Siofra O’Shea was amongst the scorers continuing her return for Kerry, as the Kingdom booked their spot in the TG4 All Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-finals with a commanding win over Waterford.

It was a classic showing from the Kingdom as their hunger overpowered Waterford, the three points enough to see them take top spot in the Group. Waterford now need to bounce back and meet Donegal in the final game to determine second place.

After their struggles finding the posts in Donegal last weekend, Kerry were a lot more clinical but did tally double figures on the wide count. Eight different scorers in total left the joint management of Declan Quill and Darragh Long content at the final whistle.

Hannah O’Donoghue and Danielle O’Leary tallied goals in the opening half while O’Shea and Emma Dineen raised the green flag in the second. O’Shea looked impressive having come on at the interval, 41 minutes in the legs since returning from that dreaded ACL injury.

It could not have been easy for O’Shea putting on the boots in Fitzgerald Stadium, the venue where she picked up the second ACL injury before last year’s semi-final, two years after suffering the first also at the Killarney venue. 

Kerry drew first blood when Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh converted a free inside the opening minute. The Kingdom started much the brighter in attack and raised the green flag after five minutes, the goal however did not count.

Ni Mhuircheartaigh floated in a free inside the 45m line which Emma Dineen rose highest to thump the ball into the net, the Glenflesk forward was adjusted to have been in the square as Jonathan Murphy deliberated with his umpires. 

Niamh Carmody did double the Kerry lead as it took until the tenth minute for the Deise to get on the board, Mairead O’Brien with the score. Kerry replied swiftly as the resulting kickout was played down into the Lewis Road end, Hannah O’Donoghue and Emma Dineen combined with the former shooting to the bottom left corner for a 1-2 to 0-1 lead on ten minutes.

By quarters end Kerry were ahead 1-3 to 0-2 and kept their heads up to finish the quarter in style. O’Donoghue rattled over two points followed by Ni Mhuircheartaigh striking a long range free. Kerry continued their onslaught of the Deise goal when O’Donoghue played a long ball inside for Danielle O’Leary, O’Leary made no mistake firing to the net for a 2-6 to 0-2 lead in the 22nd minute.

The Kingdom added four further scores approaching the half hour mark, Kellyann Hogan replied shy of the break, as the hooter sounded Kerry were ahead 2-10 to 0-3 at the interval.

Waterford started strong early in the second half, Eve Power and Mairead O’Brien added early points, with the latter almost palming a dropping ball into the square into the net, the effort just landed over the Kerry crossbar.

Again Kerry found the green flag in response, hard work by Niamh Ni Chonchuir saw the West Kerry native burrow her way through the tackle and a slipped ball to the onrushing Siofra O’Shea ended up in the back of the net. O’Shea with less than an hour played in total since her ACL recovery back amongst the goals.

Waterford almost found the net to help reduce the growing deficit in the 39th minute, Emma Murray made a blistering run through the Kerry defence but the effort at goal was well saved by Ciara Butler. Aisling O’Connell raced forward from the half back line to strike a second point as Kerry ended the third quarter ahead 3-12 to 0-6.

The visitors still plucked away Eve Power and Kate McGrath struck from range to grab the next two scores, while Kellyann Hogan added her third of the afternoon soon after. Kerry did end the tie with a purple patch, Emma Dineen first raised the white flag before Siofra O’Shea supplied the delivery for Dineen to tap home at the back post.

Kerry showed their strength to produce a much better performance to the one we saw in Ballybofey a week earlier.

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