Things are looking up for Under 20’s

Kerry 2-17 Galway 1-18

John Sugrue’s Under 20 side made it back-to-back wins over Galway in a week as they rounded off their John Kerins Cup competition.

In a workout that played more like a challenge game over the hour Kerry used to time to give players match minutes with the Munster championship on the horizon.

In all Kerry ran their bench with up to, 24 players receiving some considerable playing time against a competitive Galway.

Over the course of the game, both sides contributed 17 different scorers to the score sheet as both sides enjoyed purple patches at various stages.

It was the home side that were most dominant in the opening stages and despite giving up the opening score to Galway’s Brian Mannion, Kerry went on to hit the next five points unanswered with Paul Walsh (2), Sean Quilter (2) and an excellent individual point from Micheal O’Gara who was given the space and time by a clever Paul O’Shea pass.

Indeed much of the creative play came thanks to O’Shea the Kerry number 15 in the early stages.

However it was all undone when Galway’s number 15 Matthew Cooley slipped inside a couple of Kerry challenges and shot to the net on the 11^th minute. It was a score that saw Galway take complete control and they regained a 1-6 to 0-6 lead by the 21^st minute with Kerry unable to deal with the dashing runs of the Galway wing backs Jack Glynn and Cathal Raftery in particular. Glynn would help himself to two points from play in that run of scores.

Having created a lot for his teammates Paul O’Shea was to open his own account on the 22^nd minute when he latched onto a forward ball from Sean Horan and completed his run until he had the ball dispatched to the net.

It begin another period of Kerry dominance and O’Shea would add the final two points of the half to give the Kingdom a two point half time lead (1-9 to 1-7).

Both sides ran the bench at half time with Kerry intruding four players as Galway replaced three of their starting forward line but it did little to effect the momentum of the game, which continued to produce some fine scores.

By the end of the third quarter Kerry had increased, their lead to three points (1-14 to 1-11) but Galway hung on gamely.

That was to change in the 47^th minute as John Sugure’s replacements were now getting a foothold in the game. First Killian Falvey pointed before Eddie Horan finished a move that he started at midfield to score Kerry’s second goal. It gave the home side a seven-point lead but credit Galway who kept on task.

Points by Cullhane (f) and Alan Greene kept the interest in the game before Kerry lost Darragh Rahilly to the sin bin and not for the first time this year the resultant 10 minutes with a player, less was to have an effect.

Galway seized their opportunity and were back within a score (2-17 to 1-17) upon O’Rahilly’s return deep in injury. The Rathmore man announced his arrival back onto the pitch when his first touch saw his effort thunder off the crossbar for what would have been a tremendous score. From the resulting play, Galway raised another white flag from Nathan Grainger who had the game’s final score.

Kerry will return to action within a month as they await the winners of the Munster Quarter final’s between Limerick and Tipperary which will take place on the 19^th February.

A week later (26^th January) Kerry will travel to either Semple Stadium Thurles or LIT Gaelic Grounds (7pm) for their Munster Under 20 semi final tie.

The final is down for the 4^th March

Scorers:

Kerry:

Paul O’Shea 1-3, Sean Quilter 0-4, Paul Walsh 0-4 (0-3f), Eddie Horan 1-0, Killian Falvey 0-2, Conor Hayes 0-2, Michael O’Gara 0-1, Jack O’Connor 0-1

Galway:

Matthew Cooley 1-4 (0-4f), Tomo Culhane 0-3f, Brian Mannion 0-3, Jack Glynn 0-2, James McLaughlin 0-2, Alan Greene, Tony Gill 0-1, Aidan Halloran 0-1, Nathan Grangier 0-1

Teams:

Kerry

1. Deividas Uosis                              Daingean Uí Chuis

2. Brendán O Neill                            Ballydonoghue

3. Dylan Casey                                   Austin Stacks

4. James McCarthy                          Kenmare

5. Sean O Connell                             Cordal

6. Sean Horan                                    Scartaglen

7. Colm Moriarty                              Annascaul

8. Darragh Lyne                                 Killarney Legion

9. Michael O Gara                            Austin Stacks

10. Paul Walsh                                   Brosna

11. Patrick Darcy                               Glenflesk

12. Darragh Lynch                            Listowel Emmetts

13. Dylan Geaney                             Daingean Uí Chuis

14. Sean Quillter                               Austin Stacks

15. Paul O Shea                                 Kilcummin

Subs:

26. Eddie Horan                                Scartaglen for 11. Patrick Darcy (H/T)

18. Gearoid Lyne                              Annascaul for 6. Sean Horan (H/T)

21. Darragh Rahilly                           Rathmore for 12. Darragh Lynch (H/T)

27. Conor Hayes                               Kerins O Rahillys for 13. Dylan Geaney (H/T)

17. Owen Fitzgerald                        Gneevguilla for 2 Brendán O Neill (35)

23. Jack O Connor                            Beaufort for 10. Paul Walsh (35)

24. Killian Falvey                               Annascaul for 15. Paul O Shea (42)

28. Ruaidhri Ó Beaglaoich             An Gaeltacht for Sean Quilter  (43)

25. Sean Keane                                 Listowel Emmetts for Sean O’Connell  (49)

Galway

1. Conor Flathery

2. Conall O’Caoimh

3. Sean Fitzgerald

4. Cian Deane

5. Cathal Sweeney

6. Tony Gill

7. Jack Glynn

8. Conor Raferty

9. James McLaughlin

10. Alan Greene

11. Aidan Halloran

12. Jason Reilly

13. Brian Mannion

14. Tomo Cullhane

15. Matthew Cooley

Subs:

21. Oisin Gormally for 12. Jason Reilly (H/T)

22. McDara Geraghty for 13. Brian Mannion (H/T)

23. Brian Harlowe for 11. Aidan Halloran (H/T)

24. Nathan Grainger for 10. Alan Greene (H/T)