The rain poured down in Killarney, and despite a late flurry of scores from Galway, Kerry held out for a two-point Allianz Football League Division 1 win over the relegation-threatened Tribesmen in Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
A much-changed Kingdom side held a two-point lead at the half-time break – 0-08 to 0-06 after both sides were level on three separate occasions – a lead Kerry clinged on to at the full-time whistle after clocking up a comfortable looking seven-point winning margin with just four minutes left on the clock.
Killian Spillane and Sean O'Shea top scored for Jack O’Connor’s men with 0-04 apiece with Joe O’Connor impressing for Kerry as the hosts dominated the latter stages of the game in midfield.
A repeat of the 2022 All-Ireland final, it was Galway who got off to the better start after Joe O’Connor had handpassed over the ball for Kerry just 20 seconds after the opening whistle.
Kerry, who made five changes to the side that overcame Roscommon with six points to spare, needed to better Dublin’s result against Tyrone in Croke Park if they were to reach the League final, while Galway knew they would avoid relegation if they were to pick up at least a draw against Kerry or if Derry were get a result at home to Roscommon.
After O’Connor opened the scoring, Galway responded with three points in-a-row with Robert Finnerty (two marks) and Cillian O’Curraoin taking full advantage of their side's control and domination in midfield in the opening 20 minutes.
The point of the game came midway through the opening half as Paul Conroy finished off an excellent move with an even better finish from out wide to put two between the two sides – 0-04 to 0-02 with 17 minutes gone on the clock.
By the 20th minute, Galway had opened up a three-point lead, but when Killian Spillane pointed two minutes later for Kerry’s first point from play in 21 minutes it kickstarted the Kingdom’s revival with Jack O’Connor’s men scoring the next three points to draw level just shy of the half hour mark.
When Kerry captain Sean O’Shea slotted over a free in front of the Galway goal, both sides were level for only the second time.
Johnny Heaney made sure Kerry’s lead didn’t last long, the Killanin clubman made it a one-point game yet again just seconds later – 0-06 to 0-05 in favour of the Tribesmen.
However, the sides were level for the third time when Darragh Roche kicked over with the outside of his boot to make it 0-06 apiece four minutes before the break.
Jack O’Connor’s took the lead for only the second time – the first time since the first minute – when O’Shea got his first point from play in the 32nd minute, a winning margin Kerry extended to two by the half-time break thanks to a superb Killian Spillane point – his third of the afternoon.
After the restart, Kerry extended their lead to five thanks to quick-fire points from O’Shea, Armin Heinrich, and Paul Geaney who had the game’s only real goal chance, but Connor Gleeson pushed over the Dingle forward’s chipped effort over the bar.
From here, Kerry completely dominated the game, a late Galway flurry aside, and as news filtered through to the Galway contingent that Derry were comfortably beating Roscommon, Pádraic Joyce's men knew they had done enough to secure Division 1 football for 2025, despite the outcome of their result in Killarney.
The biggest roar of the afternoon came when Kerry introduced the Clifford brothers in 50th minute.
Galway got their goal just minutes from time, as Pádraic Joyce’s side took full advantage of a poor kick out which spilled out of Gavin White’s hands before Johnny Heaney set up substitute Tomo Culhane who drilled home for the game’s only green flag.
Galway scored the last three scores (1-02) to put a gloss on the scoreboard for Joyce's charges, but, in truth, it was a comfortable win for the home side. They now look forward to an Easter warm-weather training camp in Portugal, just days after the Division 1 final between Dublin and Derry.
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Dylan Casey, Armin Heinrich (0-01); Sean O’Brien, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; Barry Dan O’Sullivan, Joe O’Connor (0-01); Adrian Spillane, Paul Geaney (0-01), Stephen O’Brien (0-01); Killian Spillane (0-04, 0-1f), Darragh Roche (0-01), Sean O’Shea (capt.) (0-04, 0-2f)
Subs: Paudie Clifford (0-01) for Geaney, Paudie Clifford for Geaney, David Clifford (0-01, 0-01f) (all 50 minutes), Brian Ó Beaglaoich for Murphy (53), Ronan Buckley for O’Brien (58)
Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Eoghan Kelly; Dylan McHugh (0-01), John Daly (capt.) (0-01), Liam Silke, Paul Conroy (0-02), John Maher; Johnny Heaney (0-02), Cein Darcy, Cathal Sweeney (0-01); Rory Cunningham, Robert Finnerty (0-02, 0-02m), Cillian Ó Curraoin (0-01)
Subs: Daniel O’Flaherty for Cunningham (33 minutes), Jack McCabe for Darcy, Tomo Culhane (1-00) for Ó Curraoin (both 48), Jack Glynn for Silke (56), Kieran Molloy for McHugh (58)
Referee: Séamus Mulhare (Laois)
