Kerry leave it late

All-Ireland champions Kerry required two late goals from target man Kieran Donaghy to beat Waterford 2-12 to 3-5 in this afternoon's McGrath Cup quarter-final clash at Fitzgerald Stadium.

A crowd numbering barely 200 watched on at the Tralee venue as Donaghy dashed the Deise's hopes of an early season upset.

The Kingdom started with Seamus Scanlon and David Moran at midfield, although Moran was forced off with an injury and Barry John Keane came on, with Bryan Sheehan switched to centre-field.

Sheehan himself was carried off late on after kicking seven points in all, while Donaghy hit the final point of the game to take his personal tally to 2-2.

Waterford were well in the hunt at 1-3 to 0-6 at half-time and two goals, early in the second half, from Liam O Lionain and Michael Donnelly (penalty) had the home side under some pressure.

Kerry rallied with points from young substitute James O'Donoghue and two more from Sheehan, before a Brian Wall free made it 3-4 to 0-11 to Waterford with just five minutes remaining.

Decisively, Donaghy took centre stage right on cue. The big Tralee men took a pass across the goal from Kieran O'Leary and sent his marker the wrong way before finding the back of the net with a crisp finish.

The very next minute Kerry were celebrating their second goal. Sheehan hung a high ball in and falling away from it, Donaghy did brilliantly to flick it home with an outstretched hand.

A JJ Hutchinson score stopped the rot for the Deise, but Kerry, with Padraig Reidy, Killian Young and Aidan O'Mahony all having an influence as the hosts turned things around, finished the stronger and Donaghy fittingly had the final say on the scoreboard.