It was far from a vintage performance by the Kingdom despite the fifteen-point winning margin as they shot thirteen wides (in addition to dropping three short) against Colm O’Rourke’s Meath.
Then again, Jack O’Connor’s men never really had to get out of second gear to dispose of a relatively tame Meath challenge in front of 8,224 patrons in Páirc Tailteann.
Even Kerry top-scorer David Clifford, despite shooting 2-2, didn’t seem to really over-extend himself, not getting on the scoreboard until the opening goal, which swiftly undercut any Meath notions of a revival after they shot the opening two scores of the second half.
Central to that opening goal – and to the Kerry victory writ large – was Joe O’Connor who put in a storming display around the middle, turning over the ball and setting the move in train, which resulted in Gavin White and Tom O’Sullivan assisting Clifford for the finish.
It was a much-needed moment of quality in a game that was sometimes lacking it. The first half certainly didn’t catch fire in any meaningful way. Whatever chance there was for a competitive game to break out was undermined by Meath’s ceaseless profligacy in front of the sticks.
Come the half-time break the Royals had missed 11 chances, scoring just three for a 22% conversion rate and that, remember, was with the breeze at their backs.
Faced with that the Kingdom never really had to get out of second gear in order to open out a seven-point advantage at the break and that was without either Clifford brother scoring, and with the back six outscoring the front six.
Indeed, the attacking forays of Corca Dhuibhne duo Tom O’Sullivan and Brian Ó Beaglaoich provided most of the entertainment factor in what was a fairly low-key opening thirty five minutes.
O’Sullivan shot a pair of first half points, and An Ghaeltacht’s Ó Beaglaoich managed the hat trick, three points from three shots at the posts from the impressive half-back.
At the end of the opening quarter Kerry were three clear – 0-4 to 0-1 – and, while Eoghan Freyne did well (shooting three points from four first half chances) to keep Meath just about ticking over, their wastefulness (eight wides and three dropped short) cost them dearly as the Kingdom added another six scores to half-time to lead 0-10 to 0-3.
The Royals started the second half with scores from Seán Coffey and Mathew Costello before Clifford’s goal put a cap on it, 1-10 to 0-5. From there to the finish Kerry outscored Meath 1-8 to 0-4 as both managers ran the benches.
Notably Jack O’Connor kept his powder dry, not springing the three first-teamers who missed out on this game, instead opting to give game time to the likes of Killian Spillane (who shot a mark) and up-and-comer Dylan Geaney.
Then, just as the clock ticked into time added on, David Clifford struck for his second, a move involving brother Paudie (unusually subdued), Seán O’Shea, and Spillane. Clifford’s effort dribbled over the line to complete the rout.
SCORERS – Meath: E Freyne 0-4 (2f), M Costello 0-2 (1f), S Coffey 0-1, J O’Connor 0-1, C Caulfield 0-1 Kerry: D Clifford 2-2 (1f), B Ó Beaglaoich 0-3, S O’Shea 0-3 (1f, 1 ‘46) T O’Sullivan 0-2, T Brosnan 0-2, D O’Connor 0-1, J O’Connor 0-1, P Geaney 0-1, D Moynihan 0-1, K Spillane 0-1 (1m), P Clifford 0-1
MEATH: B Hogan, D Keogan, A O’Neill, R Ryan, B O’Halloran, D Campion, S Coffey, C Gray, C Hickey, C Caulfield, C O’Sullivan, M Murphy, S Ryan, M Costello, E Frayne Subs: R Jones for C Gray, half-time, J Morris for M Murphy, half-time, J O’Connor for C O’Sullivan, 46, C McBride for S Coffey, 53, R Ryan for D Campion (inj), 57
KERRY: S Ryan, D Casey, J Foley, T O’Sullivan, B Ó Beaglaoich, M Breen, G White, D O’Connor, J O’Connor, T Brosnan, P Clifford, C Burke, D Clifford, S O’Shea, P Geaney Subs: D Moynihan for C Burke, 49, K Spillane for P Geaney, 54, D Geaney for T Brosnan, 54, A Spillane for D O’Connor, 60, S O’Brien for M Breen, 60
REFEREE: L Devenney (Mayo)
