10-02-2013
Kerry 0-04
Dublin
1-11
 |
| Dublin's Craig Dias wheels away in celebration after scoring only goal of game in Fitzgerald Stadium |
Where to go from here
for Kerry manager Eamon Fitzmaurice?
They say that a week
is a long time in politics but it certainly is a long time in the week of an inter
county manager. As New Year’s
resolutions were made and broken in turn in early January, an experimental
Kerry side had cruised to victory in the McGrath Cup and all seemed rosy in the
garden. However, February has now
brought some harsh realities and in the space of seven days the rookie Kerry
manager has seen the second half capitulation in McHale Park against Mayo
followed by the heartbreak of All Ireland Intermediate Club Championship defeat
to Fr Rocks, Cookstown and today another substandard performance and a
resounding home defeat to a very energetic and well drilled Dublin side.
The excuses from the
Mayo defeat were that the managers hands were tied due to injuries and players
unavailability but these do not carry much weight after this chastening defeat as
the visitors were also blooding a number of young players and they seemed to step
up to the plate with a lot more vigour.
And a statistic that will have a lot of Kerry supporters sitting uneasy
is that between the 42 minutes that they failed to score in McHale Park last
week and the first 22 minutes of this game, they went over an hour of
competitive action without registering a score.
We also have to go back to April 1989 for the last time that Kerry only
managed 4 points in a competitive game.
Worrying indeed!
The home side made one
change to the team selected with Knocknagoshel’s James Walsh coming in for Bryan Sheehan at midfield to
make his senior competitive debut while the visitors made three changes with
Cian O’Sullivan coming in for Emmet O’Conghaile at midfield, Ciaran Reddin for
Paddy Quinn at wing forward and Thomas Brady replacing Philip Ryan at corner
forward.
Kerry started the game
playing with the aid of a very strong wind and moved Aidan O’Mahoney out to
marshal Diarmuid Connolly while Killian Young took up man marking duties on
Paddy Andrews. The away side started the
brighter and with their strong running and direct style of play they wasted no
time in testing the confidence and resolve of the much changed home team.
The ever dangerous
Bernard Brogan opened the scoring from play in the 6th minute and
even at this juncture his marker Marc O’Se knew that he would be in for a
difficult afternoon. The home side had
still not created a scoring chance by the 10th minute and when
Diarmuid Connolly was fouled by Aidan O’Mahoney in the 13th minute,
Brogan converted to give the visitors a 0-2 to 0-0 lead.
The resultant kick out
by Brendan Kealy was poor and summed up Kerry’s laboured play at this stage and
Dublin gleefully mopped up and full forward Paddy Andrews extended their
lead. Andrews was causing Killian Young
all sorts of problems at this stage and he extended their lead to 0-4 to 0-0 in
the 14th minute.
The frustration in the
Kerry forward line with the quality of ball being delivered and the tight
marking of the Dublin defenders was summed up by James O’Donoghue in the 16th
minute with a needless trip on his marker as another attempted pass skidded out
over the sideline.
Brogan converted two
more frees to extend Dublin’s lead to 0-6 to 0-0 by the 19th minute
after fouls on Connolly and Andrews. The
Kerry half forwards were coming deeper and deeper at this stage in search of
possession but this was making it more difficult for them to get quality ball
in to their inside forward line. The
hard working Paddy Curtin did manage to shake off Rory O’Carroll in the 22nd
minute and opened Kerry’s account with a point from play.
But Brogan was not letting
up and after a beautiful score off his left foot in the 23rd minute
he followed it up with an equally impressive effort off his weaker right foot
two minutes later to extend Dublin’s lead to 0-8 to 0-1 by the 27th
minute.
As he has done so many times in the past
centre back Tomas O’Se showed his forwards the way with a fisted point in the
29th minute after a trademark bursting run and the home supporters
hoped that this score would lift their team before the half time break. However, it was the visitors once more who
had the Kingdom defence in all sorts of trouble and Paddy Andrews shot was well
saved by Kealy with an unmarked Brogan furious that he did not get the pass as
the open goal was gaping. The score
remained then at 0-8 to 0-2 in Dublin’s favour at the half time whistle.
The rain was starting
to come down heavy at the start of the second half and Kerry were looking for a
quick start in order to work their way back in to the game. However, the raggidness of their play was
summed up again just after the restart when a sideline ball by James O’Donoghue
was taken from inside the line and referee David Goldrick had no choice but to
hop the ball.
The home side’s level
of performance had improved but when their forwards were winning ball they had
very few options to release the ball to and they were finding themselves
swallowed up by the Dublin defenders. The Kerry manager introduced Kieran Donaghy
and Declan O’Sullivan in the 43rd minute to add strength and penetration
through the middle for the home side.
However, it was
Andrews again who showed great strength himself in the 43rd minute
when he shook of Young once more and kicked over to extend Dublin’s lead to 0-9
to 0-2. Kerry responded with two
converted frees by James O’Donoghue and Michael O’Donoghue after fouls on
Darren O’Sullivan and Tomas O’Se who was continuing to give everything for the
cause.
Substitute Philip Ryan
converted after a foul on him by Crowley before the first controversial moment of
the game in the 56th minute when Dublin midfielder Michael Daragh
MCauley was involved in an off the ball incident with Donaghy, and after
consulting with his umpires, referee David Coldrick issued him with a straight
red card while Donaghy could count himself fortunate only to receive a yellow.
With the home fans now
expecting a reaction from their side, unfortunately it not happen, and the game
was well and truly closed out in the 62nd minute, when, after wing
back Jonathon Lyne failed to pick up cleanly, the ever alert Brogan picked up
and found substitute Craig Dias in space and he smashed the ball to the net
leaving keeper Kealy with no chance.
Dublin’s lead had now been extended to 1-10 to 0-4.
Kerry were a well
beaten docket at this stage and it could have been even more embarrassing for
them in the final minutes with a further goal chance for Brogan which was well
saved again by Kealy. Brogan’s industry
and work rate was rewarded however shortly after when he chased down a further
ball in to the corner, turned his marker and curled over what would be the
final score with his right foot.
The game finished up
with Dublin playing the ball around their defence to the cheers and delight of
their supporters and to the embarrassment of the home support, and I’m sure players,
to give Dublin a well deserved 1-11 to 0-4 win.
Dublin manager Jim
Gavin will be delighted with this victory on the road, especially in a very
competitive division in the league this year.
His younger players are integrating well with the more established guys
and their direct approach with fast ball in to their forward line reaped rich
dividends. Cian O’Sullivan at midfield
was a deserving Man of the Match with his overall work rate and ability to
bring his teammates in to the game and he was ably assisted by Brogan with his
7 point haul and full forward Paddy Andrews whose strength and ball winning
ability caused Killian Young no end of problems. The only concern was the injury to Diarmuid
Connolly which the management team will hope is not too serious.
For Eamon Fitzmaurice,
this was another tough pill to swallow and he will be the first to know that
there is a lot of hard work ahead. With
away games to come against Kildare, Tyrone and Donegal, mention of the word
crisis and relegation are unfortunately a reality but hopefully they will bring
about a response from this group of players.
Aidan O’Mahoney and Tomas O’Se could not be faulted as ever in defence,
Anthony Maher had a ding dong battle with Michael Darragh McAuley, while James
Walsh had a baptism of fire against Cian O’Sullivan but hopefully he will have
many better days. The half forward line
was again a big issue with Darren O’Sullivan’s peripheral involvement a cause
for concern. Paddy Curtin worked hard in
the inside forward line but once again any time he won possession he seemed to
be crowded out by defenders and had few options available around him.
Kerry now travel to
Kildare in three weeks time in desperate need of points to get on the board
while Dublin welcome Mayo to Croke Park where they will attempt to keep their
100% record so far intact.
Teams and Scorers:
Kerry: B. Kealy, M. O’Se, A. O’Mahoney, P. Crowley, J. Lyne, Tomas O’Se (1 pt),
K. Young, A. Maher (c), J. Walsh, M. Geaney, Darren O’Sullivan, M. O’Donoghue
(1 free), J. O’Donoghue (1 free), P. Curtin (1 pt), B.J. Keane
Replacements: K. Donaghy
(for J. Walsh 43 mins), Declan O’Sullivan (for B.J. Keane 43 mins), B. Sheehan
(for M. Geaney 53 mins), B.J. Walsh (for M. O’Donoghue 53 mins), C. Cox (for P.
Curtin 67 mins)
Dublin: S. Cluxton (c), J. Cooper, R. O’Carroll, K. O’Brien, D. Daly, G.
Brennan, J. McCaffrey, M.D. McAuley, C. O’Sullivan, P. Flynn, D. Connolly, C.
Reddin, T. Brady, P. Andrews (3 pts), B. Brogan (7 pts, 3 frees)
Replacements: P. Ryan (for D. Connolly 25 mins)(1 free), C.
Dias (for C. Reddin H/T)(1 gl), D. Nelson (for D. Daly 48 mins), D. O’Mahoney
(for P. Ryan 63 mins), P. Quinn (for P. Flynn 67 mins)
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)
Man of the Match: Cian O’Sullivan, Dublin
One to Watch: Johnny McCaffrey, Dublin
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