Galway minors too strong for Kerry

Galway turned on the style to beat Kerry by 2-14 to 0-17 in an entertaining All-Ireland MFC semi-final at Croke Park.

The winners hit the net twice in a blistering first-half minute and turned the screw in the second half after turning around level at the break.

Kerry dominated large periods of the first half and registered eleven scores but were only level at the interval after Galway grabbed two goals inside a minute to stay in touch at the short whistle: 0-11 to 2-5.

Damien Reddington and Conor Doherty had Galway two points to the good inside as many minutes and Michael Martin floated over a free to stretch their lead in the third minute. Eoin Kennedy opened Kerry’s account after superb play from full forward Barry John Walsh, who rose majestically to catch the only ball that came near him in the first ten minutes.

The Connacht champions had three bad wides before Walsh boomed over two wonderful points from play – off either foot – to level the scores on twelve minutes. Kennedy fired the Kingdom ahead for the first time after sloppy Galway defending and Walsh took his next point from a free to make it 0-5 to 0-3.

Centre forward Tommy Walsh closed the gap from a free but Colm O’Shea replied instantly for Kerry following more good work from their highly influential No.14. Kennedy put three between them in the 21st minute, demonstrating great resilience to hold off his marker before clipping an impressive point.

Galway were level on 25 minutes when Tommy Walsh slammed home a goal out of the blue. A poor free wasn’t dealt with by the Kerry defence and the ball worked its way to the No.11 who drove an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net.

Amazingly, Tuam Stars clubman Doherty followed up with a second goal inside a minute to put the Maroons three points ahead. But the Kingdom refused to accept that they were beaten and they were quickly back within a point thanks to scores from midfielder Johnny Buckley and BJ Walsh. Martin slotted over a Galway score and it was 2-5 to 0-9 in Galway’s favour with two minutes left in the first half.

Kerry’s forty yards man O’Shea curled over a fantastic point in the 30th minute and Kennedy tapped over an injury-time free to level the scores at the interval.

Martin popped over a straightforward free to put Galway back in front in the 33rd minute and Paul Conroy stretched their advantage but Kerry were soon level thanks to a brace of frees from the unerring Barry John Walsh.

Conroy and Wayne Gutherie swapped points before substitute Eoin O’Mahony put Galway back ahead at the start of the final quarter. But O’Shea’s third point – the best of the match – soon had the sides level. Reddington then clipped over his second point and Galway led by 2-10 to 0-15 with 48 minutes played.

John O’Brien fisted a point eight minutes from time and Gutherie did likewise to put three points between the sides with six minutes remaining. Barry John Walsh closed the gap from a 56th-minute free but Galway substitute Justin Burke was on target two minutes later.

Martin kicked the insurance point a minute from time and Barry John Walsh’s fierce late free went over for a point via the crossbar. But it was too late as Alan Mulholland’s charges held on and deservedly progressed to the All-Ireland final.