For Louth they will take some positives after this game enough go at Kerry, safe in the knowledge coming into the game that they would still be playing Championship football next weekend.
The key, surely, for Ger Brennan’s side was not to take a hiding of that 2023 proportion, which could have bumped them down to third place in the group and send them ‘away’ for their preliminary quarter-final.
As it is, they just about stayed ahead of Monaghan with a marginally better scoring difference and will have ‘home’ advantage next week, albeit they will have to go to neutral territory with Ardee not suitable to host.
From Kerry’s point of view, this was a more than decent test – for the first-half at least – and one that they might well be grateful for heading to Croke Park and whatever the quarter-finals throw at them in a fortnight.
Unlike their previous Group 4 games against Monaghan and Meath, the outcomes of which were bagged and tagged by half time, this contest at a well-attended O’Moore Park in Portlaoise was very much a going concern at the interval.
Kerry led by five at the turnaround, 0-13 to 1-5, but there was much in Louth’s first half performance to suggest they were in this one for the full 70. As it turned out, Louth’s energy tapered off considerably in the second period, with the reality of a knock-out game next weekend surely a factor in that.
Joe O’Connor, Sean O’Shea and Tony Brosnan scored early points for Kerry but then the Munster champions were rocked back on their heels in the seventh minute when Louth corner back Donal McKenny stole a march on everyone to steal inside and gather possession from Conor Grimes’s high dropping ball.
Getting away from Tadhg Morley, goalkeeper Shane Ryan had a nibble, but McKenny managed to poke in an equalising goal.
The goal energised a Louth team that was intent on taking the game to Kerry anyway, it seemed, with the Leinster finalists set on defending deep and in numbers but prepared to counter-attack quickly and to commit enough players forward to create overlaps.
Kerry were happy enough to sit and absorb the pressure, counter-attack quickly themselves and pick off the points. It all fed into a well-contested and open first half, with Kerry easing into that five-point lead at the break thanks to scores from defenders Brian Ó Beaglaioch (2) and Paul Murphy, David Clifford with four (three frees), Paudie Clifford with two and Diarmuid O’Connor.
Louth got second quarter points from Craig Lennon, Ciarán Byrne, Conor Grimes, Sam Mulroy (free) and Bevan Duffy but their industry and effervescence going forward wasn’t rewarded enough with their final pass and shot execution.
Sean O’Shea and David Clifford points extended Kerry’s lead soon after the restart – in between which Craig Lennon butchered a great goal chance from 10 metres in front of goal when played through by Ciaran Keenan.
Ten minutes later, in the 47th minute, Kerry were a little more clinical, with Diarmuid O’Connor mopping up for a goal after Niall McDonnell had saved Jason Foley’s close-range shot, as Kerry moved 10 clear, 1-17 to 1-7.
Tempered flared straight after the goal, referee Conor Lane issuing five yellow cards to the instigators and retaliators, but the game had moved beyond a proper contest by then,
Keenan wasted another Louth goal chance in the 55th minute, blazing his shot over the bar to make it 1-18 to 1-9.
Seven minutes later Sean O’Shea set up Paudie Clifford for Kerry’s second goal to ice the win for the Kingdom, with Louth a little anxious now over scoring difference, with Monaghan beating Meath.
In the end, Kerry ease through to the quarter-finals, and Louth finish second to avoid that ‘away’ preliminary. Everyone leaving Portlaoise happy enough, one imagines.
Scorers – Kerry: D Clifford 0-7 (5f), P Clifford 1-2, D O’Connor 1-1, B Ó Beaglaíoch 0-3, J O’Connor 0-2, S O’Shea 0-2 (1f), P Murphy 0-1, T O’Sullivan 0-1, T Brosnan 0-1, D Moynihan 0-1. Louth: S Mulroy 0-3 (2f), D McKenny 1-0, C Grimes 0-2, C Lennon 0-1, B Duffy 0-1, P Mathews 0-1, C Keenan 0-1, C Byrne 0-1.
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Tadhg Morley Gavin White; Diarmuid O’Connor, Joe O’Connor; Tony Brosnan, Paudie Clifford, Dara Moynihan; David Clifford, Sean O’Shea, Paul Geaney. Subs: Cillian Burke for T Brosnan (55), Killian Spillane for P Geaney (55), Dylan Casey for J Foley (67), Mike Breen for T Morley (67), Barry Dan O’Sullivan for J O’Connor (67).
Louth: Niall McDonnell, Donal McKenny, Dan Corcoran, Dermot Campbell, Conall McKeever, Anthony Williams, Craig Lennon, Tommy Durnin, Bevan Duffy, Paul Mathews, Ciaran Keenan, Conor Grimes, Ryan Burns, Sam Mulroy, Ciarán Byrne. Subs: Leonard Grey for C Lennon (50), Conor Early for P Mathews (52), Tom Jackson for R Burns (60), Liam Jackson for C Byrne (67), Peter McStravick for B Duffy (67).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
