Much improved Kerry minor hurlers still go down to Offaly in Leinster championship

Offaly 1-15

Kerry 0-6

The Kerry minor hurlers put up a much-improved performance against Offaly in the Leinster minor hurling championship on Saturday afternoon, going down to the Faithful in Tullamore by 12 points (a big improvement on the 28-point deficit they had to Wexford in the first round).

While the result was never in doubt, an Offaly goal for Rob Kearney nine minutes in saw the home side surge into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after nine minutes, Kerry battled on to the end.

It wasn’t until the 27th minute that Kerry got their first score on the board, a free from Darragh Corridon, to leave it 1-5 to 0-1 in favour of the Faithful at the break.

The Kingdom, however, would have the breeze for the second half and they used it well to shoot an additional five points with Ivan Conway, Corridon and second half sub Callum Carey Sheehy on the mark.

Offaly managed still to out-score Jerome O’Sullivan’s men ten points to five in the second half as they pulled away for a comfortable victory. Next up for the green and gold is a clash with Dublin in Portlaoise on Good Friday (throw in at noon).

OFFALY: Killian Spain, Caelum Larkin, Richard Bracken, Daire Daly; Luke Bracken, Ajay Cleary, Mark Mulrooney (0-2), Gearóid Maher, Harry Sweeney, Cillian Bourke (0-5), Niall Kelly, Dylan Hollywood (0-2); James Morkan (0-1f), Rob Kearney (1-1), Darragh Scully Subs: Andrew Hogan for Kelly, 24, James O'Sullivan (0-2) for Maher, half-time,  Liam O'Riordan (0-2) for Scully, half-time, James Hennessy for Hollywood, 61, Killian Wynne for Morkan, 61

KERRY: Jack Moriarty; Aidan O'Mahoney, Tom Flaherty, Hugh Lenihan; Eoin O'Flaherty, Liam O'Sullivan, Rory O'Halloran; Ruari O'Hainifein, Adam Lynch; Ivan Conway (0-2, 1f), Keelan Best, Evan O'Sullivan; Billy Doyle, Darragh Corridon (0-3f), Maurice Lenihan Subs: Art O'Sullivan for Lynch, 4, Callum Carey Sheedy (0-1) for Best, 50

REFEREE: Brian Kearney (Louth)