Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-11
Kerry joint manager Darragh Long said they were inspired by the way their captain Síofra O’Shea rallied them after she suffered the heartbreak of a cruciate injury which ended her season in the build-up to this TG4 All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday.
It’s the second cruciate injury suffered by the Southern Gaels player in recent years but rather than feeling sorry for herself, the former Irish underage basketball player set about rallying her teammates as they bid for their first All-Ireland title since 1993.
“Síofra is our leader and our captain and we were gutted for the girl when we got the news,” said Long. “But after she got hurt, her first message to the group within half an hour of hearing her news was ‘no distractions’ and all focus on Saturday.
“She was first at training on Wednesday night and she spoke early well in the dressing room before this game. I can’t speak highly enough of the girl."
17 June 2023; Síofra O'Shea of Kerry after her side's victory in the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship Round 1 match between Dublin and Kerry at Parnell Park in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
“It means a lot to us to get back to the promised land in two weeks’ time but now it’s a matter of trying to finish off the job,” added Long, who will now turn his attention to the August 13 final showdown with Dublin.
Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh was the inspiration behind Kerry’s success on Saturday at FBD Semple Stadium with the long-serving Corca Dhuibhne sharpshooter scoring 1-10, all but four points coming from play in awesome performance.
Kerry bossed matters from the outset and laid the foundation for victory when they had the breeze behind them in the opening half.
Ní Mhuircheartaigh was outstanding throughout and shot 1-5 in the opening half as they built up a nine-point lead by the break, hitting 1-7 without reply in a blistering nine minute spell.
The goal came after 18 minutes with Danielle O’Leary passing inside to Ní Mhuircheartaigh, who fisted the ball to the net.
That left them 1-10 to 0-4 at the break and while substitute Deirdre Doherty gave Mayo a glimmer of hope when she blasted low to the net after 45 minutes, Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Kerry just pushed on for victory.
Mayo manager Michael Moyles said they could have few complaints and that they were chasing the game after that Kerry blitz in the opening half.
29 July 2023; Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh of Kerry in action against Clodagh McManamon of Mayo during the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Kerry and Mayo at Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
"We had two free kicks there where we went for goal because we had to try and force the game and they went wide,” he said.
“We had goal chances, we took wrong decisions. There was a free kick there in the middle and we didn't realise the referee was bringing it up, which would have been in kickable territory and we gave it away and they went up and scored a point. So it was all those little turnarounds.
"But at the end of the day, the scoreboard won't lie. You're either good enough or you're not and today we made too many wrong decisions, which means we're on the wrong side of the score."
Scorers – Kerry: L Ní Muircheartaigh 1-10 (0-4f), H O’Donoghue 0-3, E Costello 0-1, N Ní Conchúir 0-1, D O’Leary 0-1.
Mayo: D Doherty 1-0, S Howley 0-3 (2f), S Cafferky 0-2, C Needham 0-2, S Walsh 0-1, L Cafferky 0-1, R Kearns 0-1, A Geraghty 0-1.
KERRY: C Butler; E Lynch, K Cronin, C Murphy; A O’Connell, E Costello, C Lynch; L Scanlon, L Galvin; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, A Galvin; H O’Donoghue, D O’Leary, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh (capt.) Subs: A Harrington for O’Donoghue (HT, inj.), M O’Connor for Galvin (47), C Evans for Ní Chonchúir (54), E McGlynn for Carmody (66).
MAYO: L Brennan; S Lally, C McManamon, D Caldwell; É Ronayne, C Needham, K Sullivan (capt.); A Geraghty, T O’Connor; S Cafferky, R Kearns, S Mulvihill; T Needham, S Howley, L Cafferky Subs: S Walsh for Mulvihill (26), L Wallace for O’Connor (44), D Doherty (1-0) for Kearns (44), M Cannon for T Needham (52), F McHale for Howley (59).
Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan)
See Also: Ex GAA Ref Explains Why It Was Right That Kingdom Goal Stood Vs Dublin
