Kerry 2-13
Mayo 0-14
Colm Gannon reports from McHale Park, Castlebar
DONNCHADH WALSH’S GOAL 11 minutes into the second half saw this game swing in the visitors favour, Walsh was in the right place to punch the ball to the back of the net after Robbie Hennelly had come to punch a dropping free away, but the ball skewed off his glove behind him and Walsh was there to pounce.
Kerry were reduced to 14 men 18 minutes into the second half when Kieran Donaghy was shown a second yellow, but by that stage Kerry were 2-8 to 0-9 up and Mayo had to go hunting for goals.
Eamon Fitzmaurice’s men had trailed by 0-7 to 1-3 at the break, but they outscored Mayo 1-5 to 0-2 in the third quarter of the game. Darran O’Sullivan’s quick feet caused Mayo problems all day as did the probing runs from deep from Peter Crowley.
Mayo also finished with 14 men when Diarmuid O’Connor was shown a second yellow card late on for a clash out on the far sideline.
A Johnny Buckley goal a minute from the break saw Kerry go in trailing by just one point rather than four in Castlebar. Buckley got on the end of a move that saw Colm Cooper slip in Darran O’Sullivan whose fleet of foot turn created the space for Buckley to fire low past Robbie Hennelly in the Mayo goal.
Up to that point Mayo had been dominating the game and should have had two goals themselves, only for Aidan O’Shea to fire over from less than five yards out and Brendan Kealy’s face getting in the way of Jason Doherty effort that saw the Kerry keeper having to be replaced by a blood sub Brian Kelly before the break.
Kerry had gone into a two point early lead through Darren O’Sullivan and Peter Crowley scores, but Bryan Sheehan’s radar was off from the placed ball and he missed two very scroable efforts.
Mayo’s scores came from a free and 45 from Hennelly, while Diarmuid O’Connor and Shane Nally kicked two fine scores with Kevin McLoughlin adding one from play and another from a free.
Mayo chased the game hard over the closing stages, but they kicked 12 wides over the course of the 70 minutes and Kerry punished them on the break on numerous occasions down the home stretch.
For Mayo it means they are staring relegation in the face with two games left to try and secure their division one status.
Scorers for Kerry: Johnny Buckley (1-1), Donnchadh Walsh (1-0), Peter Crowley (0-2), Darran O’Sullivan (0-2), Colm Cooper (0-2, 2f), Bryan Sheehan (0-2, 2f), Marc Ó’Sé (0-1), Barry John Keane (0-1), Brendan O’Sullivan (0-2)
Scorers for Mayo: Kevin McLoughlin (0-3, 1f), Aidan O’Shea (0-2), Robbie Hennelly (0-2, 1f, 145’), Andy Moran (0-2, 2f), Diarmuid O’Connor (0-1), Tom Parsons (0-1), Shane Nally (0-1), Seamus O’Shea (0-1)
Kerry
1. Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin)
2. Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht)
3. Mark Griffin (St Michaels/Foilmore )
4. Shane Enright (Tarbert)
5. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
6. Aidan O’Mahony (Rathmore)
7. Fionn Fitzgerald (Dr Crokes)
8. Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)
9. Bryan Sheehan (C) (St Marys)
10. Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes)
11. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
12. Donnchadh Walsh (Cromane)
13. Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh-Glencar)
14. Colm Cooper (Dr Crokes)
15. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare)
Subs: 16. Brian Kelly (Killanery Leigon) for 1. Berndan Kealy (27, BS) , 19.Barry John Keane (Kerin’s O’Rahaillys) for Stephen O’Brien (52), 22. Brendan O’Sullivan (Valentia) for Johnny Buckley (55), 18. Padraig O’Connor (Cordal) for Peter Crowley (BC, 62), 25. Johanthan Lyne (Killarney Leigon for Donnacha Walsh (64), 17. Denis Daly (St Marys ) for Darran O’Sullivan (72)
Mayo
1. Robert Hennelly (Breaffy)
2. Brendan Harrision (Aghamore)
3. Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites)
18. Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe)
5. Lee Keegan (Westport)
6. Colm Boyle (Davitts)
7. Shane Nally (Garrymore)
8. Tom Parsons (Charlestown)
9. Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy)
10. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
11. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
12. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
22. Cathal Carolan (Crossmolina)
14. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole)
15. Conor O’Shea (Breaffy)
Subs: 20. Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore) for Shane Nally (45), Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen) for Cathal Carolan (50), 24. Mikie Sweeney (Kiltane) for Conor O’Shea (59), 4. Chris Barrett (Belmullet) for Ger Cafferkey (64), 21. Jason Gibbons (Ballintubber) for Jason Doherty (66)
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