Colm 'Gooch' Cooper pounced in injury-time to kick the winning point for Kerry as they ran out 1-11 to 0-13 winners to end Monaghan's fight-back at Scotstown.
The Kingdom took the Allianz NFL Division 1A spoils, securing their third win in four outings.
Cooper weighted a cross-field ball to perfection for Eoin Brosnan to gallop onto and goal after 30 minutes.
But successive points from Stephen Gollogly, Rory Woods and Hugh McElroy (free) closed up the gap for Monaghan to 0-05 to 1-04 at half-time.
The Farney men managed to get back level before Damien Freeman put them in front on 51 minutes, but Cooper decided it at the death.
