Kerry 2-11 -v- Galway 0-12
By DAN KEARNEY at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
Hannah O’Donoghue came off the bench and struck for 1-2 as champions Kerry were made to fight all the way by Galway at Fitzgerald Stadium in this Lidl NFL Division 1 contest.
Kerry’s win propels them to the Lidl NFL Division 1 final for the second year in a row where they will defend the title they claimed in 2023 against Armagh on April 7 at Croke Park.
Dublin’s dismantling of Armagh on Saturday meant that Kerry knew that only a win would do against a Galway side that will now go face Waterford in their refixed tie to see who will stay up in Division 1.
Kerry started in whirlwind fashion and found themselves 1-3 to 0-1 ahead after 14 minutes. Niamh Carmody got the home side off the mark in the second minute but Roisin Leonard equalised three minutes later with a brilliant free off the ground from 40 metres.
Kerry struck for a fortunate goal when Danielle O’Leary looked to be shooting for a point but it dipped into the top corner of Dearbhla Gower’s net. Lorraine Scanlon pointed from the kick out and the lively Katie Brosnan popped over another to push Kerry 1-3 to 0-1 ahead.
From there on Galway started to take control of the half and they struck for four points on the bounce as they attacked Kerry in waves. Indeed, they may have had a goal in the 28th minute but for a last ditch block by Kayleigh Cronin on Emma Reaney.
Roisin Leonard pointed another free from the ground, Emma Reaney, excellent in the Galway forward line hit a brace, and then Aoife
O’Riordan struck on the stroke of half time to leave the visitors just one in arrears, 1-3 to 0-5, at the break.
Substitute Niamh Ní Chonchúir and Roisin Leonard (free) traded scores at the start of the second half before Shauna Hynes gave Galway the lead for the first time in the game two minutes later.
Kerry awoke from their slumber and hit three on the trot thanks to two Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh frees and a monster effort from Anna Galvin to push the hosts 1-7 to 0-8 ahead in the 42nd minute of what was turning into an absorbing contest.
Leonard struck another free for the visitors and Emma Reaney with her third from play but then came Kerry’s second goal when Ní Chonchúir fed O’Donoghue who finished expertly to the back of the net.
Both sides exchanged scores near the finish, including two from the excellent O’Donoghue, and Kerry had done enough to book a final date in Croke Park in a couple of weeks.
Scorers –Kerry: Hannah O’Donoghue 1-2, D O’Leary 1-0, N Ní Chonchúir 0-2, N Carmody 0-2 L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 0-2f, K Brosnan 0-1, A Galvin 0-1, L Scanlon 0-1.
Galway: R Leonard 0-4f, E Reaney 0-3, S Hynes 0-2, A O’Rourke 0-1, O Divilly 0-1, C Miskell 0-1.
Kerry: M.E. Bolger; K O’Sullivan, E Lynch, C Murphy; A O’Connell, K Cronin, C McCarthy; M O’Connell, A Galvin; N Carmody, D O’Leary, L Scanlon; K Brosnan, E Dineen, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh. Subs: N Ní Chonchir for Dineen (25), A Harrington for Brosnan, C Lynch for McCarthy, D Kearney for O’Sullivan (all half-time), H O’Donoghue for O’Leary (46), A Dillane for Harrington (58), E O’Connor for Carmody (63).
Galway: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ní Loingsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, N Ward, A Ni Cheallaigh; M Glynn, A Davoren; O Divilly, S Hynes, E Reaney; L Coen, A O’Rourke, R Leonard. Subs: A Trill for A O’Rourke (45), C Miskell for Reaney (50), M Banek for Ní Cheallaigh (54), N Divilly for Hynes (58).
Referee: Patrick Smith (Waterford).
Photo’s by Darren Halpin