Irish Sport 1

Bloodless victory for Cork

Cork 3-23
Waterford 0-4
by Michael Ellard
CORK'S winning streak continued unabated at Fraher Field, Dungarvan, yesterday, when the recently crowned National League champions pulverised hapless Waterford in the first round of the Bank of Ireland Munster senior football championship.
In what can only be adequately described as a monumental bore, Waterford served as mere cannon-fodder for a Cork side oozing with class, confidence and conviction. After Philip Clifford and Mark O'Sullivan accurately converted two early frees for Cork, this championship pipe-opener turned into one long, dreary funeral procession for a completely outplayed Waterford side that managed to score just once in the second half — a point from a free, kicked by St Augustine's College student, Garry Hurney, two minutes from the end of normal time.
Waterford were unlucky not to have goaled 13 minutes earlier, when a fine effort by full-forward Martin Power came back off the butt of the upright.
The gulf in standards that existed between the two sides, one that had won the League and the other, who had failed to win a match in Division 2 B in the pennant competition, was alarming in the extreme and one must seriously question the wisdom of allowing Waterford to compete at this level in the immediate future, at least. This was indeed a galling and most humiliating experience for a Waterford side, that found itself seriously out of its depth. Their 28-points defeat spoke volumes for their inability to compete with a Cork side that totally controlled the match from start to finish. And it came as no surprise when a mass exodus towards the exit gates commenced a quarter-of-an-hour before the end.
A finely-tuned Cork side, allowed acres of room in which to manoeuvre in, and to express themselves forcefully, played some delightful football and were way out of sight of Waterford from a very early stage.
After Waterford, favoured by a strong breeze, clawed back a point, when full-forward Martin Power scored in the 11th minute, Cork went on the rampage. Completely dominant in every sector Cork blew Waterford's tissue-like challenge aside and once Damien O'Neill, brilliantly found his feet in his new full forward position, this game as a contest died a horrible death. O'Neill, who finished the game with a grand total of 1-5, revelled in his new role after a rather hesitant start, and this was possibly the biggest plus factor as far as the Reds were concerned on this occasion.
Powering forward at the rate of knots, Cork ran Waterford ragged as they scorched into a seven-point lead before a bemused Waterford side scored their second point in the 24th minute, courtesy again of Martin Power. At this stage it was noticeable that Cork had taken their foot off the pedal and were content to go in at half-time leading by 0-9 to 0-3.
A Waterford side, routed in the first half, were completely over-run after the resumption, when Cork, magnificently spearheaded by their outstanding half-back-line of Ciaran O'Sullivan, Ronan McCarthy and Martin Cronin, and the irresistible Joe Kavanagh on the forty, turned on the power.
In a devastating scoring blitz, which yielded four points in as many minutes, Cork buried any slight hope of a Waterford resurgence after the break, and if the League champions had capitalised to the full on all the opportunities they created for themselves that final tale, sad and all as it was for the home side, would have been much more sorrowful in the end.
Cork kicked 10 wides in the second half, yet succeeded in scoring 3 goals and 14 points, a graphic illustration of their complete supremacy over a totally dismayed Waterford.
To compound an afternoon of great anguish for Waterford, referee Aidan Mangan from Kerry, showed the red card to Decies full-back George Walsh, after he was deemed to have committed a second bookable offence in the 40th minute, at a stage when Cork were leading by 0-14 to 0-3.
It was harsh punishment for Walsh, by a referee, who yellow-carded six other players and was most inconsistent in his overall handling of the game, which was played all through in an exemplary sporting fashion.
Taking full advantage of their numerical superiority, Cork, 16-points to the good, really went to town on Waterford in the closing stages and three goals from Mark O'Sullivan, Damien O'Neill and Aidan Dorgan brought the curtain down gloriously on a runaway Cork success.
Scorers — Cork: D. O'Neill 1-5; Mark O'Sullivan 1-4 (0-3 from frees); A. Dorgan 1-2; J. Kavanagh 0-5 (0-2 from frees); P. Clifford 0-4 (0-4 from frees); C. O'Sullivan 0-2; D. Davis 0-1.
Waterford: M. Power 0-2; R. Power and G. Hurney (free) 0-1 each.
CORK: K. O'Dwyer; M. O'Donovan, S. óg O´ h-Ailpin, A. Lynch; C. O'Sullivan, R. McCarthy, M. Cronin; N. Murphy, Michael O'Sullivan; A. Dorgan, J. Kavanagh, D. Davis; P. Clifford, D. O'Neill, Mark O'Sullivan. Subs. F. Collins for Murphy; A. O'Regan for Clifford; J. Miskella for Ciaran O'Sullivan.
WATERFORD: C. Cotter; J. Crotty, G. Walsh, M. Kiely; C. Whelan, L. Hurney, L. Dalton; A. Aherne, W. Kavanagh; M. O'Brien, R. Power, C. Keane; G. Hurney, M. Power, M. Downey. Subs. E. Hartery for O'Brien; J. McMahon for Downey.
Referee: A. Mangan.

Tipp cause not helped by the goal that wasn't

Kerry 1-11
Tipperary 0-8
by Jim O'Sullivan
ONCE again, one of the football minnows ended up on the wrong side of a controversy in the Bank of Ireland championship, except that in yesterday's Munster first-round game in Tralee it had nothing to do with the rules.
Champions Kerry won the first-half of the contest as a result of an 8th-minute goal from newcomer Gerard Murphy, which TV pictures showed was not legitimately awarded. More pertinently, in spite of missing two penalties they survived a second-half challenge from a Tipperary side, which, to put it mildly, was highly motivated. That was principally because they showed character, and better finishing, at the stage of the game when the pressure was at its most intense.
At the time that Murphy goaled, there was a furious reaction from the Tipperary backs and 'keeper Philly Ryan. From spectators, there was the suspicion that it was a square goal, but it only emerged at half-time that the RTE camera at that end of the field showed the ball came back into Murphy's hands off a stanchion to the side of the net. After referee Michael Collins from Cork confirmed the score following consultation with two umpires, the Tipperary manger Colm Browne was seen to vent his anger— to the umpire on whose side the ball went outside the post, and who was seen on television to duck when the ball was kicked.
Viewed over the 70 minutes, it wasn't a game that Kerry exactly covered themselves in glory. Nevertheless, considering that in some quarters there was genuine concern that they might lose to Tipperary (for the first time since 1928), there was much to admire in the way the players approached the task from the beginning. Including that goal, they had opened up a six-point lead by the 12th minute. It was notable that replacement full-forward Aodán MacGearailt (standing in for Liam Hassett, ruled out with a thigh muscle problem), made headway at full-forward on a regular basis, that the midfielders (with a confident Dara O´ Sé showing the way) quickly got on top and that the backs were very much in control. In particular, Killian Burns in the left corner and Tomás O´ Sé at right-half, were excelling.
Tipperary took some time to come to terms with their difficulties, particularly in defence. The Kerry forwards, as a group, showed a much greater facility to make space and, invariably, they had time on the ball. In contrast, the Tippp attack found itself frequently closed down. It was symbolised in the way that team captain Declan Browne was well policed by Michael McCarthy. Significantly, while Browne got the team's opening score, from a 5th minute free and always represented a serious threat, he was to be uncharacteristically wasteful in his kicking. By the end he had accumulated eight wides, from play, frees and a fifty, and it gravely undermined their challenge.
However, Kerry were not without their problems in this regard and also wasted chances through poor finishing. Six wides by the 25th minute testified to this and, added to the fact that the Tipperary backs had tightened up and that midfielders Derry Foley and John Costelloe had come much more into the game, they struggled for scores at stages. Tipperary were also a bit more forceful in attack, represented in the main by Peter Lambert's crafty play, the persistent efforts of Seán Maher and Davy Hogan's hard work. The net effect was that at the interval Kerry had only a five-point advantage, 1-6 to 0-3.
While Tipperary made their protest to the Munster chairman Seán Kelly and he in turn spoke to the referee, there was even speculation that the Tipperary team would not resume for the second half. However, after a delay of a few minutes they appeared and clearly incensed by what had happened, proceeded to convert it to positive effort on the field. The consequence was that they virtually controlled the game for about 20 minutes — aided, enormously, it would have to be admitted, by Kerry penalty misses in the 47th minute (when Maurice Fitzgerald's kick was saved) and the 50th minute (when Dara O´ Cinnéide hit harmlessly wide).
At stages, Kerry enjoyed more possession in attack, but, a series of attacks were repulsed. It was also noteworthy that in the same period Browne kicked three wides. But, he still put over one free and got a very good score from play after a marvellous Lambert point. And, when he pointed another free in the 58th minute, the margin was down to a mere two points.
However, that was the nearest Tipp came to possibly earning the draw which would have been regarded as a fair outcome in the prevailing circumstances. Fitzgerald, who came in for some rough treatment a few times, kicked over Kerry's first score of the half four minutes later and, with just one in reply, was followed four others which left them more convincing winners.
Overall, Michael Collins did an excellent job of refereeing. He noted the numbers of 12 players for non-serious fouls, issued six yellow cards and one red. While he wasn't a 100% consistent in this regard, he applied the rules as he was meant to!
Scorers: Kerry - M. Fitzgerald 0-4 (0-3 frees); G. Murphy 1-0; A. MacGearailt 0-3; D. O´ Sé, N. Kennelly, J. McGlynn and Billy O'Shea 0-1 each.
Tipperary: D. Browne 0-4 (0-3 frees); P. Lambert 0-2; S. Maher and D. Byrne 0-1 each.
KERRY: D. O'Keeffe; M. McCarthy, Barry O'Shea, K. Burns; T. O´ Sé, S. Moynihan (capt.), E. Breen; D. O´ Sé, D. Daly; J. McGlynn, N. Kennelly, D. O´ Cinnéide; G. Murphy, A. MacGearailt, M. Fitzgerald. Subs: Billy O'Shea for McGlynn (54th minute); B. Clarke for Murphy (59th).
TIPPERARY: P. Ryan; C. O'Dwyer, N. Kelly, L. Cronin; B. Hahessy, S. Collum, D. Byrne; J. Costello, D. Foley; S. Maher, D. Horgan, D. Lyons; M. Sheahan, P. Lambert, D. Browne (capt.). Sub: C. O'Shea for Sheahan (41st minute); J. Williams for Lyons (66th).
Referee: M. Collins (Cork).

Tipp camp convinced it wasn't a goal

by Diarmuid O'Flynn
THE upset in the Tipperary camp following the 'goal' incident was clearly evident both during and after yesterday's controversial game in Tralee.
At half-time, Tipp keeper Philly Ryan galloped half the length of the field to continue his earlier remonstrations with referee Michael Collins from Cork, while Tipperary Football Board Chairman Michael Frawley engaged Munster Council Chairman Sean Kelly (a Kerryman, as it happens), in earnest conversation.
Afterwards, outside a locked Tipp dressing-room, in an emotional statement, a visibly disturbed Mr Frawley told us the content of that conversation.
"I made a protest to the Munster chairman (Sean Kelly) at half-time, in relation to the goal that was scored in the first half," he stated, slowly and deliberately.
"I indicated that it was an official protest on behalf of the team and officials. We'll be convening a meeting of the Tipperary County Board on the matter, and beyond that, I'm saying no more."
One man who did have a lot to say however, was Tipperary selector Colm O'Flaherty: "This kind of thing always seems to happen when we got close to the Kerry and Cork sides," he fumed, "and it's been happening for ages. Whenever we get close to them, the same thing keeps happening. I mean, that was an absolute disgrace.
"Everyone could see that hit the back stanchion, and it turned the game. If we had gone in at half-time three points down, it would have been a different game. We kept Kerry scoreless for I don't know how long, maybe twenty minutes in the second half, and if we'd had those three points, it would have been a different game. But that will always happen to Tipperary and the weaker counties."
At half-time, because Tipperary were late coming back onto the pitch, the rumours were flying that they weren't going to re-appear. Not so, said Colm: "We did approach the referee at half-time, to make an official protest, but not taking the field for the second half was never on the cards."
However, angry and all as he was, Colm didn't feel there was anything sinister in what happened: "I don't think it's a conspiracy", he accepted, "but it's just that these things happen, and they always seem to happen to the weaker counties. It never happens the other way round. And that's a fact going back fifty years."
In the Kerry dressing-room, however, Kerry star Seamus Moynihan didn't quite agree that all the breaks go the way of Kerry, and he didn't have to go back fifty years: "I really don't know about the goal", he said, "some people are saying it was wide, but I was talking to someone from Tipperary who said it was a goal.
"Really, I couldn't tell you, you just play to the referee's whistle. But we lost an All-Ireland semi-final last year with a fair goal disallowed, you know. But that's football, it comes and goes, and it was just our luck it came with us today.
"But having said that, it's not a nice feeling for any team to win with getting an unfair goal, and we wouldn't like that happening to us.
"But we have to play on with the game."
You would imagine that one man who should know whether or not it was a goal, was the man who scored it, championship debutante Gerry Murphy. But the stocky Rathmore-man claims he has no idea one way or the other. "Ah a clean goal like!", he laughs, initially, "I can't say otherwise, can I?" But then he gets serious: "Maurice broke the ball down to me, and it all happened so fast. It hit some post and came back out to me, and I just hit it into the net. I just hit the shot, got the goal, and it was allowed.
"That's all I can do. Obviously, they (Tipp) thought it was wide, but sure, you take everything that's going for you." So, he had done his job, and, "and 'twas up to them (the officials) after that!" He laughs again. Well he might - what an impact on your debut!
One man who wasn't laughing was Tipperary full-back Niall Kelly. "The ball was miles wide for the goal," he claimed, emphatically, "the umpire was too afraid to say it. He didn't know how to react, he was in two minds. He did the first thing that came into his mind, he just raised the green flag.
"He was just too afraid to say, it was miles wide. It nearly hit me coming back - it had to be wide. At half-time, we knew the goal had had a big impact on the game, but at the same time, we were only a few points down, and we knew Kerry hadn't played fantastic.
"We talked about maybe not going out, but we said it wouldn't be in our best interests not to, so we said we'd go out and give it a hell of a go. But the kicks weren't going right up front for us."
Last word went to disappointed Tipperary coach Colm Browne. "Quite clearly, it wasn't a goal, and I could see that from where I stood, on the sideline and 70 yards away. It was obvious the ball had gone wide. And it did, without a shadow of a doubt, affect the course of the game, because a goal in gaelic football is a huge score, especially when you're playing against the breeze, as we were in the first half, and struggling to stay in the game.
"It's one thing to have Kerry make a goal, it's another to have it handed to them. There's no doubt whatsoever that it does change the way you play the game. You come under even more pressure, having conceded that advantage.
"There was a stage in the second half where we were only two points behind Kerry, with only about twelve minutes to go. Clearly, the net effect of that goal was that we should have been a point up at that stage."
He dismissed the argument that, because Kerry won by more than 1-3, the disputed goal didn't matter: "That makes no difference. When you're chasing the game, it changes the way you have to play. As I say, with twelve minutes to go, we should have been one point up. It has more of an affect than just three points, especially in gaelic football."

Kerry express genuine relief

by Diarmuid O'Flynn
CONTROVERSY apart, there was genuine relief in the Kerry dressing-room following yesterday's hard-earned victory.
Coach Paidi O'Sé first briefly referred to the incident: "I'm delighted to get today's game out of the way," he said, with a wipe of the brow; "unfortunately there was a share of controversy with the goal. I didn't see it, I saw the ball going into the net, the second effort, alright. But it was an incident we could have done without."
Then, he went on to discuss what many people seemed to have forgotten, the game overall: "We won the game by six points, missed two penalties," he summarised; "I felt we were the better team on the day. Any time Tipperary really threatened, I thought we were well able to close them down, particularly Michael McCarthy and Barry Shea. They were superb.
"We were very conscious coming into this year that we needed to get our defence going again, and we have to be very satisfied with the way they played today."
The two O'Sé nephews, Darragh and Tomás, had done well, it was ventured: "They weren't too bad now," conceded uncle, grudgingly, "but there's a long year there yet! Tomás did quite well in the first half, he did," and then, enough of that: "But we're just delighted to get this victory. And there's one thing sure, and very sure - we're going to have a right tough game in Killarney against Clare. And I feel that's going to be the toughest game Kerry are going to come across."
So, the days when Kerry didn't have to train 'til the Munster final are no longer with us?
"Oh God no, that's no longer the case, that's certainly not on anymore! You couldn't take anything from Tipperary there today. I would know a bit about Peter Lambert and Declan Browne, and indeed Derry Foley, from their involvement with Munster, and they're all top class players. But our fellas were really up for this game today."
Especially Seamus Moynihan, "Ah, Seamus Moynihan was Seamus Moynihan," said Paidi, and from the coach, that was tantamount to a book of praise, for his stand-in centre-back.
"We missed two penalties, but it shows our battling qualities that we still made it through to the next round," said that man himself; "The last time I saw that was Cork, when they missed two against Kerry in '92. It's very bad for the morale, and definitely put us under pressure, but we just knuckled down again. If they had got a couple more points, it could have put us under real pressure. But we held out to the end, without ever really playing brilliantly."
Michael McCarthy was the man given the enormous task of trying to curb Tipp dangerman Declan Browne, and he did a magnificent job. "I didn't have any problems getting into the swing of the game," he said quietly; "I think I got the first ball, but Declan got a lot of ball too. He was a bit unlucky, I thought, on another day, he might have ended up with about eight points."
Had that master man-marker, Paidi, given him any special instructions on what to do? "Anyone going out marking him is told the same thing, I'd say 'just stick with him, keep him under pressure when he's kicking.' You're not going to win every ball against Declan Browne, so you just try your best to keep him under pressure."
Displaying a feisty appetite for the fray, especially in the middle of the second-half, when the going was toughest, was veteran corner-forward Maurice Fitzgerald. However, one of the two missed Kerry penalties was taken by that same Maurice, and he explained what happened: "I struck it hard alright, but left it too close, and he pulled off a good save from it. It had power, but not far enough away from him really."
And the game? "It was a hard game, but first round games are now a really difficult hurdle to overcome, and we're very happy to come out of it really, with a win. "We dug deep when things started to go against us towards the middle of the second-half, and we'll take a lot of encouragement from that."
Kerry fans will also take encouragement from the fact that Maurice is back taking the frees again, and though one or two were missed, there were also a couple of classic long-range missiles, one in particular, from a 45 (disputed). Fitzgerald also scored the last two Kerry points of the game, one of which was also strongly disputed by Tipperary.
"We were fired up for this game, we've trained very hard for it," he said, with a steely glint; "As everyone knows, we've had some very close encounters with Tipperary over the past four years, so we knew it wasn't going to be soft, or anything like it. We're very happy to come out on the right side of it. But we know also the disappointment they're feeling."

Council to look into stanchions removal

by Tony Leen
MUNSTER Council chairman Sean Kelly pledged last night to look at the possible removal of all back and side goalpost stanchions after another GAA Championship controversy yesterday.
Mr Kelly was speaking after officials awarded Kerry a first half goal in their Munster Championship game in Tralee — even though TV evidence conclusively proved that Jerry Murphy's effort was wide.
The Council chairman said that he would be immediately investigating the possibility of ensuring that all major grounds were fitted with goalposts and nets only. That would mean removing all support stanchions which were central to yesterday's row.
"There was a similar incident involving the Limerick minor team last year when they had a perfectly good goal which was not given. This is becoming embarrassing for the GAA," he said.
Tipperary County Board will decide this week whether to lodge a formal protest against the controversial goal, which swung the game in the Kingdom's favour, according to Tipp selectors.
After the red card fiasco in Carlow, Tralee should have offered a gentle introduction yesterday for RTE's Summer of Sundays. However, Murphy's "goal", a half time protest, talk of a second half Tipp boycott Tipperary, a sending off, and two missed penalties later, officials were again referring to rules and regulations.
Kerry ultimately won the game by six points — 1-11 to 0-8 — a not inconsequential fact when the Munster Council get around to investigating Tipperary's complaint.
Television evidence clearly displayed that their case is a good one — even those involved in the Kerry dressing room were privately prepared to admit that Murphy's goal was illegally awarded.
Captain Seamus Moynihan said the situation was unfortunate, but ultimately it was a referee's call.
"Of course you feel sorry for Tipp, but it was one of those things. We thought we had a good goal taken from us in the All Ireland semi final last year," he said. What the Munster Council must decide is whether the umpiring error entitles Tipperary to a second game.
If Kerry were to magnanimously offer such a solution, it would ease the Council's plight.
However, that scenario is highly unlikely, given that the error had nothing to do with one of Paidi O'Sé's players.
Colm O'Flaherty, the Tipperary selector, believes in conspiracies against the weaker counties, and while his views are emotive and not based on fact, it would be hard to see Kerry emerging from such a probe without a replay in their possession.
The Tipperary selectors and officials moved quickly after the game to furnish a uniform view of matters. None of the players were allowed speak to the media Chairman of the football board Mick Frawley issued a carefully worded statement underlining that he had made an official half time protest over the goal to Sean Kelly, chairman of the Munster Council. The Board would meet this week to decide on further action, he said. Mr. Kelly revealed that he made known the Tipperary viewpoint to the referee and his umpires. "They stood over their decision, so that was it," he commented, adding that the council could not do anything until they receive the referee's report.
Ultimately, however, it is hard to see Tipperary winning a rematch, if only on the basis that the referee's decision is final.
The Munster Council will also be mindful that were they to grant a rematch, Kerry would immediately appeal the decision to a higher authority, namely the GAC.
The furore overshadowed most things, most prominent of which was a nervy, uninspiring Kerry display when they were put under a bit of pressure in the second half.
Those who had reservations about the Kerry side seemed misguided in the first twenty minutes. Kerry tore into their Championship season with the enthusiasm of novices.
It took a while to recognise that, in Championship terms, many of them were.
When Tipperary did offer resistance, it required the established players on the Kerry side to stamp their authority. Two missed penalties from Fitzgerald and O'Cinneide did not help, but Dara O'Sé and Donal Daly rose to the challenge in the final fifteen minutes.
Michael McCarthy came into his first Championship game with an assignment to neutralise the threat of Declan Browne.
Little wonder a relieved Paidi O'Sé was so effusive in his praise of Kerry's two man full back-line.
Tomas O'Sé and Aodhan MacGearailt also suffered the sobering experience of All Ireland defeat at the hands of Westmeath, but both made very positive contributions yesterday.
However one fact is irrefutable. While it was a brave Tipperary effort, it was hardly a frightening assignment for a Kerry side which surely sees itself as being strong All Ireland Championship contenders — irrespective of how many fresh faces were included.
And they did not have to counter the scoring threat of Browne, because for once the All Star left his shooting boots at home.

McGrath goal paves way
for victory in open, crisp game

Cork 2-17
Kilkenny 1-15
A DEFLECTED goal from Seánie McGrath in the 63rd minute put Cork on the road to victory over Kilkenny in this interesting senior hurling challenge at Thomastown, yesterday evening.
Kevin Murray crossed from the left and the ever-alert McGrath knocked the ball into the net from the edge of the square to put Cork 2-13 to 1-15 in front.
Almost immediately Brian Corcoran landed a huge point from an 80-yard free to extend the visitors' lead and Cork rounded off a good evening's work with two late points from Joe Deane to rap up victory in style.
Both sides used this match, which was a fundraiser for the Ollie Walsh Memorial Appeal, to get a good 70-minute game in the run-up to the championship.
It was informative for both sides, with Joe Deane and Seánie McGrath particularly bright in the Cork attack, while John Power, on the strong showing here, has all but rapped up the centre-forward position on the Kilkenny team for the championship. The hurling was crisp and open throughout. The teams traded points early on, but then Kilkenny took up the running with a point from Henry Shefflin in the sixth minute.
They stayed in front until the 19th minute when a goal from Kevin Murray put Cork 1-4 to 0-7 ahead.
Kilkenny passed their opponents when Henry Shefflin goaled in the 23rd minute. Twice, subsequently, the scores were level and it took a 34th minute point from the impressive Neil Ronan to give Cork an interval lead of 1-9 to 1-8.
The visitors improved their position with minor scores from Gerry O'Connor and Joe Deane immediately after the turn. Kilkenny chased hard and John Hoyne brought them back level at 1-13 each with nine minutes remaining.
Charlie Carter and Henry Shefflin had points for the Cats before McGrath's goal changed the direction of things and put Cork on the way to victory.
Scorers — Cork: J. Deane (0-9), S. McGrath (1-1), N. Ronan (0-3), K. Murray (1-0), B. Corcoran (0-2), M. Landers, G. O'Connor (0-1 each).
Kilkenny: H. Shefflin (1-5), C. Carter (0-7), D.J. Carey, J. Power, J. Hoyne (0-1 each).
CORK: D. O´g Cusack, F. Ryan, D. O'Sullivan, J. Browne, M. Landers, B. Corcoran, W. Sherlock, M. O'Connell, T. McCarthy, S. McGrath, R. Dwane, N. Ronan, G. O'Connor, K. Murray, J. Deane. Subs: P. Ryan for O'Connell (inj), D. Murphy for Landers, M. Prendergast for Sherlock.
KILKENNY: J. McGarry, J. Butler, C. Brennan, T. Hickey, P. Mullally, E. Kennedy, P. Barry, A. Comerford, D. Byrne, D.J. Carey, J. Power, P.J. Delaney, N. Moloney, H. Shefflin, C. Carter. Subs: M. Carey for McGarry, P. O'Neill for Kennedy, J. Hoyne for Power, P. Larkin for Byrne, L. Keoghan for Barry, S. Grehan for Comerford, K. O'Shea for Moloney.
Referee: D. Murphy (Wexford).

Jury still out on Tipp's
ability despite Kerry rout

Tipperary 4-29
Kerry 2-6
by Brendan Larkin
THE jury is still out on Tipperary senior hurlers despite this comprehensive victory over Kerry in the opening round of the Guinness Munster senior championship at Semple Stadium, Thurles, last Saturday night.
The scoreline might have been at least three goals greater but for a string of magnificent saves by Kerry goalkeeper John Healy, but even at that, there was none of the slick, fluent hurling one associates with the Premier County, and according to their coach Nicky English, the biggest examination of Tipperary hurling is yet to come.
"This was an awkward match for us in that we were always expected to win it, comfortably or otherwise, but both the result and the performance will have no bearing on what is around the corner on June 6 in Páirc Uí Chaoimh."
Tipperary looked very good at times on Saturday night, other times very ordinary.
The defence was decidedly shaky early on and they were grateful for the excellence of Liam Sheedy at left corner-back.
None of their three half-back were commanding figures, and the best that can be said about midfield is that they shared the exchanges with the Kerry duo. However, it was up front and, in particular, up the left flank that Tipperary really shone.
Brian O'Meara and John Leahy, who had swapped places from the throw-in, were in excellent form, while Paul Shelley, who finished with a personal tally of 2-2, was very unselfish in his play and created many scoring chances for his colleagues with some delightful passes.
Tommy Dunne, who came in for particular attention from the Kerry backs, knocked over seven points before he was eventually taken off as a precaution.
Liam Cahill promised more than he delivered, even though he register a goal and two points.
Declan Ryan chipped in with a goal and to points, the goal from a late penalty, but perhaps the most pleasing point English and his selectorial colleague can take from this match was the impressive display of Paul Kelly when he came on.
The Mullinahone youngster hit over four splendid points from play to stake a claim to a place on the starting 15 for the semi-final against Clare in two weeks' time.
"We got what we came for, which was the win," said Nicky English. "But we won't get carried away about the final result.
"The one thing that heartened me most was the good size crowd that turned out. There was six-and-a-half thousand at the match, most of them from Tipperary, which shows that they are finally getting behind the team, and that's very heartening.
"Kerry put it up to us, particularly in the first half.
"The best I can say about the match is that it was a good workout for us, but we must improve further. Our first touch wasn't great in some positions but we have two weeks to get it right," he said.
Despite playing against the wind in the opening half, Tipperary were quickly into their stride and were 1-6 to a point in front after just 13 minutes, the goal coming from Paul Shelley after Brian O'Meara picked him out with a great hand pass.
Kerry looked to be in for a drubbing, but after Brendan Cummins saved well from Brendan O'Sullivan, the Tipperary goalkeeper was beaten all ends up by Pádraig Collins after a great run.
That goal settled the visitors and while Paul Shelley cancelled that Kerry goal out with a like score a minute later, the Tipperary defence was coming under increasing pressure and was breached a second time in the 20th minute when John Joe Canty set Brendan O'Sullivan up for a peach of a goal, which left the home side 2-8 to 2-2 in front.
However, Tipperary always had the capacity to respond to the danger, and only a super save by John Healy at the expense of a point, denied Declan Ryan a goal a minute later. Healy denied Ryan and Brian O'Meara certain goals with two more brilliant saves before Ryan rattled the Kerry crossbar as Tipperary began to tighten the screw.
Half-time arrived with Tipperary 2-12 to 2-5 in front, and Kerry must have been quite pleased with their first-half efforts. The second half was an entirely different story for them, however.
Tommy Dunne stretched Tipp's lead before being taken off; George Frend came on for Conal Bonnar in the Tipp half-backline and Kerry lost the services of Tom Cronin for a second bookable offence. All that happened in the space of a couple of minutes, and the outcome was a foregone conclusion when Kerry were down to 14 men.
Scores came with monotonous regularity throughout the second half, and the only redeeming feature from a Kerry point of view was the excellence of goalkeeper John Healy, who kept the goal tally down to a respectable level, and denied Paul Shelley his hat-trick with one more magnificent save.
There was no doubting Tipperary's superiority, but as coach English said: "the biggest examination of our credentials has yet to come.
"Only time will tell if we are ready for it."
Kerry coach PJ O'Grady lauded his players for the effort they made.
"I couldn't ask for anything more from the lads. They kept plugging away to the final whistle, even though the game was long gone from them."
Scorers — Tipperary: P. Shelley 2-2; T. Dunne 0-7 (0-4 frees); J. Leahy 0-6 (0-2 frees); L. Cahill, D. Ryan 1-2 each; P. Kelly 0-4; B. O'Meara 0-3; C. Gleeson 0-2; E. Enright 0-1.
Kerry: P. Cronin, B. O'Sullivan 1-0 each; M. Slattery 0-3 (frees); T. Maunsell 0-3.
TIPPERARY: B. Cummins, D. Fahey, F. Heaney, L. Sheedy; C. bonnar, D. Kennedy, E. Corcoran; D. Carr, E. Enright; T. Dunne, D. Ryan, J. Leahy; L. Cahill, P. Shelley, B. O'Meara. Subs. P. Kelly for Dunne; G. Frend for Bonnar; C. Gleeson for Carr.
KERRY: J. Healy; T. Cronin, S. McIntyre, I. Brick; D. Slattery, M. McCarthy, W. J. Leen; B. O'Sullivan, P. Cronin; P. Cronin, C. Walsh, M. Slattery; T. Maunsell, J. J. Canty, T. P. O'Connor. Subs. M. Hannifinn for D. Slattery; M. O'Regan for O'Connor.
Referee: E. Morris (Dublin).