Kerry -v- Tipperary – Round 1

Venue: John Mitchels GAA Complex Tralee, 1st March. Throw in: 1:30pm 

The Kerry Minor ladies embark on their Munster Championship journey with a home game against Tipperary at John Mitchels GAA.

The Munster Minor Championship consists of 3 teams that play at A level with Kerry and Tipperary joined by Cork in a round robin format. The team that finishes top of their group will automatically make the final, but there is another bite at the cherry for the second and third placed teams as they will meet in a semi final.

The team with momentum always has a distinct advantage though, and Kerry will be hoping to start their campaign with a win next Sunday. When these two teams met at U/14 and U/16 level there was never more than a kick of a ball between them so Kerry can expect a tough battle once more. The kingdom defeated the premier county by 3-9 to 2-5 in the 2018 Munster U/16 final, but it took a last minute goal to put a gloss on the scoreline as Tipperary pushed them to the pin of their collar.

Tipperary will be backboned by Caitlin Kennedy, Ava Fennessy, Ellen Moore, and Emer McCarthy, who are also currently on the county’s senior panel. Tipperary ladies football is going through a golden era at the moment with a huge amount of work going on at schools level. It’s strength can be seen in the fact that Loreto Clonmel will contest the Munster Senior Schools A finalwhilst Presentation Fethard have already secured the C Munster title.

On the other hand, Kerry minor manager Rory Kilgallen can call on a very experienced squad to do battle with the Premier county. The bulk of his successful U/16 squad remain involved, and Ava Doherty, Danielle O’Leary, Ella Teahan and Ciara Butler have lined out with the Kerry senior squad this year. Kilgallen can also call upon former Munster young player of the year Siofra O’Shea, and the Irish basketball international is sure to play an important role in the side.

Overall, Kerry look to have the strength in depth and should be able to overcome the first hurdle. Tipperary will have huge ambition of causing an upset though and won’t fear the Kerry challenge. It should be a ding dong affair.