The Joe McDonagh Cup has started with a win for Kerry.
They’ve beaten Meath in Tralee by 1-20 to 0-13.
The Kingdom lined out facing into a stiff wind playing towards the Dunnes Stores end of the pitch at Austin Stack Park. The game was a few minutes behind schedule throwing in at 1.03pm with Kerry clearing away an early Meath attack as the Royal county lads weren’t keen to show much respect to Kerry early on. Kerry’s first attempt to find the scoreboard was unsuccessful when Fionan Mackessy’s effort tailed off-target but Brandon Barrett picked up a great pass from Shane Nolan after the restart and Kerry were up and running after 4 minutes. A Shane Conway free from 65 metres out followed to double the Kerry lead. Kerry 0-02 Meath 0-00. Fintan O’Connor’s lads were dominating possession with brilliant patches of play. Mike Slattery was unlucky not to score but Mike O’Leary found his range to score his first point. Meath replied immediately with a point leaving it 0-03 to 0-01 after 9 minutes. The Kerry backs were called into action as they snuffled out another Meath attack which had threatened Darren Delaney’s goal. There was only a point between the sides after Meath scored another point from a free but Mikey Boyle cancelled it out with a great point from play for Kerry. Kerry 0-04 Meath 0-02. Michael Leane had been quiet compared to his performance against Antrim last week but he sprang into action with a lovely pass to Mikey Boyle who drew the foul which was punished by Shane Conway to put 3 between the sides at the first half water break. Meath must have been served the same water that was given to the Kerry footballers because they came back with three quick points after the restart to level things. Kerry 0-05 Meath 0-05. Despite being favourites to win this game, Kerry were being pushed all the way by Meath only for the trusty sticks of Mikey Boyle and Shane Conway to put a couple of points between the teams again. Meath, playing with the wind, might regret the wides they recorded in the first 25 minutes of the game. Kerry 0-07 Meath 0-05. A Meath point, when a goal was the easier option after a mistake by the Kerry keeper, left only a point in it until Mikey Boyle had a goal chance of his own. The Ballyduff man was fouled and Shane Conway converted the free. Kerry 0-08 Meath 0-06 after 30 minutes of the first half. Finally, some good Kerry play was rewarded when Michael Leane made some inroads with a final pass to Shane Nolan and the midfielder bulged the net. Another goal could have followed soon afterwards but Michael Leane, who was now beginning to shine, put it over the bar. Kerry 1-10 Meath 0-06. Michael O’Leary was beginning to make a nuisance of himself in the Kerry attack and when he drew the foul it was a formality for Shane Conway to put 9 between the sides. A stoppage time rally from Meath yielded a couple of points for the visitors just before the break but Kerry were happy to start the second half with a 6 point lead. Half Time: Kerry 1-11 Meath 0-08.
Meath, now playing against the wind, opened the scoring at the start of the second half with a free but that joy was shortlived when their next two efforts were sent wide. Kerry eventually settled with a point from Brandon Barrett who, a few minutes later drew a foul for Shane Conway to find the target. Kerry 1-13 Meath 0-09. Jason Diggins picked up a yellow card after a foul which was punished by Padraic O’Hanrahan to put the Royals in double digits. Kerry, with tougher opposition to come in the shape of Antrim, Westmeath and Carlow, needed to put their stamp on the game in the second half. Another point for Kerry and then a period of Kerry possession was interrupted by Jack Regan from Meath but the Kingdom regained the sliotar through Brandon Barrett who was fed by Shane Conway. The foul was drawn and Conway’s shot led to the white flag being raised by the Umpire. Kerry 1-14 Meath 0-10 at the water break. Meath didn’t restart the same way they did after the first half water break because Kerry scored three quick points into the Mitchels end. Meath replied with one of their own after 20 minutes of the second half. Kerry 1-17 Meath 0-11. Padraic O’Hanrahan responded to another Kerry point with one of his own from a free to keep Meath in touch but it would take something special to get anything out of the game. Daniel Collins blocked a certain Meath scoring chance while the Kilmoyley man was back helping out his defence. Colm Harty perhaps should have done better when bearing down on goal only for the attack from Kerry to be thwarted by a resilient Meath defence. A lovely ball from Daniel Collins to Shane Conway should have been sent to the net but Conway’s shot was tipped over the bar by Mark McCormack in the Meath goal. Kerry 1-19 Meath 0-12 heading into stoppage time after 70 minutes. When Kerry were under pressure in defence, the full back line pulled together time and again to clear the danger with John Buckley being well supported by Eric Leen in the other corner. In the first of three minutes of stoppage time, Kerry were happy to see things out with another point from a Shane Conway free. Brian Murphy, the Kerry captain, found himself in a bit of trouble at the death when he threw the ball which hit the referee in the face. There was no malice in the incident for which the Causeway man saw yellow. A great run out for Kerry ended in victory for the Kingdom.
Kerry manager Fintan O'Connor
