Kerry fail to convince in landing Munster title

An 11th Munster Senior Football crown in the last 12 seasons was Kerry's reward for a gritty away display in front of 12,059 in Cusack Park, Ennis.

Leading by four by half-time and nine by the hour mark, the Kingdom were never in danger of letting slip their fourth successive provincial title but were certainly tested far more by the Banner this time around.

A commanding 14-point victory in the TUS Gaelic Grounds last summer was halved but considering that Clare had only ten survirors from the 20 players that contested the 2023 decider in contrast to 17 from Kerry, it was an admirable performance from the hosts who did create a major goal chance either side of half-time to alter the narrative.

The opening quarter proved a cagey seesaw battle as the hosts cancelled out the three-in-a-row champions on three occasions.

Kerry did carve out a glorious goal chance in the seventh minute when Tony Brosnan and Sean O’Shea combined to tee up the unmarked Joe O’Connor at the back post. However, his point blank shot was excellently smothered by goalkeeper Stephen Ryan much to the relief of the sizeable home crowd.

A four point injection in just three minutes through the Clifford brothers Paudie (2) and David along with chief marksman Sean O’Shea entering the second quarter provided the cushion to cling to for the remainder of the half as while Clare eat into that deficit four more times mainly through the inspiration of Dermot Coughlan and Emmet McMahon’s frees, the visitors were able to keep them at arm’s length to go in 0-11 to 0-07 in front by the break.

Thoughts that the Banner were happy to contain the perennial provincial superpowers were rubbished by Dermot Coughlan’s shot that was tipped away by goalkeeper Shane Murphy just before