Dublin will be playing Division Two football next year after they fell to a 1-12 to 2-7 defeat at the hand of Kerry at Parnell Park.
Two late points from Declan Quill and Colm Cooper, who was a suprise starter having not been named in the original side, confirmed Kerry’s top-flight status for 2008.
The Kingdom had to dig deep though after Paul Casey’s goal, quickly followed by a point from Alan Brogan, had Dublin leading by 2-07 to 1-10.
The visitors led 1-06 to 1-04 at half-time with Cooper fisting home their goal in the 31st-minute.
Quill’s second half contribution of 0-4 was crucial as Kerry held onto third spot in the NFL Division 1A table.
While Cooper started for Kerry, Kilmacud Crokes youngster Mark Vaughan made his first start of the league campaign for Dublin with Tomas Quinn making way.
Kerry also started with a new-look midfield pairing in Michael Quirke and Seamus Scanlon, and it was the latter who thumped over the game's opening point in the first minute.
Vaughan and Quill then traded frees as both sides made a lively start at the Donnycarney venue.
Sherlock did well to get his shot away, under pressure from Aidan O'Mahony, and chalk up his first point before Dublin keeper Stephen Cluxton was called upon to beat away what looked a certain Kerry goal.
Eoin Brosnan, who was returning from his stint with Dr Crokes in the All-Ireland Club Championship, was put through one-on-one with Cluxton in the 12th minute but his shot was parried away.
The resulting '45' was sent over by Kerry skipper Bryan Sheehan as Pat O'Shea's men continued to take whatever scores came their way.
However, both sides did tally up six wides apiece by half-time with Dublin having the better of the half's closing minutes, despite the concession of that goal to Cooper.
Sherlock stabbed home the Metropolitans' goal in the 29th-minute, reacting quickest after Kevin Bonner had fisted a high ball off the bar.
However, just two minutes later, Kerry were back on top when, with his back to goal, Cooper used his right hand to brilliantly fist the ball past the airborne Cluxton.
Dublin exerted a good deal of control at the start of the second half, rushing Kerry into three wides and seeing Vaughan crack over two frees to get his side back on terms.
Sheehan had a legitimate claim for a penalty turned down but Kerry, who were playing in fits and starts, upped the tempo with four successive points - three of them from the excellent Quill, who finished with 0-06 (3f), and the other from Brosnan.
In deep trouble, Dublin came again with a wave of attacks, one of which resulted in Casey's goal that saw the defender blast to the net from the edge of the square after a lay-off from his fellow substitute Brogan.
Brogan then pointed to make it 2-07 to 1-10 and it was all to play for.
However, Kerry coolly moved into a decisive two-point lead with points from Quill and Cooper, who took his tally to 1-01 with a classy effort.
