LAST UPDATE | 20 Feb 2022
Kerry 1-13
Donegal 0-7
A DOMINANT AFTERNOON for the home team in Killarney, Kerry coping with the storm that whipped up around the stadium and able to withstand anything Donegal threw at them.
Jack O’Connor saw his team with a nine-point advantage to reflect on at the final whistle and they now stay unbeaten in Division 1. This result sees them move alongside Armagh and Mayo at the summit, marginally ahead of that pair on score difference.
A first loss of the campaign for Donegal means they embarked on the long trek home with no reward to show for their trip. They were chasing this game from the outset, playing into the teeth of a gale in the first half and seven points in arrears at the break.
Kerry had the luxury of holding David Clifford in reserve until the 44th minute. When they sprung their attacking talisman, he responded with a goal within six minutes. It was a highly fortuitous strike though, rather than the product of football genius. A point effort was scuffed by Clifford and when it bounced near the goal, Shaun Patton made a mess of controlling it, fumbling the ball to the net.
49 nóim #KERvDON
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 20, 2022
@Kerry_Official 1–09@officialdonegal 0-03
Cúl faighte ag David Clifford!! 👀
Kerry have taken a huge lead after a rare mistake from Shaun Patton!
@GAA_BEO @officialgaa
#GAABeo | #AllianzIreland | #AllianzLeagues
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/CV4ItLb2hH
That Clifford goal was the only strike to the net during the game but it was Sean O’Shea who pointed the way with a masterful showing at centre-forward for Kerry, amassing 0-7 throughout. He swung over a glorious sideline kick to open the scoring after three minutes and registered a further four points from play, the pick of the bunch a left-footed bomb in the first half.
That Clifford goal pushed Kerry 1-9 to 0-3 clear, removing any doubt about the outcome of this game by the midway mark of the second half. Kerry could have enhanced their goal tally further throughout the second half with Clifford punting a shot against the bar, O’Shea earlier booting the ball against the post and Jack Barry looping a shot narrowly wide.
The misses were not costly. Donegal’s threat was minimal in attack. They only scored two points in the first half, both fisted efforts in the first quarter, and only raised a single white flag between the 12th and 56th minutes. The change in conditions did not alter their outlook, the gale behind them as they played into the Lewis Road goal in the second half, failed to result in a major increase of scores.
Declan Bonner saw his team produce their best spell with four points in succession between the 56th and 62nd minutes – Patrick McBrearty with a brace, Shane and Conor O’Donnell with one apiece.
One promising goal opportunity arose late on but they failed to capitalise when Ryan McHugh’s fist pass across was overhit as he sought to find a team-mate.
Kerry posted the last three points of the game, O’Shea surging clear to fist over two and Clifford clipped over a typical left-footed effort. They closed the game out successfully, sturdy at the back in the punishing second-half conditions as Dan O’Donoghue, Paul Murphy and Brian Ó Beaglaoich were prominent in bringing possession out of defence.
Monaghan await Kerry next Sunday in Inniskeen, while Donegal get set to welcome Tyrone to Ballybofey for a Saturday night showdown.
Scorers for Kerry: Sean O’Shea 0-7 (0-2f, 0-1 sideline), David Clifford 1-1, Killian Spillane 0-2, Dan O’Donoghue 0-1, Paul Geaney 0-1, Paudie Clifford 0-1.
Scorers for Donegal: Patrick McBrearty 0-2 (0-1f), Shane O’Donnell 0-2, Conor O’Donnell 0-2, Eoghan Ban Gallagher 0-1.
Kerry
1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)
2. Dan O’Donoghue (Spa Killarney), 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue), 4. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
5. Paul Murphy (Rathmore), 6. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe), 7. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)
8. Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaei), 9. Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)
10. Adrian Spillane (Templenoe), 11. Seán O’Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks – captian), 12. Dara Moynihan (Spa Killarney)
13. Paudie Clifford (Fossa), 14. Paul Geaney (Dingle), 15. Killian Spillane (Templenoe)
Subs
17. David Clifford (Fossa) for Killian Spillane (44)
24. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks) for Adrian Spillane (50)
20. Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes) for Geaney (58)
22. Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahilly’s) for Paudie Clifford (65)
25. Greg Horan (Austin Stacks) for Barry (66)
Donegal
1. Shaun Patton (St Eunan’s)
3. Brendan McCole (Naomh Naille), 2. Caolan Ward (St Eunan’s), 7. Odhrán McFadden Ferry (Gaoth Dobhair)
4. Eoghan Ban Gallagher (Killybegs), 6. Paul Brennan (Bundoran), 10. Peadar Mogan (Naomh Naille),
8. Jason McGee (Cloughaneely), 18. Hugh McFadden (Killybegs)
11. Shane O’Donnell (St Eunan’s), 9. Ciaran Thompson (Naomh Conaill), 27. Rory O’Donnell
5. Ryan McHugh (Kilcar), 13. Patrick McBrearty (Kilcar), 15. Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh)
Subs
24. Stephen McMenamin (Aodh Rua) for Brennan (40)
22. Niall O’Donnell (St Eunan’s) for Rory O’Donnell (43)
28. Oisin Gallen (Sean MacCumhaill) for McFadden (50)
26. Daire Ó Baoill (Gaoth Dobhair) for Shane O’Donnell (60)
17. Ethan O’Donnell (Naomh Conaill) for McFadden-Ferry (70)
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)