Forgettable draw sees heavyweights leapfrog Dublin

Kerry 0-9 Tyrone 0-9, Tralee

Kerry and Tyrone played out a forgettable 0-9 to 0-9 draw in Tralee tonight, with the Kingdom missing two late chances to win.

Bryan Sheehan and Declan Quill were wayward with two late shots, continuing a trend which saw the sides share out just four points in the entire second half.

The result mean the two heavyweights temporarily leapfrog Dublin into third and fourth place respectively in the Division 1A table.

Tyrone built up a 0-8 to 0-6 half-time lead and it would have been more but for Diarmuid Murphy's excellent save from Niall Gormley.

Two points from Quill and another from Marc O Se pushed Kerry 0-9 to 0-8 in front but a late over from substitute Colm Cavanagh levelled matters for Tyrone, who had Colm McCullagh red carded.

Tyrone were forced into a series of changes before the throw-in. Dermot Carlin's place at left corner back went to Ciaran Gourley, the two midfielders, Kevin Hughes and Enda McGinley, were ruled out so Ryan Mellon and John McMahon were drafted into the side.

While Owen Mulligan, who has been omitted from the line-up in recent weeks due to his non-appearance at training sessions, returned at corner forward with Stephen O'Neill suffering from the 'flu.

Paul Galvin also cried off the Kerry team, declaring himself not fully match fit, although the Finuge forward did appear for the second half.

Donnacha Walsh took Galvin's place, while Daniel Bohane, who was making his competitive debut for Kerry, was switched into the half-forwards from a defensive position.

Niall Gormley and McCullagh (free) sent Tyrone into an early lead but Kerry could have easily gone ahead in the fourth-minute when Quill's goal shot smashed back off the crossbar.

Quill did open Kerry's account, fisting over after a pass from Mike Frank Russell, but Tyrone stood firm, much to the delight of manager Mickey Harte who applauded a sweetly-struck point from Raymond Mulgrew.

Joe McMahon soon added a fourth score for the Red Hands, and although Kerry reeled off some impressive points - the best of which saw full-forward Seamus Scanlon flick over after a Quill ball in - Harte's charges still held a two-point buffer at the half's end.

Key to that was three points from Martin Penrose, Mulligan (free) and McCullagh. Kerry sought to alter the situation before the break and during it - they introduced Darren O'Sullivan for Tommy Griffin to add some pace to their attack and Walsh also made way for Galvin.

Those switches, which saw Eamon Fitzmaurice move into the full-forward role for a time, seem to make little difference as Kerry struggled to add to their first half tally.

Sheehan managed to score just moments before the half-time whistle, but yellow cards and injury stoppages blighting the second half, there were no further points at either end of the pitch until the 55th-minute.

Quill, just about the best Kerry player on show, cracked over a fantastic left-footed drive and added another, ten minutes from time, to tie up the game at 0-8 apiece.

Corner back Marc O Se then made it three points on the trot for Pat O'Shea's men, when he ran the length of the field and dummied superbly past Brian Dooher to rifle over from close range.

Tyrone fought back and levelled on 66 minutes when a quickly taken free allowed Cavanagh the time to slot over.

Injury-time failed to produce another score - Sheehan was off target with a free from 40 yards out and Quill hit only Kerry's fourth wide of the contest when he fluffed his lines from a kickable position on the right. Tyrone finished the game with 14 players as McCullagh was sent off for reacting to a challenge from Galvin.