There were no surprises at Dr Hyde Park this afternoon as Kerry did enough to see off Roscommon in their final round fixture in the southern section of the Allianz Football League, though for three quarters of the game the home side certainly threatened to record their first top flight league win in eight attempts.
Had they succeeded, it wouldn't have changed anything for Roscommon - they would still have had to play Armagh in a relegation play-off regardless, but it would have given them a lot more momentum going into that fixture.
As things stand, Anthony Cunningham’s side will still feel a lot better about their prospects than they did in the immediate aftermath of their poor showing in Salthill a week ago.
From a Kerry perspective, the satisfaction will come from taking home a win that had to be chiselled out of solid rock.
Tadhg Morley's straight red card, in the 53rd minute, came with Kerry just a point up and struggling for scores. To get two final quarter goals in that context will be Peter Keane’s biggest source of satisfaction this week.
The first quarter definitely had a shadow boxing quality to it, with points from Tony Brosnan and Conor Cox among the highlights as the Rossies edged the period by the odd score in seven.
As has been the case in so many games this weekend however, the hydration interval proved to be a momentum shifter, and the Kingdom were revitalised afterwards. Paudie Clifford got the first of two points he registered this afternoon, Diarmuid O'Connor fired over the first of his three from midfield, and Kerry were rolling as they moved into a four point lead.
0-10 to 0-7 at half time became 0-11 apiece after ten minutes of the second half. Diarmuid Murtagh was on the mark, his brother Ciaráin struck two, before a mark from Enda Smith tied up the game.
Shane Killoran was dropping out from wing forward to make a real impact at midfield, while defensively the shackles were being put on Kerry's star-studded forward line.
Kerry kept their noses in front with two of the next three scores, but Morley's high tackle on Cian McKeon gave Roscommon an extra man, and even more reason to believe that they might snatch a win.
Instead Kerry found a way, proving that they can grind out wins as well as dazzle the country with their spectacular scoring power.
Paudie Clifford broke through and set up his brother for a simple palmed goal after 57 minutes, a fifth goal in three starts for the Kerry captain.
Points from O'Connor and David Clifford moved the gap out to six, before an exchange of goals in the closing minutes - a superb finish from Roscommon substitute Conor Devaney, cancelled out by a green flag from Kerry sub Joe O'Connor - completed the scoring.
Kerry: Kieran Fitzgibbon; Graham O'Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Gavin Crowley, Mike Breen; David Moran, Diarmuid O’Connor (0-03); Stephen O’Brien, Ronan Buckley (0-01), Paul Geaney (0-03, 0-01 mark, 0-01 free); David Clifford (1-04, 0-02 frees), Tony Brosnan (0-02), Paudie Clifford (0-02).
Subs: Seán O’Shea for Buckley (47), Paul Murphy for G O’Sullivan (47), Tommy Walsh for Brosnan (52), Tadhg Morley for T O’Sullivan (52), Gavin White for Geaney (55), Jack Sherwood for Moran (65), Joe O’Connor (1-00) for O’Brien (70)
Roscommon: Colm Lavin; Conor Daly, David Murray, Brian Stack; Ronan Daly, Conor Hussey, Richard Hughes (0-01); Enda Smith (0-01, mark), Tadhg O’Rourke; Niall Kilroy, Ciaráin Murtagh (0-03), Shane Killoran; Diarmuid Murtagh (0-03, 0-01 mark), Donie Smith (0-02, 0-01 free), Conor Cox (0-02).
Subs: Cian McKeon for D Smith (50), Peter Gillooly for Cox (55), Hubert Darcy for Kilroy (55), Eddie Nolan for O’Rourke (63), Seán Mullooly for R Daly (63), Conor Devaney (1-00) for Killoran (65), Dylan Ruane for D Murtagh (65)
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
