Kerry 1-28 Limerick 0-08
Kerry have romped to yet another Munster title as they recorded a record-equalling victory over Limerick at Fitzgerald Stadium.
The 23-point margin equalled the record margin for a Munster final as Kerry matched their 6-11 to 2-0 victory way back in 1919 and was achieved without the game’s best forward as David Clifford was left out of the matchday squad due to injury.
They now go on to an All-Ireland quarter-final on the weekend of June 25/26 while Limerick will enter the qualifiers in round two in a fortnight’s time.
Limerick struggled woefully up front throughout with none of their starting forwards managing a score from play and Kerry efficiency ramped up as the game went on, to the extent that they only missed one shot at the posts in the second half.
Their 83rd Munster title, and ninth in 10 years, was clearly never in doubt though there wasn’t much to the first half display to bolster their All-Ireland credentials as they were sloppy and passive for much of the opening half hour.
Josh Ryan’s free left Limerick within four points as they trailed 0-7 to 0-3 come the 30th minute and perhaps the Saturday afternoon throw-in in front of a modest crowd of 14,587 for a Munster final informed Kerry’s sluggishness.
Up to then Kerry’s only goal opening came through Tony Brosnan, who pulled his shot wide of Donal O’Sullivan’s left-hand post and Limerick were hanging in without posing much of a threat to the home side’s goal.
Kerry produced their best spell approaching the break, however, as they rattled off five points without reply to effectively put the game to bed. The pick of them came from Killian Spillane, his third of the day, while Brosnan again failed to make the most of a goal opening with O’Sullivan smothering his effort from close range before Sean O’Shea slotted the resultant 45 for a 0-12 to 0-3 advantage at half-time.
The procession continued after the break as Kerry slotted a further six on the trot before Iain Corbett kicked his second point for Limerick in the 48th minute but seconds later Killian Spillane had stretched the home side’s lead as he scored the game’s only goal having been inexplicably left unmarked in front of goal as Geaney picked him out.
To his credit, Limerick wing-back Cian Sheehan never stopped and kicked three points in the closing 20 minutes or so, the third of which spared Limerick the outright record defeat for a Munster final with the game’s last kick.
KERRY: Shane Ryan; Tom O’Sullivan (0-3), Jason Foley, Graham O’Sullivan; Brian O Beaglaoich (0-2), Tadhg Morley, Gavin White (0-1); Diarmuid O’Connor, Jack Barry; Paudie Clifford (0-2), Sean O’Shea (0-6, 0-1f, 0-1 ‘45’), Stephen O’Brien (0-1); Killian Spillane (1-3),Paul Geaney (0-4, 0-1m), Tony Brosnan (0-3).
Subs: Adrian Spillane (0-1) for O’Brien (51), Dylan Casey for Foley (51), David Moran for O’Connor (52), Micheal Burns (0-2) for Killian Spillane (53), Paul Murphy for Morley (56), Gavin Crowley for O Beaglaoich (BS, 57).
LIMERICK: Donal O’Sullivan; Michael Donovan, Brian Fanning, Sean O’Dea; Cian Sheehan (0-3), Iain Corbett (0-2), Adrian Enright; Darragh Treacy, Cillian Fahy; Paul Maher, Brian Donovan, James Naughton; Peter Nash, Josh Ryan (0-2, 0-1f, 0-1 ‘65’), Hugh Bourke.
Subs: Robbie Bourke for Ryan (HT), Gordon Brown (0-1) for Maher (47), Tommy Griffin for Enright (47), Colm McSweeney for Nash (47), Robert Childs for Fanning (61).
REFEREE: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
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