David Clifford inspired Kerry to a crucial win over old adversaries Tyrone with a brilliantly executed hat-trick at Plunkett Park in Pomeroy as Jack O'Connor’s men ended a two-game losing run.
Clifford struck late in the opening half, and twice more at crucial stages of a drama-packed second period as the Munster men finished strongly to claim the points and consign the Red Hand to a third straight loss and a battle to avoid relegation.
They led by seven points at one stage, but crucially failed to score during a spell when their opponents were down to 13 men, as their challenge faded in the closing stages.
Both coming off back-to-back defeats, the Red Hands and the Kingdom were feeling the heat going into a crucial encounter that would plunge one of them into a desperate battle to avoid relegation.
It was Kerry who adapted their game to the gusting crossfield wind, moving the ball smartly through the hands to open up an early four-point advantage, with scores from Brian O Beaglaoich, Dylan Geaney, Paudie Clifford and David Clifford, making his first start of the season.
The home side was living off scraps, but almost plundered a goal when Mattie Donnelly intercepted a clearance, and with 'keeper Shane Ryan 50 metres from his line, had a go at an empty net from 45 metres, but the ball was caught up in the wind.
Tyrone sparked into action despite losing attacker Eoin McElholm to a black card, drawing level with a couple of two-pointers from Michael McKernan.
And with Brian Kennedy and Conn Kilpatrick beginning to get an edge around the middle, they pushed on to go six clear, with Darragh Canavan coming off the bench for his first appearance this year, converting two frees, one of them a two-pointer.
But Kerry hit back with a 33rd minute David Clifford goal, rifled past Niall Morgan from Paul Geaney’s assist.
At the break, Tyrone led by 0-11 to 1-05, stretching the advantage through Canavan, before Kerry came close with a David Clifford screamer which rattled the crossbar.
But Tyrone composed themselves to craft a goal for Canavan, who smashed his shot to the roof of the net from Mark Bardley’s cross.
Darren McCurry made it a seven point game but Clifford once again rose to the challenge with another clinical finish, Genaey again the provider.
Geaney and Diarmuid O’Connor tagged on points as they closed in on their hosts, but the Red Hand made another big move when Canavan raced through the middle to win a penalty, hauled down by Joe O’Connor.
Mark Bradley’s kick was saved by Shane Ryan, but he followed up to net the rebound, and Kerry were reduced to 13 men, black-carded O’Connor joined on the sideline by David Clifford, who also picked up a black.
However, Tyrone failed to score during that spell of numerical advantage, and with the O’Connors - Diarmuid and the reinstated Joe - winning vital ball down the closing ten minute stretch, they staged a strong finish, hitting 1-05 without reply.
Clifford completed a glorious hat-trick on 62 minutes, another sumptious finish from Dylan Casey’s cross to point his side towards an important victory.
And he added a couple of frees for a 3-03 tally, Graham O’Sullivan completing the job with a late score.
Tyrone: N Morgan; A Clarke, P Teague, N Devlin, M McKernan (0-04, 2tp), R Brennan, F Burns; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick (0-02, 1tp); M O’Neill, M Donnelly, C Daly; D McCurry (0-02, 2f), M Bradley (1-01), E McElholm.
Subs; D Canavan (1-04, 2f, 1tp )for O’Neill (21), R Canavan for McCurry (46), S O’Donnell for Burns (51), P Harte for Donnelly (58), K McGeary for McElholm (66)
Kerry: S Ryan; D Bourke, J Foley, D Casey (0-01); G O’Sullivan (0-01), M Breen, B Ó Beaglaoich (0-01); D O’Connor (0-01), J O’Connor (0-01); D Lyne, P Clifford (0-01), R Murphy; D Clifford (3-03, 0-2f), P Geaney (0-03, 3f), D Geaney (0-01).
Subs: C Geaney for D Geaney (46), BD O’Sullivan for Murphy (56), M Burns for P Geaney (64), P Muphy for O Baglaoich (68)
Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).
