After ten years in the wait, the Kingdom of Kerry emerged from this year's Cadbury's All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship victorious after defeating Kildare in Semple Stadium, Thurles on a score-line of 2-12 to 0-11 on Saturday, May 3. Sean Geaney's talented side scored 5-61 in five matches in this season's Championship and here we take a look back at how the Kingdom reigned supreme to capture their tenth All-Ireland Under 21 crown. Kerry's first outing of the competition this year was against Limerick in the Munster Championship quarter-final in mid-March in a testing affair for Sean Geaney's charges in Austin Stack Park, Tralee. Kerry survived the shock of an early goal from Limerick's Michael Quilligan to overturn a two point deficit at the break to coast to a seven point, 0-18 to 1-8, victory over the Teary County. Tommy Walsh and Mike O'Donoghue combined for nine points from play which helped the Kingdom gain the lead on 50 minutes. Limerick had no response to Kerry's power and the hosts chalked up a the victory by outscoring their opponents in the second-half by a margin of 0-11 to 0-2 to book a provincial semi-final meeting with rivals Cork. After exiting at the first round for the past two years, Kerry would be entering the Cork encounter as underdogs somewhat as they were coming up against the reigning All-Ireland Champions. A week after their disposal of Limerick, Kerry put on a first-rate show to see off defending All-Ireland Champions Cork by five points, 0-15 to 0-10, in Austin Stack Park, Tralee and book a place in the Under 21 Munster Championship Final. Despite having the wind at their backs, the Kingdom took in a slim lead with them at the break with the score-board reading 0-8 to 0-6 in their favour. The midfield pairing of Alan O'Sullivan, who would pick up Man of the Match, and David Moran proved formidable in the second half though as the Kerry would outscore the Rebels by 0-7 to 0-4. The Champions done their utmost to get ahead of their bitter rivals but a master switch from Sean Geaney in the second period saw captain Killian Young move to full back which helped the hosts hold firm in the end. The win paired Kerry with Tipperary in the Under 21 Munster Football Championship final. Kerry captured their 25th Under 21 Munster Football Championship crown after overcoming Tipperary by two points in Ardfinnan, 0-15 to 2-7. This was by no means a comfortable victory for the Kingdom as goals in each half from Brian Fox and Sean Carey, along with the brilliant goal-keeping of Tipp net-minder Matthew O'Donnell, made sure that the game was always on a knife-edge. Fox's first-half goal put the sides level at the break at 1-4 to 0-7, after the wing back caught the visitors cold when he pierced through to net. Kerry came out for the second half to hit an array of scores which put them five points in front for the final quarter, but when Carey ghosted through for the hosts second goal their was just two points in the match coming into the last ten minutes. However, Sean Geaney's side held out for victory to land their first Munster title in six years and book themselves into an All-Ireland semi final meeting with Mayo. A quick succession of points from Paul O'Connor, David Moran and saw Kerry shade a two-point win, 1-9 to 1-7, and book their place in the All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship final. Kerry cruised into a half-time lead of 1-6 to 0-3 thanks to Johnny Buckley's goal after good work from Tommy Walsh. However, an early second-half goal from Mikey Sweeney brought them straight back into the encounter and four unanswered points from Tom Cunniffe, Seamus O'Shea, Padraig O'Connor, and Sweeney saw the Heather County go into a one-point lead with just seven minutes remaining. Mayo had looked to have done enough until the Kingdom's late hat-trick of points stole victory from the Westerners and booked a place for Sean Geaney's side in the All-Ireland final. Goals in each half from Mike O'Donoghue proved the difference for Kerry as they triumphed to their first All-Ireland Under 21 title in a decade after seeing off Kildare by seven points in Semple Stadium, Thurles, on a 2-12 to 0-11 scoreline. O'Donoghue's first goal was followed up by points from Paul O'Connor, Paddy Curran and David Moran to help the Munster side into a 1-5 to 0-5 after 25 minutes of the first-half. However, three unanswered points from Mark Waters, Alan Smith and Eoin O'Flaherty cut the gap to two points by the interval for the Lilywhites. After coming out for the second-half, Sean Geaney's side kicked three early points with O'Connor (2) and Moran adding to their sides tally. Gavin Smullen's white flag left four points between the sides afterwards but O'Donoghue's second goal all but assured victory for the Kingdom. Kildare would have a another chance though when Smullen snuck in behind the Kerry defence looking for net but his goal-bound shot was brilliantly blocked by Colin O'Mahony and the Kingdom held on for victory. After the game Kerry team captain Killian Young was handed the Clarke Cup to hoist aloft, marking the Kingdom's 70th All-Ireland title across a grades. A proud Sean Geaney refereed back to previous losses as his side's motivation in the final and paid special tribute to Colin O'Mahony's block for the Kingdom in the closing stages, adamant that it typified his side's spirit on the day. "A lot of these players have lost All-Irelands and if they lost another one today it would have been heartbreaking," said Geaney. "I'm delighted for our backs, they were superb today, typified by the block there by Colin O'Mahony at the end. If that goal had gone in you don't know what would have happened." Tweet

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