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N.Y. GAA Kerry gains Div. II football final

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Mike Fitzpatrick

Kerry 3-24, Longford 0-12

Due to the varying degrees of success different sides in Division II football had experienced this season, and a four-way draw made last Sunday, Longford and Kerry, the top two teams in the division, met in the semifinal rather than the season’s second division showcase. The end result being that Big Paddy Kearney’s princes from the Kingdom will advance to meet either Sligo or Offaly. Kerry gave the kind of footballing display to send shudders across the senior football world in New York. Big guns such as Leitrim, Donegal and Tyrone, though all confident of their own hopes in the championship, will not be taking this second division side lightly.

The tie opened with import John Crowley and the inspirational Darren Reddy hitting a couple of efforts over the bar for Kerry, and an early goal from Crowley gave the Longford side a little catching up to do. Kevin Lilly and Pauric Davis hit eight points between them to come right back into the game, but more accurate efforts from the hugely impressive Crowley, New York All Star Willie O’Donnell and Dave McCarthy gave Kerry a decent seven-point lead going into the second half.

The second period opened with Longford desperately attempting to mark the Kerry forward line, but their efforts were much in vain. Half forward Bingo Driscoll hit a rich scoring vein and knocked four efforts over the bar, and although Crowley hadn’t as much freedom in the second half, he still managed to score a fabulous thunderbolt of a goal and another couple of points to increase his side’s dominance.

The second half was all Kerry. Although on Longford’s few forays forward they hit points thanks to Jack Lynn, Davis and one from the combative Dessie McGoldrick, the superlative performances of Kerry backs Paddy Connor, Niall Sugrue and Paul Galvin prevented too much counterattacking occurring.

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Midway through the half, Kerry stepped up a gear or two and went rampantly charging towards goal in search of further scores, as if to send out a warning to the top sides in senior football. A complete performance such as this is rarely seen at Gaelic Park, and all credit must go to this side. From Robbie Dowd in goal through the aforementioned full backs, through their midfield to the forward line, Kerry have the talent and strengt in depth to go a long way this year.

Introducing Seamus Harkan late in the game proved to the crowd at Gaelic Park that this side can afford to leave such talent on the bench. Harkan came on to score Kerry’s third goal and following some late points from Dave McCarthy, Bingo and Paddy Connor, left Gaelic Park with heads held high, and hearts pumped with pride. Longford will be obviously disappointed. They have proved time and time again that they were one to watch this season, but faced with a side as strong as this Kingdom side, it’s unlikely that any team could have done much better. Look out, Donegal.

Kerry: Robbie Dowd, Niall Sugrue, Paul Galvin, Paul Dillon, Paddy Connor (0-1), Johnny Driscoll, Peter Riney, Willie O’Donnell (0-2), Seamus Moynihan (0-1), Mike Carmody (0-1), Darren Reddy (0-3), Bingo Driscoll (0-4), Dave McCarthy (0-5), John Crowley (2-7), John Sexton. Subs: Louis Holland, Seamus Harkan (1-0), Paudi Mulvihill

Longford: Ollie Murphy, Alan Bracken, Brendan Lennon, Declan Humphreys, Sessie McGoldrick, Dermot Harrington, Tom Bermingham, Mike Bishop, Brian O’Connor, Colm Hannify, Pauric Davis (0-4), Kevin Lilly (0-5), Jack Lynn (0-2), David Hannify. Sub: Mikey Sheridan.

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