The long wait is over for Roscommon after they overcame favourites Kerry at the second time of asking to capture their first All-Ireland minor football title since 1951 at a packed Cusack Park. Roscommon…1-10 Kerry………….0-9 An estimated 15,000 Roscommon fans thronged the Ennis venue for what was the county's biggest win since the Connacht senior championship success of five years ago. And how fitting it was that the man who captained the 2001 team, Fergal O'Donnell, should be the one to mastermind this particular triumph which borne out of sheer guts and determination, and no little amount of skill. In Croke Park last Sunday, David O'Gara rescued the Connacht side with a last-gasp equalizing point and this time he scored the only goal of the game a minute into the second half. Kerry, who had held a slender lead at half-time, fought back to regain the lead before an inspired Roscommon team hit five unanswered points in the final quarter to clinch a famous victory. Although Kerry probably had the better individuals, they could have no complaints as Roscommon's greater work ethic enabled them to dominate the possession stakes and their perseverance eventually paid off. The underdogs were well on top in the early stages, but couldn't translate their possession into scores. Indeed, both sets of defences were in control in the wet conditions with the result that just two scores were registered in the first quarter. Paddy Curran opened the scoring for the Kingdom from a free in the third minute, only for man of the match Donal Shine to reply with a point from a long-range free two minutes later. There was no further score until the 20th minute when Curran was again on target for Kerry. With Tommy Walsh and Eoin Kennedy kicking two excellent points, Kerry went on to lead by 0-5 to 0-4 at the break. The decisive score came immediately after half-time when Kerry 'keeper Tomas Mac an Tsaoir failed to deal with a Conor Devaney free, allowing O'Gara to finish to the net from close range. Devaney himself added a point to open up a three-point lead by the 38th minute. The Kingdom then enjoyed their best spell of the game with four points from Kennedy, Gary Sayers, Curran and Walsh edging them back in front by the 45th minute. But Walsh's effort was to be their last score as, for the first time over the two games, the Roscommon midfield pairing of David Keenan and Donie Shine gained the upper hand. With 10 minutes to go, Shine pointed a free and sub Alan O'Hara quickly followed up with the lead point. And despite hitting some terrible wides, Roscommon refused to be rattled and three more points from the masterful Shine broke the Kingdom's resistance. The game ended on a sour note when Kerry sub Jamie Doolan received a straight red card following a free-for-all in front of the Roscommon goal. But not even this could spoil the Roscommon celebrations. SCORERS - Roscommon: D Shine 0-6 (4f), D O'Gara 1-1, C Devaney 0-1, F Cregg 0-1, A O'Hara 0-1. Kerry: P Curran 0-4f, E Kennedy 0-2, T Walsh 0-2, G Sayers 0-1. Roscommon: M Miley; P Domican, P Gleeson, S Ormsby; N Carty, D Flynn (capt), C Garvey; D Keenan, D Shine; C Devaney, J McKeague, K Waldron; P Garvey, F Cregg, D O'Gara. Subs: C McHugh for McKeague (40), A O'Hara for Garvey (46). Kerry: T Mac an Tsaoir, B Russell, M Maloney, D O'Se, S Enright, A Greaney, B Costello, T Walsh, D Moran, P Curtin, G O'Driscoll, J Buckley, G Sayers, P Curran (capt), E Kennedy. Subs: D O'Shea for Buckley (30), S Browne for Costello (36), J Doolan for Curtin (59). Tweet

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