Kerry overcome Laois despite red for Ó Sé

Kerry 0-20 Laois 1-13

Division 1 leaders Kerry showed admirable composure as they dashed Laois’ hopes of a famous win at Fitzgerald Stadium.

The Kingdom looked in trouble when Tomás Ó Sé was sent-off for an apparent punch on Billy Sheehan, and Laois captain Colm Begley tucked away a 49th minute goal to put them 1-11 to 0-13 ahead.

But Bryan Sheehan (0-6) and Patrick Curtin (0-4) led the way for the hosts, who dominated the closing stages with Paul Galvin and Kieran Donaghy being sprung from the bench.

The victory has secured Kerry’s place in the Division 1 semi-finals, while the O’Moore men will require a win over Down in the final round if they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation.

Today’s clash was a tall order for Justin McNulty’s side. Kerry have been hugely dominant over Laois in their previous league meetings, with the midlanders winning on just three previous occasions.

The early signs pointed to a continuation of that trend as Darran O’Sullivan and Moyvane clubman Curtin sent Kerry into a 0-2 to 0-0 lead after just three minutes.

Ross Munnelly hit Laois’ third wide shortly afterwards, but the visitors then found their range as Gary Walsh, Munnelly and Begley finished off a flurry of well-worked attacks.

However, ten minutes in, Kerry’s long-serving wing back Ó Sé got a rush of blood to the head and lashed out at Billy Sheehan right in front of the stand. Referee Marty Duffy reacted quickly to produce his red card for an alleged punch from Ó Sé.

McNulty’s charges used the wide pitch and their sudden numerical advantage to good effect. They looked more than a match for the hosts as two frees from Bryan Sheehan were replied to by Munnelly and Kevin Meaney.

However, 14-man Kerry pushed two points ahead and then built on that to take a four-point advantage into the second period.

O’Sullivan and Curtin again showed their accuracy in front of the posts, with the former’s shot just clearing the crossbar as he bore down on goal.

Curtin’s third point from play was cancelled out by efforts from Darren Strong and O’Loughlin.

But by the time Kieran O’Leary, Barry John Keane and Declan O’Sullivan had pointed in the dying embers of the half, with all six Kerry forwards scoring from play in the opening 35 minutes.

0-11 to 0-7 behind at the break, Laois leaked another point to O’Sullivan before a single effort from Sheehan was sandwiched by rousing scores from Laois’ Damien O’Connor, O’Loughlin and Munnelly.

Even better followed for the underdogs when Begley was sent through on goal and he finished smartly past Tomás Mac a tSaoir to move his side ahead.

Galvin and Donaghy had been brought into the fray by that point, and Kerry swiftly put together some of their best passages of football to stave off any hopes of a shock result.

Sheehan slotted another free from 35 yards out to nudge them back in front and they never looked back from that point on.

Substitute Anthony Maher, O’Sullivan, Sheehan, Curtin and Aidan O’Mahony closed out the scoring for the hosts, and Laois’ Killarney adventure was over.