Fired-up Dublin snatch win from Kerry

Kerry 1-10 Dublin 1-12, Killarney

Paul Flynn hit 1-2 as a fired-up Dublin beat defending National League champions Kerry in an action-packed Division 1 opener at Killarney.

Eamon Fennell’s point after 15 seconds set the tone as the Dubs claimed their first win over Kerry on Kingdom soil since November 1982.

Flynn's goal, from a move started by Kevin McManamon, had the visitors 1-6 to 0-6 ahead at half-time.

Paul Galvin’s sharpshooting and Barry John Walsh’s injury-time goal saw Kerry make it a one-point game but a final score from Michael MacAuley sealed the Dublin win.

This was a morale-boosting success for Pat Gilroy's men, who were without the services of the injured Alan Brogan, Conal Keaney and Barry Cahill and Bernard Brogan was also a late withdrawal.

Kerry were also much-changed from the side that destroyed the Dubs by 17 points in last year's Championship, while manager Jack O'Connor was absent due to the death of his father Michael yesterday.

Ger O'Keeffe was in charge on the sideline and he will not have been best pleased to see Dublin midfielder Fennell rampaging through the Kerry defence just moments after the throw-in.

Micheal Quirke won possession as the game got underway but a quick turnover saw Fennell race towards goal and his right-footed shot skimmed its way over the crossbar.

Dublin, with David Henry operating as an extra defender, continued to thrive in a pacy opening, but Kerry were back level at 0-3 apiece on 24 minutes with a point off the outside of the boot from the impressive Galvin.

Fennell, who linked well with the forwards, had two points to his name at that stage and Dublin grabbed the game's opening goal two minutes before the break.

McManamon picked up possession before Blaine Kelly broke a high ball down for the supporting Flynn to clip a low shot beyond the reach of Kerry goalkeeper Ger Reidy.

Flynn tagged on a point for good measure but a third point of the afternoon from Paul O'Connor closed the gap for Kerry at half-time.

Kieran Donaghy was having a limited influence on proceedings, frequently wide in search of possession, and Dublin continue to prosper at the start of the second half.

Flynn, McManamon and Kelly all pointed to increase the visitors' lead before O'Connor replied for Kerry with a couple of well-struck frees.

The Kingdom were beginning to see more of the ball and in dangerous areas of the pitch, as evidenced by a series of goal-scoring chances.

Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton did well to deny Barry John Walsh and then a Donaghy pass set up Declan O'Sullivan for a likely goal, only for the former captain to miscue and squirt his shot away to the left of the posts.

Kerry's chances of a comeback seemed to die away when Galvin raided in from the left and sent a rising shot just over the crossbar for his fourth point, with Cluxton untroubled.

They did find the net in a somewhat fractious finish, with Walsh stabbing the ball home through a crowded goalmouth. But MacAuley sealed the issue with a fisted point at the other end.