| Minors set for a replay after enthralling
draw  By
John Carey
Kerry 0-15 Roscommon 0-15
ESB All-Ireland MFC Final
Roscommon will have to wait just a little longer to win their first All-Ireland
minor title since 1951 after a late rally saw them come from behind twice
to secure a replay against Kerry.
The Kingdom hit four wides in the initial eight minutes, and found themselves
a point in arrears courtesy of Roscommon’s Conor Devaney.
The minor championship’s top scorer Paddy Curran, regained parity
before playing an intelligent lob over the heads of the Roscommon full-back
line to put Daniel O’Shea through on goal. O’Shea chose to
fist a point and Waterville man Curran notched another point and a free.
The Kerry captain looks to have all the attributes to make a big impression
on the senior stage over the next few years. He had already left Roscommon
star gazing 0-4 to 0-1 - with only 13 minutes on the clock.
Roscommon ace-shooter Donal Shine had a free inserted between three more
Kerry scores, including an excellent individual effort from Eoin Kennedy.
The Asdee man, son of manager John, jinked through the Roscommon defence
with magical sidesteps before floating a low shot just over the bar.
The Kerry midfield duo of Tommy Walsh and Garry O’Driscoll cleaned
up in the middle third during the first-half, the former collected nine
high balls cleanly in that period.
Their half-back line were coolly rounding up loose balls and distributing
with the calmness their senior brethren would show later in the day.
With only 20 minutes left on the clock and finding themselves five points
down, Fergal O’Donnell’s Roscommon men hit three unanswered
points to leave them only 0-8 to 0-6 behind at half -time.
Roscommon began the second-half as they had finished the first hitting
another five points without reply to race into a three-point lead by the
42nd minute.
It was a period when the previously dominant Kerry midfield had lost its
composure while the half-back line was in complete disarray.
Curran was moved to centre-forward to increase his influence on the
match - a move that arguably left Kerry with a second bite at the cake.
The skipper broke the Roscommon scoring spree with a close-range free
as the Kingdom quickly recovered to draw level thanks to another Curran
point and one from Gary Sayers.
The game was there for the taking and there were twists and turns in the
final 10 minutes. Walsh who was immense in midfield hit a booming score
full of intent, to give Kerry the lead.
Roscommon then equalised to set up a series of score-trading before
a mistake from Roscommon goalkeeper Mark Miley seemed to have cost his
side everything at the death.
With the teams all square on 0-14 apiece and the big screen at headquarters
ticking through the 61st minute, Miley miscued a kick-out straight into
the hands of the dangerous Curran, who easily took advantage from close
range.
But the game had one final twist in store. Roscommon won a 45 way out
on the left sideline.
Shine decided to lob the ball in rather than shoot from a difficult angle
and the ball bobbled around the square before eventually falling to David
O’Gara who made no mistake in taking the match to a replay.
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