Kerry Does Just Enough

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Irish Voice Sport

Kerry Does Just Enough

July 2, 2008

NY GAA by Eugene Kyne

Kerry 1-9 St. Barnabas 1-8

KERRY were hot favorites to win this Senior A game, but they had to work very hard as St. Barnabas put up a gallant effort in the narrow loss.

The game itself was pretty even for the hour, but Kerry’s Steve Kavanagh proved himself to be the difference between the sides. His pace and accuracy gave Barnabas headaches through the match.

Barnabas and Kerry had a point each to start the game before the Saints got the start they needed when Darren Pettit got a touch to a free that went all the way to the net to give them an early one goal lead.

Kerry hit back with points from Kavanagh again and Dermie Foley. A point from a free by Bingo Driscoll was sandwiched by two fine points from play by Ronan Garvey, back in the Barnabas lineout after missing the last three games.

A fast Kavanagh showed the Barnabas defense a clean pair of heels as he notched his second point. Barnabas replied with a point from a fifty by Alan O’Hara.

Both sides failed to score for the rest of the first period as defenses held firm. At the break Barnabas were ahead by 1-4 to 0-5.

An unnecessary free by Kerry to start the second half gave Brendan Moran the simple task of pointing the close in free that followed. Moran followed two minutes later with a nice point from play as Barnabas went further in front.

Kerry answered when Driscoll dropped a ball into the Barnabas’ goal mouth, and Vinny Gavin did very well to hold off his marker and fire home a goal. Foley followed with a point and Kerry was on a roll as the game was now tied.

Kerry were quickly back in attack, and Kavanagh had a goal at his mercy, but Barnabas keeper Barry Lynch pulled off a great save and the ball was cleared. Kavanagh made amends a few minutes later with a lovely point from play to put Kerry ahead with 15 minutes gone.

Kerry lost Ross Donovan to a red card, but Kavanagh proved an able replacement with placed balls.

Kavanagh had another point from play that was matched by a similar point by Pettit. Barnabas was level with 10 minutes left after Declan Garvey hit a brilliant point from play after a great solo run.

Another Kavanagh free put Kerry ahead again with four minutes left. Kerry were awarded a late penalty as the buzzer went, and the penalty kick came back off the post to leave Kerry winners by one point.

Kavanagh was man of the match as he scored some lovely points from play and from frees after Donovan went off. Declan Griffin, Vinny Gavin and Dermie Foley were others to catch the eye.

For Barnabas, the Garvey brothers, Ray Keenan, Barry Lynch and Brendan Moran were best.

Kerry: Shane Clifford, Eoghan O’Mahoney, Darren Walsh, Enda Lally, Neil Corbett, Anthony Glacken, Collie Fearon, Dave McSweeney, Declan Griffin, Steve Kavanagh, Ross Donovan, Darren Walsh, Vinny Gavin, Bingo Driscoll, Dermie Foley.

St. Barnabas: Barry Lynch, Brian Montgomery, Andrew O’Donoghue, Neil Considine, Owen O’Brien, Declan Garvey, Ray Keenan, Ronan Garvey, Alan O’Hara, Ciaran Moyles, Thomas McGovern, Owen Meaney, Sean Carbin, Darren Pettit, Brendan Moran.

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