Kerry 0-22
Down 0-6
Orla Bannon reports from Páirc Esler.
Kieran Donaghy and Colm Cooper had their first outings of 2016 as Kerry coasted to an opening league win of the season by hammering Down in Newry.
Bryan Sheehan top-scored with 0-6 scoring from frees, play and ’45′s for the Kingdom who could not have asked for a more comfortable outing.
Aidan Walsh made his debut for Kerry, who rolled out the big guns for early season game-time with ‘Gooch’ and Tommy Walsh among the substitutes.
Down were off the pace and offered no resistance, going 30 minutes without scoring either side of half time.
Darran O’Sullivan’s pace caused havoc for Down and scored three points in the opening half.
Down did score three points inside four minutes to draw level at 0-3 each after 17 minutes, but Kerry reeled off six points in a row before half time to romp into a 0-9 to 0-3 lead.
The gap should have been greater had Paul Murphy not fisted wide with the goal at his mercy just before the interval.
Conor Maginn stroked over a 45th minute point for Down, their first in half an hour, but immediately Kerry brought on ‘Gooch’ who hit 0-3, two from frees, in a one-sided second half.
Scorers for Kerry: B Sheehan 0-6 (2f, 2 ’45′s), D O’Sullivan 0-4, A Fitzgerald 0-3 (2f), C Cooper 0-3 (2f), BJ Keane 0-3 (1f), B O’Sullivan 0-2, S O’Brien 0-1
Scorers for Down: B O’Hagan 0-2, C Harrison 0-2 (2f), C Maginn, R Mallon 0-1 each
Kerry
1. B Kealy
2.M O Se
3. M Griffin
4. S Enright
5. P O’Connor
6. A O’Mahony
7. F Fitzgerald
8. K Donaghy
9. B Sheehan
10. A Walsh
11. P Murphy
12. D Walsh
13. D O’Sullivan
14. A Fitzgerald
15. S O’Brien
Subs: C Cooper for Walsh (43), P Crowley for O’Connor (48), BJ Keane for A Fitzgerald (59), P Kilkenny for O Se (60), T Walsh for Donaghy (63), B O’Sullivan for D Walsh (64)
Down
1. M Cunningham
2. L Howard
3. G McGovern
4. D O’Hagan
5. C McGovern
6. A Carr
7. D O’Hanlon
8. P Turley
9. M McKay
10. J Murphy
11. M Poland
12. K McKernan
13. C Maginn
14. C Harrison
15. B O’Hagan
Subs: J Flynn for Carr (27), R Mallon for Murphy (37), R Boyle for Howard (41), M Magee for O’Hagan (43), H Brown for Turley (53), D O’Hare for O’Hagan (57)
Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)
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Totally negative football by Ireland even now that Armenia are down to 10 men.
Can’t understand why Seamus Coleman doesn’t get a chance to play for Ireland
Need to change Headline^^ Its meant to be Armenia.
Cox justified his selection and Walters was impressive when he came on. This is just as well given that Doyle & (prob) Keane will miss the play off. Otherwise, wouldn’t be hugely optimistic – McGeady and Kelly were terrible while Andrews & Whelan were their usual dull uninspiring selves.
Agree with everything except Andrews. He’s a ball-winner and has a big role in the side. I never noticed him while watching him on the telly but I was at the match today and he’s a pretty decent footballer. Definitely happy to see his name on the team sheet.
Short straw again Adrian ?
I’m predicting it’ll still be nil-nil right up to the 89th minute and suddenly Richard Dunne will charge down the pitch with the ball, while at the same time carrying the rest of the team in a fireman’s life and eventually bundle the ball over the line to scrap that vital draw.
Yes I have a vivid imagination.
Can’t see us winning with that line up. Hope I’m wrong thou. Cmon lads
What is it that makes me feel that even if this Irish team were in a European final I would still fell so uninspired! I wish it were different. Hopefully some new guys can add some spark to our play, but I have to hand it to trap there is a control element to this team that is paying off in terms of results, all we have to do is think back to the staunto years!…headless chickens!
The Staunton years??? – Oh yeah, sorry, I had erased that from my memory.
We have the guys to add a spark to our play but trap has no confidence in our ability to play football
damn..why is the match on this early!!?
Sigh.