Kerry 2-12 Wicklow 2-08
Michael Boland struck goals in each half for Wicklow, but it was Maurice O’Connor and Jack Goulding who were Kerry’s heroes as they claimed a first All-Ireland U-21B title since 2013 at Semple Stadium.
Midway through the second-half Boland hit his second goal to push Wicklow three points clear, but the two Kerry goals arrived in a five-minute spell to put them in control in the final moments.
Points from Shaun Hughes and Seanie Germaine cut the lead to one point as the final whistle approached, but substitute Daniel O’Carroll wrapped up the win for Kerry, who claimed their fifth title at the grade.
With a biting Thurles wind at their backs in the first half Wicklow would have been satisfied to lead by a couple of points at the interval, but in truth it could have been a lot tighter.
A fine point from Goulding got Kerry up and running in the fourth minute, but with Enda Donohoe employed as a sweeper in front of his full-back line Wicklow had a plentiful supply of ball going in on the wind to their two-man full forward line.
Jack Doyle hit the first of his two early points to get Wicklow on the board, while a free from Donohoe in the seventh minute was added to by Doyle in the ninth when he found himself all along on the right side of the pitch.
But after that early burst of scores Wicklow fell away for a spell and with Maurice O’Connor and Goulding causing plenty of problems Kerry soon gained parity thanks to a couple of Shane Conway frees.
Jordan Brick’s impressive vision picked out Ronan Donovan for Kerry’s lead score midway through the half, and O’Connor made it 0-05 to 0-03 when he gathered possession in the corner and scored from a tight angle. Despite the conditions Kerry seemed to have weathered the Wicklow storm.
A tap over free from Seanie Germaine settled the Leinster side though, and six minutes before half-time they fired a decisive score.
Commiserations to the management team and the players on a tough ending to a exciting campaign
— Wicklow GAA Online (@wicklowgaa) September 9, 2017
A long free from Donohoe fell into the path of Germaine, whose shot was well kept out by the boot of Stephen Murphy. But, quick as a flash, Boland cracked a ground stroke past the keeper for a two-point lead.
Goulding hit a huge point into the teeth of the wind to settle Kerry, and Cian Staunton then saved his shot on the turn, which Brandon Barrett poked wide, but only trailing by two at the break, Kerry would have been confident.
A sweet sideline cut from Goulding underlined that confidence three minutes after the restart as Kerry oulled to within one point, but Conway’s free soon had the teams level at 0-08 to 1-05.
Twelve minutes into the second-half Wicklow hit their second goal when Padraig O’toole and Germaine sen Boland in for his second, but less than a minute later Kerry were level again when Conway danced in behind the cover and fired high past the goalkeeper.
And 12 minutes from time a long delivery broke into the path of O’Connor, who flicked Kerry’s second goal to the net to give his side the lead they needed to close out the game.
Kerry: S Murphy; B Lyons, J Diggins, S O’Sullivan; E Ross, J Buckley (c), J Brick; B O’Sullivan, T O’Connor; R Donovan (0-01), J Goulding (1-03, 0-01’sl), M O’Leary; M O’Connor (1-01), B Barrett, S Conway (1-06, 0-06f).
Subs: D O’Carroll (0-01) for Donovan (46 mins), R Collins for Barrett (51).
Wicklow: C Staunton; S Hughes (0-01), O Furlong, S Maloney; E Donohoe (0-03, 0-03f), M Traynor, A Hughes, T Healy; C Moorehouse, C Whitmore; G Hughes, P Doyle (c), J Doyle (0-02); M Boland (2-00), S Germaine (0-02, 0-02f).
Subs used: P O’Toole for Whitmore (34 mins), T Mellon for Healy (44), A Kinsella for Doyle (59-61 blood).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
