Donegal rallied with two points from substitute Jamie Brennan and another from Conor O'Donnell to hold off a fast-finishing Kerry and get out of Killarney with a two-point win and another two Allianz League points.
Delayed by a fortnight because Donegal couldn't make it to Killarney on the appointed date at the end of January, the Ulster champions finally made their trip to Fitzgerald Stadium a worthwhile one with a performance that was just about deserving of victory against a Kerry side that fell short of backing up last week's win in Derry.
That win in Celtic Park came courtesy of three late goals, but Jack O’Connor’s side could only manage one green flag here, from Diarmuid O’Connor in the 62nd minute goal that cut Donegal’s lead to one point, but the visitors found an extra gear to secure the win by a 0-23 to 1-18 scoreline in a game they were never behind in.
With Kerry tiring, Donegal’s response to the goal was points from Jamie Brennan and Conor O’Donnell, before Sean O’Shea’s two-point score in the 68th minute brough the gap down to one again. But as the game became even looser as the final hooter loomed, Brennan popped his second point just before the hooter sounded.
Donegal lost Michael Langan to an early injury, to be replaced by Paddy McBrearty just before Ryan McHugh landed a two-point score for the visitors.
Donegal were four ahead before Dylan Geaney opened Kerry’s account in the 11th minute, and for much of the first half Kerry had the edge around the middle with Diarmuid O’Connor particularly good under the kick-outs.
Scores from O’Shea, Conor Geaney, Barry Dan O’Sullivan and Dylan Geaney made it 0-05 apiece after 20 minutes.
McBreaty converted a two-point free as Donegal were always able to keep ahead on the scoreboard, and late points from Ryan McHugh, Eoghan Ban Gallagher and Oisin Gallen had Donegal 0-11 to 0-07 ahead at half time.
Kerry started the second half with points from O’Shea, Dylan Geaney and Diarmuid O’Connor to make it a one-point game, but Gallen’s two-pointer gave Donegal more breathing space, 0-13 to 0-10, and then Ciaran Moore fired them four ahead.
Tom O’Sullivan pointed for Kerry, but McBrearty and Ryan McHugh (two) put Donegal six ahead after 48 minutes.
We didn’t quite get the grandstand finish like Celtic the previous weekend, but O’Connor’s goal, slapping in Paudie Clifford’s cross, in the 62nd minute made it 1-16 to 0-20, and Donegal something to think about. The response was those late scores from Brennan and O’Donnell for the win.
Kerry: Shane Ryan, Damien Bourke, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan 0-01, Graham O’Sullivan 0-01, Tadhg Morley, Sean O’Brien, Diarmuid O’Connor 1-01, Barry Dan O’Sullivan 0-01, Paudie Clifford 0-02, Sean O’Shea 0-05 (1 tp, 2tpf), Cillian Trant, Conor Geaney (0-03, 2f), Donal O’Sullivan, Dylan Geaney 0-03.
Subs: Mike Breen for T Morley (30), Ruairi Murphy for C Trant (ht), Paul Geaney for D O’Sullivan (51), Cathal Ó Beaglaíoch 0-01 for B D O’Sullivan (51), Killian Spillane for C Geaney (60)
Donegal: Shaun Patton, Eoghan Ban Gallagher 0-01, Brendan McCole, Finbarr Roarty, Ryan McHugh 0-05 (1tp), Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan 0-01, Michael Langan, Hugh McFadden, Daire Ó Baoill, Shane O’Donnell 0-02, Ciaran Moore 0-01, Oisin Gallen 0-03 (1tp), Ciaran Thompson 0-02, Conor O’Donnell 0-03.
Subs: Paddy McBrearty 0-03 (1 tpf), for M Langan (inj, 4), Jamie Brennan 0-02 for H McFadden (50), Eoin McHugh for D Ó Baoill (59), Mark Curran for R McHugh (61), Odhran Doherty for O Gallen (67)
Referee: B Cawley (Kildare)
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