Munster U20 Football Championship: Clare 0-5 Kerry 1-13
A much more potent Kerry ran out deserving winners in this opening game of the Munster U20 Phase Two series.
Clare’s failure to utilise a gale force wind in the opening half proved fatal, with the disappointing element being the failure to have learned from a similar shortcoming in their Phase One loss to Tipperary.
An early Kerry goal through Charlie Keating gave them the perfect start, but Clare fought back well to see the sides level at the break on a 0-5 to 1-2 score line.
Darren Keane (2), Conor Fennell, Daire Culligan and Tom Curran all landed scores for play in the opening half.
The frustrating element was that when Clare pushed up on Kerry and played the game on the front foot, it reaped rewards and put the Kingdom back line under real pressure. This didn’t happen on a regular enough basis though, with Clare opting to go laterally rather than direct on too many occasions.
The difference in approach was evident in the third quarter of the contest, as Kerry used the wind to devastating effect by transitioning from defence to attack through the foot and at speed.
Cormac Dillon account for 0-7 of Kerry’s tally on the night and was razor sharp in front of the posts, while team captain Rob Stack was also influential in the middle third.
Clare now face a must win game away to Tipperary to keep their hopes of reaching the final alive, ahead of a closing tie against Cork in Pairc ui Chaoimh.