Heartache as Galway juniors denied by late Kerry penalty

Galway 2-11

BY DARAGH SMALL

GALWAY came within minutes of their first All-Ireland Junior football title since 1985, but 15 wides cost them dearly as Niall Ó Sé’s late penalty secured a four-in-a-row for Kerry at Cusack Park in Ennis.

The Tribesmen have dominated across both codes in multiple age grades and levels down through the years, but victories in the junior football championship continue to be sparse. The only successes at All-Ireland level came way back in 1931, ’58 and ’65 before their 4-17 to 0-4 win over Warwickshire 33 years ago.

But Matt Duggan’s side came so close to knocking a dominant Kerry off their throne in a thriller played in the blistering sun on Saturday. Padraic Cunningham and Jonathan Ryan scored goals in either half but it wouldn’t be enough.

Galway claimed the Connacht title after a narrow 1-11 to 1-10 victory over Mayo at MacHale Park, but their subsequent 2-22 to 2-8 semi-final win against Kilkenny was hardly the best preparation for this colossal ask.

Kerry have won 18 junior All-Ireland titles, and this was their fifth final in-a-row after losing the 2014 decider to Cavan, before they put Mayo to the sword twice and then Meath last year.

Kerry had to come back from the death for a 2-14 to 1-15 success in their Munster final against Cork. And their 2-17 to 1-14 victory over Kildare pointed towards another strong offering in the 2018 final.

Kerry captain Kieran Murphy opted to play against the breeze in the first half, and Galway scored first through a Jonathan Ryan free. But it wasn’t long until Kerry were in the ascendency and they exacted maximum damage while they had it.

Ó Sé pointed in the fifth minute, as did Lee O’Donoghue two minutes later. Galway goalkeeper Maghus Breathnach was having difficulty finding his men off the kicking tee and the subsequent kick-out led to Kerry’s first goal.

David Clifford’s older brother Paudie had been prominent early on, and he latched onto the misplaced pass. He burst through the heart of the Galway defence and finished low past Breathnach for a 1-2 to 0-1 advantage.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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