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Gavin Doogan celebrates his goal against Kerry. Cathal Noonan/INPHO

Gavin Doogan goal maintains Monaghan's unbeaten league run against Kerry

Bryan Sheehan was dismissed with a straight red card for Kerry late in the second half.

Kerry 1-10

Monaghan 2-8

Paul Brennan reports from Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney.

MONAGHAN KEPT THEIR unbeaten start to the League in tact with a hard earned but deserved one-point win over Kerry, a result that puts a major dent in the Kingdom’s own League title ambitions.

Exacting some revenge for Kerry’s win in Clones in the corresponding fixture 11 months ago, Monaghan ground out their second win on the road in this campaign, and with that draw with neighbours Cavan they have five points from a possible six.

For Kerry, it’s a second home defeat on the bounce and Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s team will need to win away to Roscommon next Sunday if they’re to have realistic hopes of getting back to a second successive League final.

Gavin Doogan’s goal four minutes into the second half proved a crucial score as it levelled matters after Kerry had edged into a three-point lead just after the restart.

From there to the end it was a nip and tuck battle but Kerry never held the lead after that, and in a cagey affair points from Jack MaCarron (2), Conor McManus (2) and Kieran Hughes was good enough to see Monaghan home.

The first half was, for the most part, turgid stuff, with the tedium punctuated only by two brilliantly taken goals, from Kerry’s David Moran in the 15th minute and Jack McCarron 12 minutes later.

Kerry played with a strong wind advantage in that first half and nearly had an early goal when Paul Murphy rattled the post with an opportunistic strike in the seventh minute, but converted frees from McCarron and goalkeeper Rory Beggan edged Monaghan into an early lead.

Moran’s goal arrived on the quarter hour mark, finishing off a quick counter-attack, and Tadhg Morley and James O’Donoghue (free) extended the home side’s lead to 1-2 to 0-2.

Paul Geaney had a great chance to double Kerry’s lead in the 20th minute but he pulled his shot wide from six metres out with just Beggan to beat, but Paul Murphy and O’Donoghue (free) found the target to push Kerry five clear.

As the afternoon lurched between bright sunshine and heavy showers Monaghan remained patient and probed a packed Kerry defence until Conor McManus brought a fine save from Brendan Kealy. McCarron picked up the loose ball and lashed the ball to the net to drag the visitors back into the contest.

Kieran Hughes and Geaney (free) exchanged points to see Kerry lead 1-5 to 1-3 at the interval, but Monaghan, playing into that wind, would have been the happier team at the break.

Doogan’s goal made it 2-3 to 1-6 in the 39th minute and try as the did Kerry couldn’t mine enough scores from a tenacious Monaghan defence, while the Farney men picked off their points to earn a important win.

Kerry lost midfield Jack Barry to a black card late on, while Bryan Sheehan managed about 20 seconds on the field before being sent off on a straight red card after a clash with Kieran Hughes in his very first involvement in the 66th minute.

Scorers for Kerry: James O’Donoghue 0-3f, Paul Geaney 0-3f, David Moran 1-0
Tadhg Morley 0-1, Paul Murphy 0-1, Barry John Keane 0-1f, Brendan Kealy 0-1f.

Scorers for Monaghan: Jack McCarron 1-3; 0-1f, Gavin Doogan 1-0, Kieran Hughes 0-2, Conor McManus 0-2, Rory Beggan 0-1f

Kerry

1. Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin)

2. Shane Enright (Tarbert)
3. Mark Griffin (St Michaels-Foilmore)
4. Killian Young (Renard)

5. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
6. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
7. Ronan Shanahan (Austin Stacks)

8. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys)
9. Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)

10. Jonathan Lyne (Killarney Legion)
11. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
20. Kevin McCarthy (Kilcummin)

13. Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys)
14. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
15. James O’Donoghue (Killarney Legion)

Subs:

19. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare) for J Savage (HT)
18. Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahillys) for P Geaney (50 mins)
17. Adrian Spillane (Templenoe) for K McCarthy (52 mins)
23. Anthony Maher (Duagh) for J Barry (b/c, 55 mins)
12. Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh/Glencar) for P Crowley (61 mins)
24. Bryan Sheehan (St Marys) for D Moran (65 mins)

Monaghan

1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)

2. Fintan Kelly (Clones)
3. Drew Wylie (Ballybay)
4. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay)

5. Kieran Duffy (Latton)
17. James Mealiff (Clones)
7. Colin Walshe (Doohamlet)

8. Darren Hughes (Scotstown)
9. Kieran Hughes (Scotstown)

10. Karl O’Connell (Tyholland)
11. Shane Carey (Scotstown)
12. Gavin Doogan (Magheracloone)

22. Dermot Malone (Castleblayney)
25. Jack McCarron (Currin)
15. Conor McManus (Clontibret)

Subs:
6. Neil McAdam (Monaghan Harps) for C Walshe (33 mins)
23. Owen Duffy (Latton) for D Hughes (HT)
20. Ryan McAnespie (Emyvale) for J Mealiff (HT)
13.Conor McCarthy (Scotstown) for O Duffy (45 mins)
14. Thomas Kerr (Ballybay) for D Malone (65 mins)

Referee: Derek O’Mahony (Tipperary)

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Paul Brennan
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