County championship honours for East Kerry

East Kerry are the winners of the 2022 Garvey’s SuperValu County Senior Football Championship.

They’re champions after beating Mid Kerry in the decider in Tralee by 1-16 to 10 points.

David Clifford was the star of the show, his second half goal putting an end to the Mid Kerry resistance.

East Kerry had the first two points, Ruairi Murphy and David Clifford putting over inside the opening 5 minutes. Paudie Clifford was next to raise a white flag, making it three nil after 8 minutes. Pa Kilkenny got a much needed point back for Mid Kerry in the 10th minute. The deficit was halved when Eanna O'Connor points after 12 minutes to make it East Kerry 0-3 Mid Kerry 0-2. O'Connor had the chance to level it midway through the period but put his free wide from in front of the posts. Darragh Lyne then put East Kerry two to the good but a Fiachra Clifford free from a cute angle made it a 1 point game once more, after 20 minutes. Darragh Roche became the fourth East Kerry forward to score and within a minute team mate David Clifford had them 3 clear. The gap could easily have risen to 6 soon afterwards but Darragh Roche's effort was well saved by Sean Coffey. A third successive East Kerry point, courtesy of Paudie Clifford, opened up a 4 point gap 5 minutes from half-time at 7 to 3. Kieran Dennehy pointed for Mid Kerry to stem the tide-and maybe a goal was on-but David Clifford responded for East Kerry to make it double scores at 8 points to 4. Dennehy and Clifford swapped points again and at half time it was East Kerry 0-9 Mid Kerry 0-5.

The first notable moment of the second period saw Mid Kerry keeper Sean Coffey deny James O'Donoghue when a goal looked on in the 34th minute. A 5th point of the day by David Clifford put East Kerry 5 clear after 37 minutes. Approaching the three quarter stage it was 12 points to 8. The next score was decisive as Mid Kerry were carved apart, David Clifford finishing off a well worked move to net. That put them 7 up and there was no way back for Mid Kerry as East Kerry won by 9.