Kerry made it two wins in a row to keep the pressure on Antrim at the top of the Joe McDonagh Cup table thanks to a comprehensive 6-25 to 0-13 victory over Meath at Austin Stack Park on Saturday afternoon.
Kerry couldn't have asked for a better start with a goal from the impressive and in-form Shane Conway within the first 90 seconds.
After what was a steely performance with exceptional accuracy in front of the posts, the Kingdom took a 12-point lead into the half-time break.
The difference in class between both sides showed from the get-go with Kerry exploding into a four-point advantage with just three minutes on the clock.
After Conway first raised the green flag, a minute or so into proceedings, the Lixnaw clubman doubled his goal scoring tally a minute and a half later, easing past Meath full-back Seán Geraghty to bat the ball past Charlie Ennis.
Conway's second came after Meath had salvaged early points thanks to a Mickey Burke point and a Jack Regan free after just 20 seconds.
However, Kerry never looked back after their early perfect start in front of goal, and when Colin Walsh found himself in space before scoring Kerry’s third goal in the fourth minute to put six points between the two sides, the result never looked in doubt.
Points from Limerick native Niall Mulcahy, and Colum Harty (two) had Stephen Molumphy's men nine points ahead by the 10th minute – 3-03 to 0-03 in favour of the Kingdom.
A Fionan MacKessy point, a Boyle free and a superb effort from full-back Eoin Ross had Kerry 11 points up midway through the opening half.
Meath, to their credit, never gave up and points from Jack Regan, Nicky Potterton, Pauric O’Hanrahan gave Nick Weir’s charges a fighting chance. However, Kerry still outscored the victors by four points to three in the second quarter.
After the restart, Boyle (free), MacKessy and Walsh each pointed for Kerry to extend the margin between the sides to 15 just five minutes into the final 35 minutes.
Less than five minutes after being introduced, substitute Maurice O'Connell got his first of two goals. The Kilmoyley man took full advantage of a Padraig Boyle knockdown before finding the back of the net.
Two minutes later, O’Connell had his second goal of the afternoon, linking up well with Walsh to give Kerry a 21-point advantage.
A brilliant turnover from the Kerry defence moments later led to a lightning-quick counter and wonderful individual score from MacKessey.
Meath weren’t going to go down without a fight though and two Stephen Morris points gave the visitors a lift ten minutes from time.
As the clock entered the red, O’Connell should have had his hat-trick, but the Kilmoyley clubman mis-hit in front of goal after Conway selfishly set up the lively substitute.
Mulchay rounded off a superb performance to grab Kerry’s sixth goal two minutes later.
Despite hitting 15 wides, Kerry’s accuracy and dominance was the difference and their last three scores of the game came through a Conway free and two MacKessy points to secure a comfortable 30-point win.
Kerry: Louis Dee; Flor McCarthy, Eoin Ross (0-01), Eric Leen; Sean Weir, Mikey Boyle, Fionan MacKessy (0-06); Michael Leane (0-01), Colin Walsh (1-01); Padraig Boyle (0-07, 0-07fs), Colum Harty (0-02), Paudie O'Connor; Gavin Dooley (0-01), Niall Mulcahy (1-01), Shane Conway (2-003, 0-03fs).
Subs: Maurcie O’Connor (2-00) for Dooley (42), Jordan Conway (0-01) for Harty (44), Tadhg Brick for McCarthy (50), Brian Lonergan (0-01) for Boyle (54), Fionan O’Sullivan for Ross (58).
Meath: Charlie Ennis; Ger Murphy, Seán Geraghty, Brendan McKeon; Nicky Potterton (0-01), Mickey Burke (0-01); James Kelly; Stephen Morris (0-02), Pauric O’Hanranan (0-01, 0-01f); Jack Walsh, Mark O’Sullivan, Damien Healy (0-01); Mickey Cole, Jack Regan (0-05, 0-04fs, 0-01 '65), Éamon Ó Donnchadha (0-01).
Subs: Justin Coyne for Geraghty (ht), Patrick Patterson for O’Hanranan (ht), Darragh Kelly (0-01) for Murphy (41), Kevin Keena for Ó Donnchadha (46), Adam O’Connor for Cole (58).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
