Kerry win but Farney escape drop

KERRY’s relief at the preservation of their top-flight status in the National Football League was ironically overshadowed by the jubilation of the Monaghan players and a decent travelling support when it emerged that a superior scoring rate to Derry also ensured their survival.

The only negative for Jack O’Connor from a game in which Tomas O Sé had an impressive first outing and Paul Galvin excelled on his return from suspension was a red card for Declan O’Sullivan nearing the end of four minutes of injury time. Overall, however, what was most pleasing for the Kerry boss was the revelation afterwards that Mike McCarthy is to come out of retirement a second time.

Charismatic Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney was ecstatic: “It didn’t make any difference if it came down to the last kick of the game for us to stay in Division One, by hook or by crook we were going to stay. It’s very important for Monaghan football. Never mind the five months gone by, what about the last 17 minutes with 14 men and they stuck to their job?

“We got our just reward. To be fair we beat Tyrone, we beat Derry and we are entitled to stay up.”

At the same time as the visitors had lost top forward Tommy Freeman with an injury in the eighth minute, Colm Cooper was on the sideline being treated for a cut in the eye which obscured his vision and ended his involvement. Overall, Kerry dominated the game, with Kieran Donaghy another to play a leading role and late replacement Bryan Sheehan affirming his form with a 1-4 total.

O’Connor felt Kerry could have won by a bigger margin, saying that while Monaghan got a goal against the run of play before the break, earlier they could have got a penalty (which they should have after Sheehan was taken down in the 15th minute).

With Brendan Kealy nailing down the goal-keeping position and a lot of other positives, he was pleased that “a massively competitive league” had been of more assistance than last year’s. “We are glad to have survived it and we found out a bit about our team as well,” he commented.

After scores were level for the only time at 0-3 in the 11th minute, Kerry settled down. And, even though they were conceding possession at midfield until Seamus Scanlon found his form, the defence was rarely under pressure against forwards lacking real scoring power following Freeman’s departure.

Up front, there was much to admire in the play of Galvin, who had a perfect outing apart from one incident in which he tackled Paul Finlay from behind and could have got a yellow card. Other than that, his passing and kicking were outstanding.

Donaghy turned in another first-class display, through his ball-winning ability and his kicking (putting over two great points from opposite corners in the second half). The essential difference between the two teams was that Kerry penetrated with greater ease and it’s clear that but for losing Cooper so early they would, in all probability, have won by a greater margin.

Kerry were leading 0-8 to 0-4 before Monaghan got their fourth score in the 33rd minute and the northerners were given a boost in injury time when a penalty award against Tommy Griffin was goaled by Conor McManus after Kealy had stopped his kick.

The early minutes of the second half produced a trademark Tomas O Sé point which led to one of the biggest cheers of the day from the home crowd and Kerry’s position looked to have been consolidated in the 51st minute when a Barry John Keane cross was won sweetly in the air by Donaghy before setting up Sheehan with a perfect pass to goal from close range.

Shortly after that, Monaghan lost Rory Woods after a second yellow card but they showed a strong fighting spirit to add five points to their total. And, with scoring so vital for the teams fighting relegation, in the final analysis this was a noteworthy achievement.

Scorers for Kerry: B. Sheehan 1-4; P. Galvin and K. Donaghy 0-3 each; Darran O’Sullivan 0-2; C. Cooper, D. Bohan, T. O Se and K. O’Leary 0-1.

Scorers for Monaghan: C. McManus 1-3 (0-1 free); P. Finlay. D. Hughes (0-1 free) and R. Woods 0-2 each; C. Hanratty, D. Freeman and V. Corey.

Subs for Kerry: B.J. Keane for Cooper (inj, 8); M. Quirke for Maher (48); A. O’Connell for Bohan (57); B. Guiney for T. O Se (67); K. O’Leary for Darran O’Sullivan (71).

Subs for Monaghan: R. Woods for Freeman (inj, 9); M. McEvoy for Malone (27); .D. McArdle for McAdam and D. Freeman for K. Hughes (second half); F. Caulfield for Gollogly (57).

Referee: M. Condon (Waterford).