Fired-up Donegal pull plug on Kingdom

It’s official now — August 5, 2012 will be remembered as the day the music died for this once great Kerry team.

Martin Carney may have been premature in his assessment that their song was cut short on June 10 when Cork frogmarched them to the Munster SFC exit but yesterday an authoritative Donegal pulled the plug on Kerry’s record player and while their tune isn’t as sweet it proved the loudest.

With their bench having been emptied in the 56th minute, a desperate Kerry came close to doing almost exactly what Dublin did to them last September and overturn a deficit in the last 10 minutes, they ultimately came up short. Deservedly too.

Six points down in the 66th minute, Donnchadh Walsh’s squared hand-pass in the direction of two Donegal defenders left Kieran Donaghy looking more hopeful than anything.

However, the Kerry full-forward managed to palm the ball to the net to narrow the gap to three.

Prior to the goal, the sizeable Donegal support in the 56,191 crowd were lapping up what they had anticipated was going to be a famous victory.

They eventually got it but they had to watch through fingers as Paul Galvin and then Anthony Maher pointed to leave the bare minimum between the teams.

Luck was ridden too as a foul on Walsh in a scoring area was ignored by referee Marty Duffy while Paddy Curtin made a poor fist of an equaliser attempt.

With Kerry stretched in search of a leveller, the excellent Karl Lacey strode forward with ease to give Donegal their insurance point, which was greeted with rapturous applause.

So, another Ulster team — the third in five years — had sent Kerry packing from the championship.

They could have no qualms with it either. In general play, Donegal were the better team, never going behind in the game, and running at the Kerry defence with purpose to extend their half-time lead of two points to six with five minutes to go.

The only time Kerry were on parity with them came in the fifth minute when Colm Cooper replied to Colm McFadden’s opening score of the game.

Seconds later, Kerry’s goal was breached when McFadden’s sideline kick managed to find its way past Brendan Kealy.

Michael Murphy proved himself a most useful nuisance in distracting Kealy, even with Aidan O’Mahony in close quarters, and Donegal were handed the start they wanted.

Kerry responded with three points on the trot, Declan O’Sullivan, Bryan Sheehan from a free and then James O’Donoghue, as Donegal went 16 minutes with scoring.

McFadden broke that duck in the 23rd minute thanks to a poor Killian Young hand-pass, the Kerry defender finding himself replaced nine minutes later.

Before that, Eoin Brosnan was lost to injury and it was Kerry’s turn to go through a scoring famine.

Seventeen minutes passed between O’Donoghue’s effort and Cooper’s second but it was an excellent point, the Kerry captain combining with Donaghy to fist over after beginning the move 50 metres out.

However, Donegal saw out the half with the last score via a McFadden long-range free to make it 1-4 to 0-5. With Darran O’Sullivan having entered the fray for Young, Anthony Maher collected a pass from him two minutes into the second half to bring one between the sides.

Leo McLoone returned fire after a scintillating Donegal attack involving Paddy McBrearty before Cooper punished a Leon Thompson foul on Darran O’Sullivan.

Murphy banged over a free after a dubious foul was called on Marc Ó Sé to push Donegal two clear.

Shortly afterwards, Jack O’Connor made the unusual decision to call Declan O’Sullivan ashore with injured Bryan Sheehan also making way.

Psychologically, Donegal must have been delighted to see two All Stars leave the action at the same time.

Their football for the following 20 minutes certainly exhibited an increased level of confidence. Murphy pinged a second free, which was matched by one from Cooper, but then Donegal converted four chances without reply.

With Karl Lacey becoming more prominent in attack, McFadden and Paddy McBrearty found their range and then substitute Christy Toye made his first touch count with a point to put Donegal five ahead in the 62nd minute.

With Kerry firmly being put on the back, Kieran O’Leary was yellow-carded for fouling David Walsh and McFadden gratefully took advantage.

Donaghy’s goal ended a 15-minute gap to the last Kerry score and it certainly tilted the momentum back in Kerry’s favour.

It rocked a team who had previously conceded just two goals in Jim McGuinness’s 10 championship games in charge.

But they eventually recovered to seal the victory through Lacey, a victory that could turn out to make one team and break another.

Scorers for Donegal: C McFadden 1-5 (1-0 s/l, 2f), M Murphy 0-3 (2f), L McLoone, C Toye, P McBrearty, K Lacey 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: C Cooper 0-4 (2f), K Donaghy 1-0; A Maher 0-2; Declan O’Sullivan, J O’Donoghue, B Sheehan (1f), P Galvin 0-1 each.

Subs for Donegal: David Walsh for McBrearty (blood 28-32), N Gallagher for McElhinney (h-t), David Walsh for Bradley (60), C Toye for McLoone (61), D McLaughlin for McBrearty (71).

Subs for Kerry: B Maguire for Brosnan (inj, 25), Darran O’Sullivan for Young (32), K O’Leary for Declan O’Sullivan, J Buckley for Sheehan (inj) (both 46), P Curtin for O’Donoghue (56).

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo).