Kerry 1-28 Limerick 0-8: Kingdom cruise past Treaty in Munster final rout
Match report from the 2022 Munster Senior Football Championship final, as Kerry defeated Limerick 1-28 to 0-8 in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney. Killian Spillane (1-3) led the scoring for the Kingdom in the absence of the injured David Clifford.
Saturday 28 May 2022 16:49, UK
Kerry cruised to their 83rd Munster title with a dominant 1-28 to 0-8 victory over Limerick in Killarney.
The Treaty were seeking just their second every provincial crown, and first since 1896.
But their wait will go on, as it was all one-way traffic. Jack O'Connor's side cruised into the All-Ireland quarter-final with minimal fuss.
Limerick set up defensively to frustrate the Kingdom's attacking efforts, and it worked well in the opening stages, with the home side going 12 minutes between the first and second points of the contest.
In the absence of the injured David Clifford, Kerry eventually began to find the answers.
Brian Ó Beaglaíoch and Gavin White both stormed forward on occasions to join the attack, and managed to pick off scores.
Killian Spillane took up the mantle in the inside forward line, kicking three from play as Kerry built a 0-12 to 0-3 half-time lead.
They could have been further ahead at the break, were it not for a Donal Ó Sullivan save, denying Tony Brosnan his team's first goal.
If there was any minute hope of a Limerick comeback, it was quickly killed off by the hosts as they scored six points without reply after the restart.
Iain Corbett eventually found his team's first point of the half in the 49th minute.
But that merely poked the bear. Straight from the ensuing kick-out, Kerry struck for goal. Paul Geaney picked out Killian Spillane, who had worked his way undetected behind the Limerick rearguard, and he made no mistake in finding the net.
From there, they eased home. Adrian Spillane and Micheál Burns provided scores off the bench, as they pulled up with 23 points to spare.
Bigger tests lie ahead for Kerry in the All-Ireland series, while Limerick head for the qualifiers.
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Graham O'Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan (0-3); Brian Ó Beaglaíoch (0-2), Tadhg Morley, Gavin White (0-1); Diarmuid O'Connor, Jack Barry; Paudie Clifford (0-2), Seán O'Shea (0-5, 0-1f, 0-1 '45), Stephen O'Brien (0-1); Tony Brosnan (0-3), Paul Geaney (0-4, 0-1m), Killian Spillane (1-3).
Subs: Adrian Spillane (0-1) for Stephen O'Brien (52), Dylan Casey for Jason Foley (52), David Moran for Diarmuid O'Connor (52), Micheál Burns (0-2) for Killian Spillane (53), Paul Murphy for Tadhg Morley (56), Gavin Crowley for Brian Ó Beaglaíoch (57).
Limerick: Donal Ó Sullivan; Sean O'Dea, Brian Fanning, Michael Donovan; Cian Sheehan (0-3), Iain Corbett (0-2), Paul Maher; Darragh Treacy, Cillian Fahy; Adrian Enright, Brian Donovan, James Naughton; Peter Nash, Josh Ryan (0-2, 0-1f, 0- '45), Hugh Bourke.
Subs: Robbie Bourke for Hugh Bourke (ht), Gordon Brown (0-1) for Paul Maher (47), Colm McSweeney for Sean O'Dea (47), Tommy Griffin for Adrian Enright (47), Robert Childs for Brian Fanning (61).
