outstanding performance by Bill Maher at wing-back.

Dylan Fitzelle, Colman Kennedy and Tom Kirwan also made handsome contributions against a Kerry side for whom Niall Sheehy and Jack Save impressed, with Gavin Crowley doing well at full-back.

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; D Cass; J Feehan; L Egan; K Fahey; D Fitzelle; B Maher (0-1); S O’Brien (0-2); I Fahey (0-4); J Lonergan (0-1); J Martin (0-1); G Henry; C Kennedy (1-3, 0-1 free); P Quirke (0-1); T Kirwan (1-1). Subs: J Loughnane for Cass (27 mins); C O’Riordan for Egan (half-time); TJ Ryan for Lonergan (51 mins); M O’Meara for Martin (54 mins); J Shelly for Kirwan (60 mins).

KERRY: G Curran; C Ó Lúing; G Crowley; S O’Connor; B Crowley; J Barry; G Horan; E Ó Conchúir; K Murphy (0-1); D Foran (0-1); J Savage (0-4, 0-3 frees); C Fitzgerald (0-1); G O’Shea; N Sheehy (1-4); C Keane (0-3). Subs: S Moloney for O’Shea (43 mins); G O’Sullivan for E O’Connor (48 mins); E Doyle for Murphy (52 mins); A Spillane for Foran (55 mins).

Referee: C Lane (Cork).