28/02/2026
FAI Youth Inter League 2004
Limerick Desmond 1-3 Kerry District League
Venue; Askeaton
KERRY made the trip across the border to Askeaton on Sunday knowing that only a win would suffice if their participation was to continue in this year’s FAI Youths Inter-League.
Kerry needed the victory and with the Desmond Leauge out of contention Kerry were probably the more fired-up side and they dominated proceedings from the very outset.
Kerry laid the foundation for victory in their solid rearguard where Brian Fitzgerald dominated in the air and the ground and his partner Stephen Conway played a very intelligent game, sweeping up anything that got through and using the ball intelligently.
Jonathan Carey also did well and is a player who looks very promising along with Kieran ‘Kiki’ Mulvihill who did quite well at full-back and raided down the left flank to telling effect at times.
However, Kerry’s real match-winner was at midfield where Chris Kerins really shone with every touch of the ball and his ability to take on players and beat them gave Kerry a decided edge and, of course, his goal was yet another gem.
Kevin Walsh worked hard along with Seánie O’Leary and Peter McCarthy as Kerry battled hard against a Desmond League side who had Alan O’Sullivan and Ambrose Lanigan (who plays his gaelic football with Tarbert) working very hard for them.
Kerry had Ger Lovett as an ideal target man up front and his touch appears to improve with every game which will make him into a top class player in the years ahead.
Aidan O’Shea — son of Kerry Gaelic football legend Jack O’Shea — was also a thorn in the Desmond League side with a workrate to match that of his famous father.
The Desmond League were dangerous up front where Seán Buckley and Maurice O’Connor tried very hard while David O’Connor also did well and goalkeeper Tony Enright could not be faulted in a game that was a cracker from start to finish.
Indeed, Kerry can thank their goalkeeper Seán Óg Kirwan who made a series of excellent saves in the second half as Kerry sat back and absorbed the Desmond League pressure, knowing that they had enough in hand to emerge victorious.
The Desmond League began well as Kerry were slow to settle and it was O’Connor who almost scored in the third minute but he shot wide.
Kerry soon got to grips with the game however and Aidan O’Shea was unlucky not to hit the target in the fifth minute but his shot was well saved by Enright.
Kerry did not have long to wait for the lead goal as they struck a minute later when Stephen Conway’s corner was only cleared eight yards outside the box and Chris Kerins met it perfectly to volley a super goal into the top corner of the Desmond net.
It was all Kerry at this stage as Kevin Walsh settled well in midfield and Kerins was a handful throughout.
Ambrose Lanigan should have equalised in the 13th minute when his free beat the ‘keeper but it was cleared off the line by a Kerry defender.
The Desmond League came back in the 20th minute as O’Connor’s free-kick was met by Seán Buckley who shot just wide.
However, the Kerry defence now began to get tighter on their opponents and, with Conway and Fitzgerald outstanding, Kerry began to take over again but the Desmond League were dangerous on the counter-attack and Seán Buckley shot over in the 25th minute as Kerry went in search of a second goal.
It almost came a minute later when Carey sent a superb 40-yard pass to Chris Kerins and as he ran towards goal with a defender in close attention, the defender got a foot to the ball and prevented a certain goal.
However, Kerry struck for yet another goal in the 29th minute and this time it was route one as Kiki Mulvihill sent in a deep free-kick to the back post and, with the Desmond League defence failing to deal with it, Brian Fitzgerald came in at the back post to power a header to the Desmond League net.
Kerins then sent Lovett away and he should have scored but the ball just failed to fall kindly for him and the chance was gone.
Kerins was really now causing the Desmond League all sorts of problems and, as he took the ball around a number of defenders, he squared to O’Leary who in turn placed Lovett but the ball just went inches beyond them and the chance went abegging.
Buckley almost scored one for the Desmond League on the stroke of half time but Kirwan made a great save at his feet to deny him.
The second half needed an early goal from the home side if they were to make any inroads on the Kerry League and they almost got through after a Kerry error in the 51st minute but the danger was cleared.
It was now a cracking contest but again Kerry punished the Desmond League in the 52nd minute in a similar manner as they did when scoring their second goal when this time Chris Kerins sent a free-kick to the near post and there was Brian Fitzgerald once again to find the home side’s net and at 3-0 it was clear that there was no way back for the Limerick side.
Paul Fitzgerald had a good free-kick for the Desmond League in the 57th minute but he was just wide and a minute later they were given a lifeline when Maurice O’Connor rifled a well executed free-kick into the bottom corner of the Kerry net from 20 yards and, at 3-1, the game was still there for the taking.
Kerry had now decided to defend but on the counter-attack they looked as if they might score again and, in fact, Lovett had the ball in the net in the 63rd minute but for some strange reason it was disallowed.
Kerry then shut up shop at the back with Carey, Fitzgerald and Conway along with Mulvihill refusing to budge and whenever Buckley or O’Connor got through Kirwan was there to save Kerry on each occasion.
The Desmond League had a great chance in the 77th minute but Kirwan saved from Buckley and a minute later he denied Lanigan as he turned the ball around the post for a corner.
Kerry had a chance themselves on the break but substitute Jimmy Keane wasted a good opportunity but at 3-1 the Desmond League were running out of time.
Then, in the 88th minute, Costello had a chance from a corner but Kirwan denied him again with a fine save and the same player was through but again the ‘keeper did well as Kerry emerged winners and so advance to the next round, but there is room for improvement in certain areas of the pitch following this performance.
Overall, it was a well-contested game with Kerry’s more experienced players proving the difference between the sides.
Teams —
Kerry DL: Sean Óg Kirwan; Jonathan Carey, Stephen Conway, Brian Fitzgerald, Kiki Mulvihill, Seanie O’Leary, Kevin Walsh, Chris Kerins, Peter McCarthy, Aidan O’Shea, Ger Lovett. Subs: Jimmy Keane for P McCarthy, A Cassidy for S O’Leary.
Desmond League: T Enright; E Geoghegan, L Halpin, D Franklin, S Hayes, B Tagney, A O’Sullivan, D O’Connor, A Lanigan, S Buckley, M O’Connor. Subs used: L Costello, P Fitzgerald.
