Kerry 0-10 Mayo 2-11
Mayo overpowered Kerry in Killarney, coming away with two Allianz Football League points after a 2-11 to 0-10 win.
It was also a game that saw Tommy Walsh return to wear the green and gold, after five years in the AFL. And though Kerry appeared to benefit from his introduction at half time, staging a mini revival in the opening 15 minutes, Mayo’s second goal in 50th minute, from the boot of Kevin McLoughlin, ended any chance of a Kingdom comeback.
The home side began well, thanks to the midfield dominance of David Moran, and jumped 0-03 to 0-01 ahead, with two Barry John Keane points and one from Kieran O’Leary. However, once Alan Freeman skipped past Kerry fullback Mark Griffin to goal in the 24th minute, the writing was on the wall.
Mayo led 1-7 to 0-4 at half-time, with Michael Conroy kicking three fine points from play.
However, the hosts fought back early in the second half and added 0-04, but McLaughlin’s goal and the introduction of Aidan O Shea, saw Mayo cruise to a comfortable victory
Tommy Walsh left the field late on after picking up a leg injury.
Kerry just do not do league openers in February as a perusal of the records prove.
In league meetings between Kerry and Mayo, going back to 1928, Kerry held the edge winning 21 of their 43 meetings, with Mayo victorious 18 times and on four occasions the sides shared spoils.
But recently Kerry have been doing poorly in their League openers in the year after All-Ireland success, losing in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009 and now since 2004, Mayo have seven wins and one draw since 2004.
So, due to well documented absentees, All-Ireland champions Kerry could only field six of their final starting 15, while Mayo fielded a much stronger side, doubtless eager to impress Pat Holmes and Noel Connolly.
After early points from Barry John Keane and Evan Regan, the Mayo debutant was then involved in an accidental collision with John Buckley, which led to a five minute delay, and Regan was carted from the pitch with a neck injury, with Michael Conroy coming on.
Kerry looked the better side early on with David Moran and Bryan Sheehan lording matters at midfield, while Kieran O’Leary on the forty was supplying quality ball to his inside line and points and O’Leary and Barry John Keane saw Kerry jump 0-3 to 0-1 clear by the 20th minute.
However, that was as good as it got for the Kingdom for the rest of the half as Kevin Keane put the shackles on the Paul Geaney as Kerry overdid the high ball ploy and with Seamus O Shea and Kevin McLoughlin winning breaking ball in the middle, Mayo began to carve open a youthful Kerry defence.
The crucial score of the half came in the 24th minute when Alan Freeman lost Mark Griffin, before cutting in and shooting low to the Kerry net. Mayo then upped their game and three Conroy points, a Jason Doherty free and a Donal Vaughan point from play saw them lead 1-7 to 0-4, with Keane getting Kerry’s sole reply to the Mayo onslaught.
Kerry fought back early in the second half thanks to the introduction of Tommy Walsh, who fetched a couple of superb balls in his first game back after five years in the AFL. He also added 0-4, but a 50th minute Kevin McLaughlin goal, coupled with the introduction of Aidan O Shea, saw Mayo cruise to any easy win and two valuable league points on the road.
Kerry beat Mayo the last the sides met in Killarney in 1988, but the All-Ireland champs looked like a side that wintered well and were poor on the day, with David Moran, being the notable exception, while Tommy Walsh added to Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s woes, limping out of the action late on.
KERRY: B Kealy; P Kilkenny, M Griffin, J Sherwood; J Lyne, F Fitzgerald, P Murphy; D Moran ( 0-2,0-1’45), B Sheehan; M Geaney ( 0-1) , K O’Leary (0-1) , J Buckley; S O’Brien, P Geaney(0-2,0-1f) , BJ Keane ( 0-4, 0-1f) :
Subs: T Walsh for B Sheehan ( h/t), P O Connor for K O Leary ( 49), C Keane for B J Keane ( 56), B McGuire for P Geaney ( 60), D Casey for S O Brien ( 65), A Fitzgerald for T Walsh ( inj 69)
MAYO: R Hennelly; S Coen , K Keane, K Higgins; L Keegan; C Barrett, P Durcan, S O’Shea (0-1); D Vaughan (0-1) , K McLoughlin ( 1-0); A Gallagher, J Doherty (0-3,0-2 fs) ; E Regan (0-1); A Freeman (1-0) , M Ronaldson :
Subs: M Conroy (0-4) for E Regan ( 8 inj): D O Connor (0-1) for A Gallagher ( 43), A O Shea for A Freeman ( 49), M Sweeney for C Ronaldson ( 58), C Boyle for C Barrett ( 58), B Moran for S O Shea ( 69)
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)
