AN UNANSWERED EIGHT-point surge, against the wind in the first half, laid the platform for Kerry to crush Mayo with a swashbuckling display in this Allianz NFL (Division 1) clash at Austin Stack Park in Tralee.
In a meeting of the sides ranked two and three on the table, the hosts recovered from a five-point deficit to move into a very promising position by the half-time whistle.
Mayo, with teenage sensation Kobe McDonald making his first start, were the better team in the opening quarter, at the end of which they led by 0-9 to 0-4.
Jordan Flynn, Jack Carney and Ryan O’Donoghue were all on target from two-point range, while another young gun, Darragh Beirne, shot wide with a snatched goal chance.
The second quarter was all about Kerry, with David Clifford, Sean O’Shea, Keith Evans and Dylan Geaney dove-tailing well up front, and Tom O’Sullivan and Jason Foley inspirational further back.
The home team were also indebted to a stunning double save Shane Murphy to deny McDonald and, while Sam Callinan ended the Mayo drought, Kerry led by three points (0-13 to 0-10) at the break.
Kobe McDonald denied by Kerry goalkeeper Shane Murphy. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Any chance Mayo had of making a comeback on the resumption bit the dust just five minutes in when Dylan Geaney, with what looked like a miss-kick, found the net for his first goal of the evening.
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Right on the three-quarter mark, Jack O’Connor’s men struck for goal number two. David Clifford supplied the assist, and Geaney buried his second green flag with a thundering drive.
At that stage, Kerry were home and dry, leading by 13 points (2-21 to 0-14) and, with a solitary wide over the 70 minutes, compared to 14 from their profligate opponents, they increased their cushion.
By the final whistle, the imperious trio of O’Shea (0-11), Clifford (0-8) and Geaney (2-3) had combined to register 2-22 on the scoreboard as the Kingdom cruised past the winning post.
In an ominous statement of intent, the defending league champions had a 16-point margin of victory at the denouement, with a trip to Armagh on the horizon next weekend.
Kerry
S Murphy; P Murphy, J Foley, D Casey; T O’Sullivan 0-1, T Morley, A Heinrich; C Trant, S O’Brien 0-1; J O’Connor 0-1, S O’Shea 0-11 (2tpf, 2tp), G O’Sullivan 0-1; D Geaney 2-3, D Clifford 0-8 (2tp), K Evans 0-2.
Subs:
Micheál Burns for G O’Sullivan (48)
Mike Breen 0-1 for T O’Sullivan (51)
Tomás Kennedy for Geaney (56)
Liam Smith for O’Brien (58)
Tom Leo O’Sullivan for P Murphy (60)
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Eddie Healy for Casey (64, blood).
Mayo
R Hennelly 0-2(tpf); J Coyne, R Brickenden, D McHugh; S Callinan 0-1, D O’Connor, C Dawson; B Tuohy, D McBrien; J Carney 0-2(tp), R O’Donoghue 0-8 (0-4fs, 2tp), J Flynn 0-2(tp); D Beirne, K McDonald 0-1, F Boland 0-3 (1tp).
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Kerry inflict 16-point defeat on Mayo as they go up through the gears
Kerry 2-29
Mayo 0-19
AN UNANSWERED EIGHT-point surge, against the wind in the first half, laid the platform for Kerry to crush Mayo with a swashbuckling display in this Allianz NFL (Division 1) clash at Austin Stack Park in Tralee.
In a meeting of the sides ranked two and three on the table, the hosts recovered from a five-point deficit to move into a very promising position by the half-time whistle.
Mayo, with teenage sensation Kobe McDonald making his first start, were the better team in the opening quarter, at the end of which they led by 0-9 to 0-4.
Jordan Flynn, Jack Carney and Ryan O’Donoghue were all on target from two-point range, while another young gun, Darragh Beirne, shot wide with a snatched goal chance.
The second quarter was all about Kerry, with David Clifford, Sean O’Shea, Keith Evans and Dylan Geaney dove-tailing well up front, and Tom O’Sullivan and Jason Foley inspirational further back.
The home team were also indebted to a stunning double save Shane Murphy to deny McDonald and, while Sam Callinan ended the Mayo drought, Kerry led by three points (0-13 to 0-10) at the break.
Any chance Mayo had of making a comeback on the resumption bit the dust just five minutes in when Dylan Geaney, with what looked like a miss-kick, found the net for his first goal of the evening.
Right on the three-quarter mark, Jack O’Connor’s men struck for goal number two. David Clifford supplied the assist, and Geaney buried his second green flag with a thundering drive.
At that stage, Kerry were home and dry, leading by 13 points (2-21 to 0-14) and, with a solitary wide over the 70 minutes, compared to 14 from their profligate opponents, they increased their cushion.
By the final whistle, the imperious trio of O’Shea (0-11), Clifford (0-8) and Geaney (2-3) had combined to register 2-22 on the scoreboard as the Kingdom cruised past the winning post.
In an ominous statement of intent, the defending league champions had a 16-point margin of victory at the denouement, with a trip to Armagh on the horizon next weekend.
Kerry
S Murphy; P Murphy, J Foley, D Casey; T O’Sullivan 0-1, T Morley, A Heinrich; C Trant, S O’Brien 0-1; J O’Connor 0-1, S O’Shea 0-11 (2tpf, 2tp), G O’Sullivan 0-1; D Geaney 2-3, D Clifford 0-8 (2tp), K Evans 0-2.
Subs:
Micheál Burns for G O’Sullivan (48)
Mike Breen 0-1 for T O’Sullivan (51)
Tomás Kennedy for Geaney (56)
Liam Smith for O’Brien (58)
Tom Leo O’Sullivan for P Murphy (60)
Eddie Healy for Casey (64, blood).
Mayo
R Hennelly 0-2(tpf); J Coyne, R Brickenden, D McHugh; S Callinan 0-1, D O’Connor, C Dawson; B Tuohy, D McBrien; J Carney 0-2(tp), R O’Donoghue 0-8 (0-4fs, 2tp), J Flynn 0-2(tp); D Beirne, K McDonald 0-1, F Boland 0-3 (1tp).
Subs:
Sean Morahan for Dawson (27)
Diarmuid Duffy for McHugh (ht)
Stephen Coen for O’Connor (41)
Aidan O’Shea for Beirne (42)
Cillian O’Connor for Tuohy (56).
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).
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Division 1 Football League Flying it GAA Gaelic Football Kerry GAA Mayo GAA