Monaghan 1-12

Kerry 3-15

Paul Brennan reports from Clones

THE FIRST LEAGUE points on the board for Kerry, a first defeat for Monaghan, and it would be hard to find fault with the outcome of this nippy contest in Clones that saw Kerry ease out to a nine-point win that does them no disservice at all, but might be a little harsh on the losers.

The main takeaway, of course, will centre around the appearance of the Clifford brothers, David coming on before half-time and finishing with 1-1, while Paudie was introduced at half-time and scored a point on his debut as team captain.

Quite how much Kerry needed the brothers in the end to get the win is a moot point – Jack O’Connor clearly sensed before half time that his team needed reinforcements against a Monaghan team that asked plenty of questions of the visitors, playing their first League game in Clones in eight years (which they won by eight points).

The one player Kerry could have ill-afforded to be without was Sean O’Shea, as the Kenmare man chipped in with 1-7 and an all-round performance that Monaghan couldn’t live with.

O’Shea’s goal came in additional time at the end of the game when Kerry had the victory well sewn up, with David Clifford’s goal on the hour mark really putting the game beyond the home side.

Kerry had led by four points at the break, 1-9 to 1-5, having played with the wind, and manager Jack O’Connor will be particularly pleased with how his team pushed on and managed out the second half, winning it by five points.

The game was just three minutes old when Kerry were awarded a penalty after Cillian Burke came crashing down in the square, but after consultation with his umpire, referee Sean Hurson overturned his decision and gave a free out.

Monaghan scored first through Jason Irwin, but Kerry hit back with five points from O’Shea (2), Dara Moynihan, Dylan Casey and Conor Geaney.

Ryan O’Toole had a shot well saved by Kerry keeper Shane Ryan in the 14th minute, and moments later Burke fluffed a great goal chance at the other end. Then, in the very next attack Monaghan did get their goal, with O’Toole slapping the ball past Ryan from Killian Lavelle’s pass to make it 1-1 to 0-5.

Monaghan reeled off four points to lead 1-5 to 0-7 after 25 minutes but then Burke atoned for his earlier miss when he blasted the ball to the net from Graham O’Sullivan’s pass.

Kerry were four ahead at half-time, but unnerved enough by the Monaghan challenge to have the Clifford brothers on the field for the start of the second half, and the Kingdom certainly went up through the gears from there.

The visitors were still five ahead at the three-quarter mark, and then on the hour David Clifford slipped the defence and rolled the ball past Darren McDonnell to make it 2-14 to 1-9.

Monaghan remained game to the end, with Jack McCarron carrying the fight best, but Kerry weren’t about to lose it from there, with Sean O’Shea’s high dropping shot ending up in the goal in the 72nd minute to complete a more than satisfactory day’s work for the Kingdom.

Scores for Monaghan: R O’Toole 1-0, J McCarron 0-3 (1f), S Mooney 0-2 (1m), K Duffy 0-1 (m), G Mohan 0-1, S O’Hanlon 0-1, C McNulty 0-1, M Hamill 0-1, J Irwin 0-1, M McCarville 0-1

Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea 1-7 (2f), D Clifford 1-1, C Burke 1-0, T O’Sullivan 0-2, J Foley 0-1, D Casey 0-1, C Geaney 0-1, D Moynihan 0-1, P Clifford 0-1

MONAGHAN: Darren McDonnell, Ryan Wylie, Killian Lavelle, Ryan O’Toole, K Sheridan, Kieran Duffy, Kevin Loughran, Joel Wilson, Gary Mohan, Stephen O’Hanlon, C McNulty, Michael Hamill, David Garland, Jack McCarron, Jason Irwin.

Subs: Stephe Mooney for D Garland (ht), Michael McCarville for J Wilson (43), Andrew Woods for J Irwin (52), Karl O’Connell for K Sheridan (56), Bobby Walker for K Loughran (70)

KERRY: Shane Ryan, Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Fole, Dylan Casey, Tom O’Sullivan, Paul Murphy, Gavin White, Diarmuid O’Connor, Joe O’Connor, Ronan Buckley, Dylan Geaney, Cillian Burke, Conor Geaney, Seán O’Shea, Dara Moynihan.

Subs: David Clifford for R Buckley (32), Paudie Clifford for C Geaney (ht), Tadhg Morley for G O’Sullivan (49), Adrian Spillane for D Geaney (56), Barry ‘Dan’ O’Sullivan for D Moynihan (62), Sean O’Brien for D Casey (temp 67-ft)

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!