FOR anybody with an involvement in or a passion for Kerry hurling, it’s a tale to tell the grandchildren.
History was made – in the most dramatic of circumstances – at Parnell Park this Saturday afternoon as the Eamonn Kelly trained Kerry hurlers registered a sensational 2-16 to 1-18 victory over fancied Antrim to book their seat at the top table in next year’s National League.
Super sub John Egan’s – who was on tie field for little more than 10 minutes – fired over the astonishing injury-time winner to ensure the Kingdom will ply their trade in the lofty Division 1B next season.
The sides were deadlocked on three separate occasions in injury time but not before Kerry staged a super comeback from eight points down with two-goal Colm Harty the undisputed hero.
If wing forward Harty was bulging the net, then Shane Nolan was splitting the posts and he contributed eight points – five from frees – as Kerry wiped out a 0-3 to 0-11 half-time deficit.
Harty’s two strikes – in the 46th and 61st minutes – got the Kerry men right back into it but it was the last gasp point from Egan that sealed the tie and sparked scenes of unbridled joy on the sideline and in the Kerry dressing room.
There won’t be a be a cow milked in Lixnaw or a sandcastle built in Ballyheigue for a week.
Kerry: Stephen Murphy, Dougie Fitzell, Paud Costello, Bryan Murphy, Sean Weir, Darren Dineen, Daniel Collins (0-1); John Griffin (0-1); Patrick Kelly (0-1); Colm Harty (20-); Shane Nolan (0-8); Michael O’Leary (0-4); Mikey Boyle, Padraig Boyle, Keith Carmody.
Subs: John Egan (0-1) for Carmody; James Flaherty for P Boyle.
- Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne retained the All-Ireland Colleges SFC (Hogan Cup) title in Croke Park this afternoon with a 1-12 to 2-5 victory over Roscommon CBS. Centre forward Seán Ó Gairbhia was the key man and his 1-1 helped the west Kerry school to glory.
