Kerry Put On Late Show To Sink Tipp Challenge

Kerry produced a blistering final 14 minutes to eventually kill off Tipperary's brave challenge by 2-18 to 2-6 in a competitive GAA Football Munster Senior Championship clash at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Sunday.

Kerry will now face their great rivals Cork, whom they beat in last year's All-Ireland final, in the Munster semi-finals on June 6 after delivering an emphatic statement of intent following a difficult winter in the south west. Much of what was to admire in Kerry's performance may have come in junk time at the end of the game, but they proved that it will take a very good team to wrestle Sam Maguire from them this year.

Tipperary, who on this evidence could do some damage later in the year, will go into the draw for the first round of the Qualifiers on the weekend of June 26-27 with the knowledge that they stayed with Kerry for 56 minutes. Kerry were just three points to the good after Barry Grogan's goal had brought

Tipperary right back into the game in the 52nd minute, but Bryan Sheehan's point two minutes later started a spell in which Jack O'Connor's men kicked 1-6 without reply to ensure an ultimately emphatic win.

Sheehan, the Kerry captain, whose ability to deliver at this level has been frequently called into question, gave an emphatic answer to his critics by claiming a personal haul of 2-5, including a 65th minute goal that truly ended the game as a contest. He might have had a hat-trick had his 15th minute goal not been ruled out by the referee, who penalised Donaghy for a fouled hand pass in the build up.   

However, most of the plaudits will go to Kerry's full-forward Kieran Donaghy, who gave an incredible exhibition in the art of high fielding. Tipperary boss John Evans would later compare his ability under the high ball to those of a gazelle, as the former basketball star set up countless scores for his team-mates in the inside forward line.

"I looked at Donaghy climbing and climbing in the air. He must have been ... if you played it back he was like a gazelle, a gazelle, he is just wonderful to look at," Evans gushed.

Donaghy's supreme moment came when he made an incredible catch to set up Kerry's second goal, rising above Tipperary full-back Ciaran McDonald, before feeding Sheehan who drilled the ball home. Donaghy, who had a hand in at least eight of Kerry's scores, shone throughout the game and gave McDonald a tortuous time on the edge of square.

But the All-Ireland champions didn't have it all their own way for three-quarters of the game, and led only by 0-8 to 1-4 at the break.

Tipperary's first half goal came from the boot of Philip Austin in the seventh minute. Mike McCarthy, the Kerry centre-back, had moved up the field to join the attack, but when the move broke down the Kilcummin man was AWOL, and Hugh Coghlan fed the ball to Austin, who fired a brilliant shot across the body of Brendan Kealy, the Kerry goalkeeper, and into the far corner of the net.

Peter Acheson took advantage of the space behind the Kerry half-back line to give the Premier men a 1-2 to 0-2 lead after 11 minutes.

However, Kerry showed their mettle by kicking three points without reply in a fine, four-minute spell. Paul Galvin, who had a quiet game by his standards, landed a point off his right hand side, while Cooper once again profited from Donaghy's proficiency under the high ball to kick his third point of the half, levelling the game at 0-5 to 1-2.

Kerry had a massive surfeit of possession around the middle of the field, but Tipperary had wisely lined out with extra defensive cover, and the All-Ireland champions were frequently forced sideways in pursuit of space. Brian Mulvihill took advantage to put Tipperary into the lead in the 32nd minute, but Sheehan and Galvin added scores just before the break to leave Kerry in the ascendancy.

Grogan leveled the game after the restart, taking advantage of some sloppy play between Seamus Scanlon and the strangely off colour Tom O'Sullivan to intercept an errant pass and pop the ball over the bar.

However, Tipperary slowly wilted under intense Kerry pressure as Cooper, Sheehan and the excellent Donncha Walsh sent the Kingdom into a 0-12 to 1-6 lead by the 44th minute.

The killer score, which came in the 47th minute, was gravely unfortunate on Tipperary's Coghlan, who prevented McCarthy's fisted effort from going over the bar, but inadvertently deflected it into Donaghy's path. Donaghy failed to get a solid connection with his goal bound punch, which fell kindly for Sheehan, who drilled a low shot past Fitzgerald.

Kerry led by 1-12 to 1-6 and the script dictated that Tipperary would roll over and have their tummy tickled. However, the home side were far from done and Acheson brought a great save out of Kealy after a shot from a tight angle. A minute later, Kealy was beaten, when Robbie Cositgan floated a high ball into the square and Grogan beat the Kerry goalkeeper to the punch to leave them just 1-12 to 2-6 in arrears. Game on.

However, Tipperary failed to score again and Kerry flexed their muscles in an awesome attacking display over the final 14 minutes. Sheehan started the purple patch with a successful '45 in the 56th minute. The St Mary's man then added a monster score from play before BJ Keane underlined Kerry's strength in depth by kicking two points after coming on as a sub.

Keane then turned provider as his high ball found Donaghy who fed Sheehan and the Kerry skipper hit the back of the net. Game over.

Grogan was sent off in injury time after a high challenge on Adrian O'Connell saw him issued with a second yellow card.