All-Ireland JFC final: Kerry make it five in-a-row

July 20, 2019

Kerry's Philip O'Connor. ©INPHO/Tommy Grealy.

Kerry were crowned All-Ireland junior football champions for the fifth year in-a-row at O’Moore Park today.

Second-half goals from Barry O’Dwyer, Stephen O’Sullivan and James Crean sent the Kingdom on the road to a 3-14 to 0-13 final success over Galway.

Gary Kelly opened the scoring with a point in the first minute for the Tribesmen and an evenly contested opening period finished with the eventual winners 0-8 to 0-6 to the good.

Kelly repeated the trick at the start of the second-half and the team in maroon and white were back on level terms shortly after.

There was a large slice of good fortune attached to Kerry’s first green, which arrived in the 33rd minute, as a fisted point attempt by O’Dwyer finished up in the opposition’s net via a Galway defender.

There was nothing lucky about O’Sullivan’s effort that parachuted the Kingdom into a seven-point lead (2-10 to 0-9) with 41 minutes gone on the clock.

Substitute Crean applied the gloss to the victory with their third goal and they maintain their vice-like grip on the All-Ireland JFC silverware.

Kerry - E O’Brien (0-3, 2'45, 1f); C O Murchu, Padraig O’Connor, Padraig Jackie O’Sullivan; J Brosnan (0-1), M Breen (0-1), M Foley (0-1); J M Foley, N Breen; Philip O’Connor, C Farley, B Barrett; S O’Sullivan (1-4), D Daly (0-2, 1f), B O’Dwyer (1-0). Subs: C Teahan (0-1) for C Farley, J Crean (1-0) for B O’Dwyer, T Lynch (0-1) for B Barrett, G O’Sullivan for D Daly, F Clifford for C O Murchu, J Spillane for J Brosnan.

Galway - C Haslam; E O’Sullivan, D O Ruairc, T Rabbitte; M Geragthy, C Costello, P O’Donnell (0-1); A Molloy, E Tierney; S Denvir (0-1), J Ryan, T Gleeson; P E O Curraoin, C Brennan, G Kelly (0-8, 4f). Subs: S O Currin (0-1) for E Tierney (BC), L Molloy (0-2) for T Gleeson, E Concannon for D O Ruairc, C Brady for P E O Curraoin, A O hIarnáin for S O Currin, G Gibbons for J Ryan.

Referee - M McNally.


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