Monaghan 1-13
Kerry 0-14
Paul Brennan reporting at Inniskeen.
MONAGHAN MOVED ABOVE Kerry in Division One of the Allianz Football League in this rescheduled fixture, as the Farney men claimed their second consecutive league victory, and condemned Kerry to a first defeat of the campaign.
The Ulster side now move into third place by virtue of the head-to-head win, as both counties now have the same scoring difference.
Rain replaced last week’s snow in Inniskeen, and it made for an uncompromising encounter with both sides eager to stay in touch with early front-runners Dublin and Galway.
In the end, Monaghan were left hanging onto a slender lead after losing Barry Kerr to a red card in the 62nd minute with Kerry rallying valiantly to close the deficit.
Kerry trailed by just a point — 1-11 to 0-13 — at that stage, having closed a six-point deficit, but they could never find the equalising score against a fired up Monaghan side.
With Kerry breathing down their necks, the hosts mined late scores from Neil McAdam and Conor McManus to seal the win and move ahead of the League champions on the Division 1 table.
Kerry made three changes from the team announced on Friday, with midfielders Jack Barry and Barry O’Sullivan – who starred for UCD’s Sigerson Cup winning team on Saturday – replaced by Brendan O’Sullivan and Peter Crowley, while Sean O’Shea was recalled to centre-forward in place of Daithi Casey.
Monaghan made five changes to the team they had planned to field seven days earlier, with the presence of Conor McManus at corner-forward the most notable switch.
Monaghan got off to a flying start and had four points scored by the fifth minute – the best of them from Jack McCarron. Kerry struggled with their formation, game plan and energy levels, but points from Micheal Burns and Paul Geaney helped ease the visitors into the contest.
Barry John Keane’s fisted score made it 0-5 to 0-3 but Monaghan, full of energy and running clever lines, saw McCarron convert two frees and Darren Hughes finished another probing move with a score to push Monaghan five ahead.
Sean O’Shea converted a Kerry free but moments later the home side won a soft penalty when Niall Kearns was dispossessed by Shane Murphy as he rounded the Kerry goalkeeper.
Referee Cormac Reilly saw enough in the incident to award a penalty, which McManus dispatched with confidence to make it 1-8 to 0-4 after 20 minutes.
A late exchange of converted frees between O’Shea and McManus, followed by a pointed 45′ from the Kerry man, made it 1-9 to 0-6 in Monaghan’s favour at the interval.
Kerry introduced David Clifford at half-time and he had an instant impact with an early converted free. By the 53rd minute Kerry were within a score, 1-10 to 0-10, after a bright third quarter, and then points from Keane and Clifford made it 1-11 to 0-12.
However, the goal Kerry needed never came, the closest effort was a low Paul Geaney shot, which was well saved by Rory Beggan in the 56th minute.
The last 10 minutes were fraught with danger for 14-man Monaghan but they held out to secure the victory.
Monaghan scorers: Conor McManus 1-3 (1-0 pen, 2f) Jack McCarron 0-4 (2f) Neil McAdam 0-1 Darren Hughes 0-1 Dessie Ward 0-1 Colin Walshe 0-1 Owen Duffy 0-1 Paudie McKenna 0-1
Kerry scorers: Sean O’Shea 0-6 (5f, 1 45′), David Clifford 0-3 (2f), Micheal Burns 0-2, Barry John Keane 0-2, Paul Geaney 0-1
Monaghan
1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)
18. Colin Walshe (Doohamlet)
3. Conor Boyle (Clontibret)
4. Barry Kerr (Cremartin)
19. Dessie Mone (Clontibret)
25. Drew Wylie (Ballybay)
7. Karl O’Connell (Tyholland)
8. Darren Hughes (Scotstown)
9. Niall Kearns (Sean McDermotts)
10. Dessie Ward (Ballybay)
11. Dermot Malone (Castleblayney)
23. Paudie McKenna (Truagh)
21. Thomas Kerr (Ballybay)
14. Jack McCarron (Currin)
26. Conor McManus (Clontibret)
Subs:
12. Fintan Kelly (Clones) for D Mone (HT)
20. Ryan McAnespie (Emyvale) for D Malone (45 mins)
22. Owen Duffy (Latton) for P McKenna (51 mins)
5. Neil McAdam (Monaghan Harps) for T Kerr (61 mins)
17. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay) for J McCarron (62 mins)
2. Kieran Duffy (Latton) for N Kearns (71 mins)
Kerry
1. Shane Murphy (Dr Crokes)
2. Shane Enright (Tarbert)
3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
4. Ronan Shanahan (Austin Stacks)
5. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
6. Andrew Barry (Na Gaeil)
7. Brian O Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)
17. Brendan O’Sullivan (Valentia)
23. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
10. Micheal Burns (Dr Crokes)
8. Sean O’Shea (Kenmare)
12. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare)
13. Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys)
14. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
15. Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahillys)
Subs:
19. Eanna Ó Conchuir (An Ghaeltacht) for B O’Sullivan (22 mins)
9. David Clifford (Fossa) for J Savage (HT)
25. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle) for A Barry (HT)
11. Daithi Casey (Dr Crokes) for P Crowley (53 mins)
21. Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for BJ Keane (62 mins)
24. Mikey Geaney (Dingle) for S O’Brien (71 mins)
Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath)
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