Sport

Kerry - 1-7, Limerick - 0-9

IT was a game that Kerry were expected to win comfortably but in the end they had to rely on a professional foul by their goalkeeper…

Mon Mar 01 1999 - 00:00

IT was a game that Kerry were expected to win comfortably but in the end they had to rely on a professional foul by their goalkeeper Declan O'Keeffe in the final minutes and a five-star performance from midfielder Dara O Se at Austin Stack Park yesterday.

Kerry took the lead in the second minute through a Jack Ferriter free, but this was soon cancelled out by a point from Limerick's Noel Mulvihill. The visitors took the lead in the seventh minute when Tom McGarry scored, but Ferriter again was on the mark for Kerry after Gerry Murphy was fouled.

Dara O'Se and Gerry Murphy stretched Kerry's lead to 0-4 to 0-2 after 17 minutes and they finished the half with a goal and a point from Johnny McGlynn and an excellent effort from Gerry Murphy to give them a 1-6 to 0-2 lead.

However, the second half was a different story.

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Limerick began to chip away at Kerry's lead and early points from Patrick Aherne were followed by a couple from Noel Mulvihill (frees). Kerry then missed an open goal when Noel Kennelly should have scored from six yards.

In the final 10 minutes, Limerick threw everything at the home side and points from two Mulvihill frees in the 21st and 23rd minutes had only a goal between the sides. When the same player and Michael O'Doherty narrowed the gap to a single point, the Kingdom were clearly rattled.

In injury time O'Keeffe hauled down Sean Aherne when it appeared he was going to score a goal. He was booked but must be regarded as lucky to stay on the pitch as Kerry held on for dear life.

KERRY: D O'Keeffe, M McCarthy, B O'Shea, M Hassett, T O'Se, S Moynihan, E Breen, D O'Se (0-2), W Kirby, J McGlynn (1-1), D Daly, L Hassett, G Murphy (0-2), J Crowley, J Ferriter (0-2). Subs: N Kenelly for Crowley; D O Cinneide for L Hassett; R Mac Gearailt for W Kirby.

LIMERICK: E Scollard, G O'Connor, D Sheehy, D Reidy, M Dineen, T McLoughlin, T McGarry (0-1), M O'Doherty (0-1), J Quane, N Mulvihill (0-6), F Finnan, J Murphy, E Scully, D Reidy, M Reidy. Subs: P Aherne (0-1) for D Reidy; S Aherne for J Murphy; P J Scollard for McGarry.

Referee: E Ward (Laoise).