1-9 for David Clifford as Kerry blitz old foes Tyrone and make All-Ireland final
by Declan Bogue · The42Declan Bogue Reports from Croke Park
Kerry 1-20
Tyrone 0-17
BEWARE OF KERRY’S awesome second-half power is the theme that will emerge for the All-Ireland final, as they blew old foes Tyrone away in Croke Park to enter the decider on 27 July.
After getting their house in order and allowing an early Tyrone whirlwind to blow itself out, they just had too much quality in all the match-ups and team play to ease their passage to the Sam Maguire decider.
After Darragh Canavan brought the margin to a single point in the 42nd minute, Kerry hit an astonishing nine unanswered points.
Meanwhile, Tyrone had a complete malfunction in attack with five wides in six minutes that, even if some had gone over, would have kept them in some sort of contention.
Four of the starting six Tyrone forwards were taken off, which tells its own tale, but nothing exists in isolation: Darren McCurry was taken off after 48 minutes, his one effort drifting wide, but that ignores the superb discipline of his marker Jason Foley, who was on his toes throughout.
All round the pitch, it was a similar story. Darragh Canavan and Matthew Donnelly held their end up, but Tyrone ended the day looking as if they lack a physical presence as a figurehead up top.
Kerry went in at the break a goal ahead. Around the half-hour mark, it appeared they were going to disappear altogether after a Matthew Donnelly shot was blocked down by Dylan Casey.
Kerry turned that possession into a goal. Brian Ó Beaglaoich was afforded too much space down the Cusack Stand wing and David Clifford’s movement stole a few yards off his marker Paudie Hampsey. With Niall Morgan advancing, two Tyrone defenders made for the line but Clifford potted his shot in the corner before waving his arms in jubilation and a rally cry for the Kingdom support.
They will look at the scores they left behind. Clifford himself hit the post and sent one wide from two-point efforts while Sean O’Shea also hit the post twice, one of them a two-point attempt.
Tyrone had opened much brighter. Kerry’s first four kickouts were gobbled up by Tyrone hands and with that supply, they moved 0-4 to 0-1 in the lead with Ciaran Daly responsible for two of them. In that period, Tyrone also had a goal chance that Shane Ryan produced a strong hand to keep out.
Later on, Eoin McElholm – in his first senior championship start – had another goal chance when he nabbed a shot Ryan kickout but left empty-handed.
Once Kerry settled, they had two goal chances for David Clifford. Much is made of his shooting ability but little about his sheer pace, and Hampsey was finding the going difficult once the Fossa man got his gallop up.
But they ate into the Tyrone lead and Clifford put them level in the 20th minute with a two-pointer.
The half ended with a buzzer-beater from Mattie Donnelly, his second score of the day after his first was a half-chance for goal that he opted to shoot over.
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While Tyrone opened the second half brightly, Darragh Canavan grabbing a point and a two-pointer in the first three minutes, Kerry completely took over.
You could point to seven Kerry goal chances, some of which they just kicked over the crossbar, but they also found Niall Morgan in superb form, in particular to cut out a square pass from Sean O’Shea to set up a back-post palm in.
With Tyrone in meltdown, Kerry eased home and had time to get some Croke Park minutes into the returning Tony Brosnan, who came on for Paudie Clifford.
A seventh All-Ireland final for Jack O’Connor awaits.
Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 1-9 (4f, 1x 2point), Sean O’Shea 0-3 (2f), Killian Spillane, Joe O’Connor, Paudie Clifford 0-2 each, Graham O’Sullivan and Dylan Geaney 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tyrone: Darragh Canavan 0-7 (2f, 1 x 2point), Matthew Donnelly, Ciaran Daly, Seanie O’Donnell 0-2 each, Kieran McGeary, Eoin McElholm, Mark Bradley, Ruairí Canavan 0-1 each.
Kerry
1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)
2. Paul Murphy (Rathmore) 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue) 4. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks)
5. Brian ÓBeaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht) 6. Mike Breen (Beaufort) 7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes)
8. Séan O’Brien (Beaufort) 9. Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks)
22. Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes) 11. Sean O’Shea (Kenmare) 12. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid)
13. David Clifford (Fossa) 21. Paudie Clifford (Fossa) 15. Dylan Geaney (Dingle)
Subs:
17. Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for Dylan Geaney (48m)
18. Evan Looney (Dr Crokes) for Casey (59m)
10. Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes) for O’Brien (62m)
24. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe) for Breen (62m)
26. Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes) for Paudie Clifford (65m)
Tyrone
1. Niall Morgan (Edendork)
2. Cormac Quinn (Errigal Ciaran) 3. Pádraig Hampsey (Coalisland) 4. Niall Devlin (Coalisland)
5. Peter Teague (Dromore) 21. Ben McDonnell (Errigal Ciaran) 7. Kieran McGeary (Pomeroy)
8. Brian Kennedy (Derrylaughan) 9. Conn Kilpatrick (Edendork)
10. Seánie O’Donnell (Trillick) 14. Matthew Donnelly (Trillick) 12. Ciarán Daly (Trillick)
13. Darren McCurry (Edendork) 24. Eoin McElholm (Loughmacrory) 15. Darragh Canavan (Errigal Ciaran)
Subs:
20. Michael McKernan (Coalisland) for McDonnell (48m)
25. Mark Bradley (Killyclogher) for McCurry (48m)
11. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran) for Daly (52m)
26. Ruairí Canavan (Errigal Ciaran) for McElholm (56m)
22. Michael O’Neill (Ardboe) for O’Donnell (67m)
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
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