Kerry talisman Shane Conway was to the fore with 1-09 as the Kingdom secured their first victory of the Allianz Hurling League Division 2A season on a 3-14 to 0-16 scoreline against Meath in a winter-like Austin Stack Park this afternoon.
After being level on seven separate occasions in the opening half, Kerry took a one-point lead into half-time before goals from Michael Leane, Conway, and Dan Goggin proved to be the difference for a determined Kingdom side during a superb second half display for the hosts in Tralee.
While Conway top-scored for the winners with 1-09, seven of which were frees, Padraig O'Hanrahan impressed for Meath with 0-08, keeping the Royal County in touching distance until two late Kerry goals secured the win for Stephen Molumphy’s charges.
Meath opened the scoring with a point from Nicholas Potterton with Kerry hitting back straight away with a free from Shane Conway – his first of seven and a sign of things to come.
While the visitors slipped back into the lead with a James Murray point, they failed to take goal chances as the Kerry defence put in some last-ditch blocks and tackles to deny James Kelly, and Potterton, all during a 12-minute opening period when the Kingdom hit six wides.
With Kerry talisman Shane Conway, who returned after injury, to the fore for the Kingdom with five points in the opening half, both sides were level six more times before a late Maurice O’Connor point gave Molumphy’s men the narrowest of leads into the half-time break, despite recording 11 wides in the first 35 minutes.
A must-win game if Kerry were to have a chance of making the play-offs, the hosts went more direct than usual in the opening half, using the strong winter-like breeze and the 6ft 2″ height of Michael Leane who was playing much higher up the field than usual.
The tactic almost paid dividends when Leane found himself in space in front of Meath goalkeeper and captain Charlie Ennis, but the Ballyheigue man was denied by a superb close-range save.
After the restart, Kerry extended their lead to four thanks to two further frees from the flawless Conway with full back Tom Doyle also getting involved in the point scoring action.
Kerry got their first goal in the 45th minute. The lively Dan Goggin burst through the Meath defence before Leane caught the Causeway man’s mishit shot and in a soccer-like finish, the towering Kerryman raised the green flag for the first time.
In what was the 14th ever meeting in the league between the two sides, Kerry all but secured their 11th win against Meath in the competition when the impressive Conway found the net with a superb goal six minutes from time to make it 2-14 to 0-14 in favour of the home side.
Meath got the next two points through Padraig Hanrahan and Tom Shine to reduce the deficit to four, but when Dan Goggin got his well-deserved stoppage time goal the result was put beyond any doubt.
Kerry: Louis Dee; Evan Murphy, Tom Doyle (0-01), Dan Goggin (1-00); Daithí Griffin (0-01), Killian Hayes, Michael Leane (1-00); Eric Leen, Fionán Mackessy; Niall Mulcahy (0-01), Shane Conway (1-09, 0-07f), Kyle O’Connor; Maurice O’Connor (0-01), Tomás O’Connor (capt.), Darragh Shanahan
Subs: Gavin Dooley for Maurice O’Connor (49 minutes), Ronán Walsh (0-01) for Niall Mulcahy (56 minutes), Morgan Madden for Tomás O’Connor (68 mins), Seanie Brosan for Goggin, Darragh Reen for Leane (both 73 mins)
Meath: Charlie Ennis (capt.); Seán Geraghty, Shane Whitty, Ronan Byrne; Daire Shine (0-01), Simon Ennis, Ethan Devine; Kris Gorman, Tom Shine (0-01); Jack Walsh, James Toher, James Murray (0-01); Nicholas Potterton (0-03); James Kelly, Padraig O’Hanrahan (0-08, 0-05f)
Subs: Seán Quigley (0-02) for Toher (six minutes, injured), Mark Horan for Quigley (52 minutes), Ciarán Longergan for Shine (temp 63 mins – 65 mins), Longergan for Geraghty (67 mins)
Referee: Brian Keon (Galway)
Elsewhere in 2A Down and Kildare played out an entertaining 1-24 apiece draw at Ballycran.
The Lilywhites held the narrowest of half-time leads thanks to a Jack Sheridan's goal, with the lead changing hands on multiple occasions over the opening 35 minutes.
Down were on top in the third quarter, establishing a three-point lead with the help of a Marc Fisher major. But Kildare battled well and were leading in the closing stages, only for Pearse Óg McCrickard to earn the Mourne men a share of the spoils.
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