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?