Kerry back in All-Ireland minor football final, Tyrone earn impressive win over Roscommon

KERRY ARE back in the All-Ireland minor football final for the first time since their five-in-a-row golden era in the middle of the last decade, but the Kingdom will have it all to do when they take on a Tyrone side that registered yet another impressive victory, sweeping aside an unbeaten Roscommon team by 2-12 to 1-8 at Kingspan Breffni.

Despite some heavy rain showers at the Cavan venue in the first half, these two sides produced some excellent football, with Roscommon taking a three-point lead after a superb goal from Seamus Hussey in the 25th minute.

With the diagonal breeze set to favour the Connacht champions after the break, hopes were high among the large travelling contingent that they might be poised to reach a first final since 2006, and to potentially extend their record as the only team with a perfect record in finals (4-0).

But two goals within 90 seconds just before the interval from Joel Kerr and Peter Colton flipped the script, leaving Tyrone 2-6 to 1-5 in front at the turnaround.

That allowed Tyrone to use their physical power and defensive superiority to squeeze the life out of Roscommon in the second half.

The Rossies were energised when, with regular ‘keeper Cian Trimble off the field on a black card, attacker Dean Casey stepped into the posts to save a Joel Kerr penalty, and points from Luke Shally and Christopher Feerick in the immediate aftermath reduced the gap to four points.

Eoin Long, Thomas Meenan and Cathal Farley kicked the points to see Tyrone home, however.

There was much more drama in Ennis, where a late, late two-pointer from Ben Kelliher clinched a 1-19 to 3-10 win for Kerry over Mayo.

Mayo welcomed back midfielder Cian May to their side after he missed their quarter-final win over Offaly, and he proved his worth with an excellent run and finish for an early goal. Mayo still led by the minimum at half-time after Maidhc Ó Sé’s goal was cancelled out by a Dara Flanagan penalty.

Early two pointers from Kelliher and Kevin Griffin (two) after half-time pushed the Kingdom five points clear, but Mayo had another surge, and an Oran Murphy goal in between a run of three points in succession put their noses back in front.

Ben Holmes looked like he might have kicked the winner for the Westerners in the first minute of stoppage time, but Kerry found the finish they needed through Gearód White, Nick Lacey and Kelliher to snatch their win, ending a run of four years in a row without a Munster team in the decider.

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