Kerry 3-07 Galway 0-09
Kerry completed a glorious treble with a third successive All-Ireland MFC title, defeating Galway by 3-07 to 0-09 in the Croke Park decider.
This wasn’t the classic final, but it represented yet another milestone for the Kingdom, who became the first county to win minor three-in-a-rows on two occasions.
Diarmuid O’Connor and David Shaw scored the Kingdom goals as they built up a 2-2 to 0-2 interval lead.
Galway trimmed the deficit to two, with three Rob Finnerty points, but a brilliant David Clifford goal turned the game back in Kerry’s favour as they swept to a 14th title, extending their lead at the top of the roll of honour.
Sean O’Shea’s free produced the only score of a first quarter dominated by defences.
Two counties renowned for their attacking mentality set themselves up to thwart the opposition.
The Connacht side almost grabbed a bizarre goal when Jon Maher got a fist to a ball that appeared to be going wide.
Goalkeeper Billy Courtney was so convinced that a kick-out was required that he turned his back to lift a tee from the netting, but was alerted by a warning roar from the stands, and reacted just in time to boot the ball to safety.
Kerry’s opening goal was less than conventional. Diarmuid O’Connor got the slightest of touches to O’Shea’s dropping delivery as he rose along with goalkeeper Cormac Haslam, and the ball was in the net.
But their second was a thing of beauty. The busy Dara Moynihan crossed towards the far post, where David Clifford fetched, before laying off to David Shaw for a clinical finish.
Galway, who had not registered their first score until the 19th minute with a Desmond Conneely free, were on the floor, and went in at the break trailing by 2-2 to 0-2, unable to rattle the resolve of outstanding defenders David Naughton and Micheal Foley.
Galway pushed forward with immediate results, hitting two points withina minute of the restart, through Adam Quirke and Rob Finnerty, but they left themselves increasingly exposed at the back, and needed a brilliant Haslam save to deny Moynihan, who looked odds-on to net a third from O’Shea’s pass.
Galway had to be patient to find ways to break down two green and gold lines of defensive bodies, but they chipped away at the deficit, with Finnerty converting a couple of frees.
Kerry registered on the breakaway through full back Niall Collins and Moynihan, but just two points separated the sides with ten minutes to play, after Desmond Conneely steered over a free at the Canal End.
However a piece of sheer magic from Clifford provided the highlight of this final and dictated that the Tom Markham Cup would spend another year in the Kingdom.
He went on a mesmerising solo run, displaying delightful ball control, before smashing a shot to the top corner of the net.
It was all over for Galway, and the champions finished in style with points from Moynihan, Cormac Linnane and O’Shea.
Kerry: B Courtney, D Naughten, N Collins (0-01), G O'Sullivan,M Potts,D O’Brien, M Foley, M Breen, M Ryan,D Moynihan (0-02),S O’Shea (0-02, 2f), D O'Connor (1-00), D Clifford (1-00), D Shaw (1-01), B Friel.
Subs: C Linnane (0-01) for Friel (47), B Sweeney for Shaw (59), K Dwyer for Foley (64).
Galway: C Haslam, L Boyle, S Mulkerrin, E McFadden, A Quirke (0-01), E McDonagh, F Garvey, C D’Arcy (0-01), J Maher; F O Laoi, E Murphy, R Forde (0-01), R Finnerty (0-03, 2f), S Raftery, D Conneely (0-02, 2f).
Subs: B Goldrick for Murphy (38), R Murphy for Raftery (50), R Cunningham (0-01, f) for Finnerty (55), E Deeley for Garvey (56)
Referee: C Branagan (Down).
