Monaghan's days in Division One of the Allianz Football League look numbered after their fifth successive loss leaves them all-but relegated, while Kerry move a little closer to a possible top-two finish and the chance to successfully defend their title.
Nothing other than a comfortable win for the Kingdom was expected in Killarney, and so it transpired as the Kingdom eased to a 14-point victory in wind and rain.
They hardly needed David Clifford to come on to close out the deal, but having not started him, the Footballer of the Year came on for the last 15 minutes, scored 1-03, and gave the 5,000 crowd some value for their money.
It was another difficult day at the office for the Farney men. Even if they mine a maximum four from their remaining two games, it’s doubtful it will be enough to save them from an immediate return to Division 2.
At a rain and wind-swept Killarney, it took Kerry 27 minutes to take the lead, with Paudie Clifford’s third point putting them 0-05 to 0-04 in front, a lead they took to the half-time.
David Clifford and Tony Brosnan’s withdrawal from Kerry’s starting team would have encouraged Monaghan to pull off a miracle, and a couple of early points from Cameron Dowd and Oisin McGorman gave them early grounds for hope.
The Kingdom were level by the ninth minute with a pair of Paudie Clifford points before Monaghan went two ahead again through Karl Gallager and Dessie Ward.
The tempo of the game was low-energy and passive, the conditions certainly not helping in adding any great urgency or anger to the contest.
Kerry closed out the half, playing against the wind, with points from Keith Evans, Joe O’Connor and Paudie Clifford to lead by one at the interval.
Sensing Monaghan might be a tough nut to crack in the second half if given a foothold, Kerry upped the ante straight away, with Sean O’Shea scoring three early points (two from play) and Paudie Clifford punching over his fourth to put Kerry five ahead.
Monaghan replied with scores from Robbie Hanratty and then Andrew Woods to make it 0-09 to 0-06, but that was as good as it got for the Ulster men.
David Clifford’s introduction energised the Kerry supporters as much as it did his team-mates, and his first touch saw him score the game’s only two-pointer.
A couple of minutes later he was played through on goal, gave Rory Beggan the eyes, and kicked Kerry into a 1-13 to 0-6 lead. Game, set and match.
O’Shea, Clifford, Joe O’Connor, Donagh O’Sullivan and Armin Heinrich added late points with Kerry having scoring difference in mind as the league enters the sharp end with two rounds to go.
Kerry: Shane Murphy, Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey, Eddie Healy, Tadhg Morley 0-01, Armin Heinrich 0-01, Joe O’Connor 0-02, Mark O’Shea, Keith Evans 0-01, Sean O’Shea 0-04 (0-02f), Graham O’Sullivan, Dylan Geaney 0-01, Cillian Trant, Paudie Clifford 0-04.
Subs: Tom O’Sullivan for C Trant (ht), Micheal Burns for P Clifford (47), Donagh O’Sullivan 0-01 for E Healy (53), David Clifford 1-03 (tp, 0-01f) for G O’Sullivan (56), Liam Smith for D Geaney (62), Darragh Lyne for M O’Shea (temp, 66-ft).
Monaghan: Rory Beggan, Darragh McElearney, Ryan O’Toole 0-01, Ryan Wylie, Cameron Dowd 0-01, Dessie Ward 0-01, Aaron Carey, Michael McCarville, Shane Hanratty, Karl Gallagher 0-01, Micheal Bannigan, Fionan Carolan, Oisin McGorman 0-01, Andrew Woods 0-01, Liam McDonald.
Subs: Jack McCarron for F Carolan (ht), Robbie Hanratty 0-01 for L McDonald (49), Eddie Walsh for O McGorman (49), Darragh Treanor for D Ward (64), Ryan Mohan for S Hanratty (66)
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)
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