IT Tralee 4-12 Kerry 0-16
Kerry were well beaten by an IT Tralee team, well advanced in their Sigerson preparations, in a high-scoring McGrath Cup quarter-final played before 829 brave souls at Austin Stack Park on Sunday.
The Kerry senior squad does not return from South Africa until early this Monday morning, which meant a mix of their under-21s and Juniors came together under the management of Darragh Ó Sé, and they just were not up to the task, despite trailing by one (1-6 to 0-8) at the interval and having a strong wind behind them for the second half.
Ó Sé's selector John Shanahan spoke afterwards as to what Kerry boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice might learn from the exercise.
"You never like to lose a game but we have learnt an awful lot from it," said Shanahan. "Guys have put their hand up and they want to be part of our (under-21s) panel and more players have shown what they can't do. Jack Barry caught the eye at midfield. He played yesterday and looks a real prospect; he looks to have real potential"
What about Kerry not having a game next week?
"I don't think it makes much difference to Eamonn, because after the holiday they might want to get training sessions under their belts. We enquired about Tommy Walsh and Marc Ó Sé and were told they were unavailable"
With Jack Barry lording matters in the middle Kerry looked the more likely winners at the interval, despite Conor Keane getting the IT goal in the 17th minute. Gavin O'Grady had kicked three points for Kerry but the young Kerry full-back line looked shaky.
Kerry made a great start to the second half, rattling off 0-5 without reply - thanks to O'Grady, Paul Kennelly, Liam Carey, Killian Spillane and Gary Sayers - to lead by four by the 45th minute.
Jack Savage was then hauled down for a needless 46th minute penalty, Keane coolly slotted the spot kick and Pádraig O’Shea levelled a minute later.
Shane Kenny denied Spillane a goal at the IT Tralee end and the students were settled by a Keane free and an O'Shea goal.
Kerry lost their way as Keane proved unstoppable and he set up Peter Nash for goal number four, leaving IT Tralee to play UCC in next week's semi-final.
IT Tralee: (All Kerry except where stated): S Kenny, M Egan , G Crowley, J Lyne; D McElligott (0-1) , C Horan, C Cromwell ( Monaghan) (0-1); A Duggan , G Bastible ; C O'Connell (0-1), C Keane 2-5 ( 1-0 pen, 0-2 frees), P Quille ; G O'Shea, P Nash ( Limerick) , J Savage (0-3 ( 0-1 free)). Subs: P O'Shea (1-1) for P Quille (46), S Flynn (Cork) for M Egan (53), A Moriarty for J Savage (60), J Brennan (Sligo) for D McElligott (67), C O Brien (Clare) for C O Connell (67)
Kerry: S Murphy, S T Dillon, Caoimhín Ó Beaglaoich, D Maher, P McMahon, T Morley, S O Connor, C McGillycuddy (0-1) J Barry, A Barry (0-1), J Crean ( 0-1 f), G Sayers (0-2), K McCarthy (0-1), G O Grady (0-3 ( 0-2 frees), T O Sullivan (0-1). Subs: B Ó Beaglaoich for D Maher (21), P Kennelly (0-2) for J Crean (31), L Carey (0-1) for Caoimhín Ó Beaglaoich (h/t), K Spillane (0-1f) for A Barry (43), M Burns (0-1) for K McCarthy (52), C Coffey for S O Connor (58)
Referee: M Collins (Cork)
