Kerry won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship for the 36th time with a 0-16 to 1-9 win over Cork at Croke Park on Sunday. (writes our sports correspondent)
Cork raced into an early lead, as a 10th minute goal from Colm O’Neill put the Munster men 1-3 to 0-1 in front.
Kerry moved ahead at 0-8 to 1-4 and led 0-11 to 1-6 at half-time.
The Kingdom controlled a low-scoring second half, scoring 0-5 to Cork’s 0-3, and captain Darren O’Sullivan collected the Sam Maguire Cup after the game.
Donncha O’Connor scored the opening point of the game with a free but Tadhg Kennelly replied with a point for Kerry.
O’Neill and Paddy Kelly knocked over points for Cork and then O’Neill found the back of the Kerry net for the only goal of the match.
Colm Cooper landed two frees, with O’Connor replying with a free for Cork, then Tommy Walsh landed two points and Cooper one to bring Kerry to within a point.
A Declan O’Sullivan point brought the sides level and points from Cooper and Kennelly nudged Jack O’Connor’s side in front.
Daniel Goulding and Tomas O Se traded points but Cooper and Goulding frees put Kerry two points ahead at the interval.
Cooper began the second half by knocking over his sixth free of the match and a Daniel O’Sullivan point extended the advantage.
Diarmuid Murphy made a crucial save to deny Goulding but three consecutive points from O’Connor, and Goulding with two, gave Cork some hope.
Tommy Walsh got in on the act with two points and O Se landed another point to see Kerry home.
Cork kicked a high number of wides throughout the match.
Cork: Quirke, Carey, Shields, Lynch, Miskella, Canty, O’Leary, A O’Connor, Murphy, Kelly (0-1), P O’Neill, Kerrigan, Goulding (0-4), C O’Neill (1-1), D O’Connor (0-3).
Kerry: D Murphy, M O Se, Griffin, T O’Sullivan, T O Se (0-2), McCarthy, Young, D O Se, Scanlon, Galvin, Declan O’Sullivan (0-1), Kennelly (0-2), Cooper (0-6), Walsh (0-4), Darren O’Sullivan (0-1).
* The site of a large, white limousine slowly traversing the narrow, winding boreens of Knocknaboul early last Sunday morning, caused much comment among the local populace, with some people wondering if Bill Clinton was paying us another visit, while others speculated that perhaps government minister, John O’Donoghue, was returning from yet another junket and had taken a wrong turn on his way home to Cahersiveen!
In fact the white limo had been hired by a bunch of intrepid Kerry football fans from Abbeyfeale to take them to see their heroes in action in Croke Park later that afternoon – the so-called “Kerry Wannabies.”
And Kerry football fans passed in convoy through the town very early on Sunday morning on their way to Croke Park for the All Ireland final. They returned in jubilant mood later that night with green and gold flags waving and car-horns blaring following their team’s thrilling win over Cork.
And greetings to Timmy and Theresa Dee who were home from New York for a couple of weeks. Timmy is rumoured to have landed a massive gamble on a local horse in Listowel and is now negotiating the purchase of a top-class greyhound to run in Clonmel. And greetings to another Abbeyfeale man in the Big Apple, Mikey Mahony, who also has an intended runner in Clonmel next March.
New York must be a great place altogether for the greyhounds!
BOOK; “One More For The Road!”, a new publication by local writer, Raymond Fennelly, is now on sale with proceeds going to St Ita’s Day Care Centre. The book costs €10 and is available from Ann Lyons, The Square; Batt Harnett, The Square; Thomas Mann’s, Church Street; Kathleen’s Foodstore, Convent Street; Dan Harnett, Killarney Road; Sean Broderick, New Street, and Jack O’Rourke’s Bar, The Square; Doyle’s, Killarney Road. Phone 087-6444974 for further details.
RACE NIGHT; A charity race night in aid of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin will be held in Jack O’Rourke’s Bar, Abbeyfeale on next Friday night, 25th September at 9pm. Spot prizes include Heineken Cup stand tickets for Thomond Park. New Munster jersey signed by first team squad. Limerick football jersey signed by senior squad.. Kerry football jersey signed by senior squad. Everyone welcome, so please come along and support this worthy cause.
BLOOD; A blood donor clinic will be held in the Fr. Casey G.A.A. Pavilion, Abbeyfeale on Monday, September 28th and 29th next from 6- 9 pm each day.
KNOCK; The Legion of Mary will travel to Knock on Sunday, September 27th. Contact Peg on 31232 to reserve your seat
DANCE; The Limerick Association London Dinner Dance will take place on Friday, October 9th at St Augustine’s Catholic Club in Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6. The guest band for the event will be the very highly acclaimed “KIM’S PEOPLE” from Galbally, Co. Limerick. Tickets are currently available at £25.00 for a great evening’s entertainment For Further information and ticket enquiries please contact association secretary John Giltenan on 0044 7956855957 or send any enquiries to www.treatygaels.com
GOLF; The next outing of Abbeyfeale Golfing Society is the annual weekend away. This year the venue is Dromoland Castle Golf Club on Sat.26th and Sun 27th September. Tee-Times will be available on our website; www.abbeyfealegofingsociety. com from Thursday 24th. Committee meeting Wed. 23rd in Jim Lane’s at 9pm. Well done to Liam McAuliffe and Noel O Hanlon on winning the outings to Ballyneety and Charleville. Abbeyfeale Golfing Society would like to extend its sympathy to the Mullins and Fitzgerald families on their recent bereavements.
GAA; Fr Casey’s play Pallasgreen on next Sunday 27th September in Kilmallock at 4.30pm in the senior county semi-final.
SOCCER; Abbeyfeale Utd A were beaten 4-1 by Askeaton on Sunday.