Arran Healy hits the net as Kerry advance past Leeds in Munster Senior Cup

Leeds 0 Kerry 4 

Kerry advanced to the semi-finals of the Munster Senior Cup with a straightforward victory over Leeds in Cork on Saturday afternoon.

Cian Brosnan netted a first hat-trick for Colin Healy's side, and Arran Healy completed the rout after the break.

The Kingdom are now into the final four, two years in from their run to the final during their first Munster Senior Cup campaign. After losing to Cobh Ramblers at the first hurdle last season, Kerry qualified for this year's quarter-finals with a victory over Cobh Wanderers at Mounthawk Park.

Leeds were up next, during a campaign in the Munster Senior League First Division. Their cup adventure, and meeting with Kerry, was earned with a hard path involving a penalty shoot-out escape against Kanturk and a victory over Lakewood Athletic.

Kerry was going to be a test, and it got harder when Brosnan got his first with a header off a cross in just the fourth minute.

The Kingdom continued to attack, with their next opening coming from an in-swinging ball by Sean O'Connell. Ryan Long cleared this for a corner that was punched away by Eric Healy.

The Munster Senior League side held firm during these exchanges, as they were able to get back in numbers and close down.

Leeds did get into one scoring position, and Dale Tynan was able to hit the back of the net in the 18th minute, but this was ruled out by the referee.

The Kingdom went back to controlling proceedings, leading to a number of crosses into the box by Sean McGrath. Billy Clancy Byrne pulled off a clearance during this spell to stop a clear opportunity, as Leeds were forced further and further back as the first half wore on. A Brosnan cross then floated in for the second and Arran Healy followed this up by forcing Eric Healy into a low save.

The Kingdom went on to win a penalty, off a Conor Gardiner foul on McGrath after he ran the full length of the pitch. Brosnan made no mistake from the spot and Kerry led 3-0 in the 32nd minute.

Leeds went on to win a corner off an Eric Murphy shot and despite good delivery by Clancy Byrne, they could not create a good opportunity inside the box.

Luke Palmer tried to get one more for Kerry before the break, only to see his low shot knocked away by Ryan O’Connor.

Arran Healy got the fourth with a venomous strike in the 50th minute, and that polished the win for Kerry with the rest of the game all but a formality.

LEEDS: Eric Healy; Billy Clancy Byrne, Alan Hosford, Conor Gardiner, Ryan O’Connor; Shay Daly, Ryan Long, Eric Murphy, Dale Tynan, Dylan Foley, Ryan Moroney.

Subs: Alex Keating for Hosford (50); Sean O’Sullivan for O’Connor (50), David Dunlea for Murphy (50); Luke Forde for Daly (80).

KERRY: Harry Halwax; Finn Barrett, Sean O’Connell, Sean McGrath, Daniel Okwute, Jonas Hakkinen, Cian Brosnan, Samuel Aladesanusi, Luke Palmer, Shayne Stack, Arran Healy.

Subs: Ryan Perez for McGrath (59); Niall Brookwell for Okwute (59), Matthew Connor for Halwax (77), Bobby Amadasun for O’Connell (77).

Referee: Allan Martin