Barry John Keane shoots over the opening point for Kerry on Sunday. Photo by Dermot Crean
David Moran rises for the ball in Sunday’s Allianz League match against Mayo. Photo by Dermot Crean
Kerry 0-1o
Mayo 2-11
IT’S only February.
They’ll be a few doom-mongers about, but Kerry’s lacklustre performance against Mayo in the Allianz National League opener at Killarney’s Fitzgerald Stadium today isn’t the end of the world.
The Kingdom looked off the pace for most of the game, with only Kerins O’Rahilly’s David Moran putting in a star performance for Kerry in front of over 8,100 paying spectators.
His club teammate, Barry John Keane, picked up four points during the afternoon, three from play, but Mayo’s dominance ensured good balls into him were few and far between, especially in the first half when Mayo took over after 22 minutes hitting 1-3 without reply.
Paul Geaney gets his shot off despite the attention of Mayo’s Kevin Keane. Photo by Dermot Crean
Mayo went in at half-time 1-7 to 0-4 up, the goal coming in the 24th minute from Alan Freeman.
Kerry started the second half brightly, with Tommy Walsh being introduced into the fray in place of Bryan Sheehan, but a superb goal from Kevin McLoughlin on 52 minutes, put paid to the fightback to send the westerners six points ahead again.
Tommy Walsh played well when he came on, making some great catches but, worryingly, he had to go off minutes from the end with an injury.
Few Kerry players played well and with the squad just back in proper training a few weeks, the rustiness showed. Next week’s game in Derry should show an improvement.
Tommy Walsh fields the ball on Sunday. Photo by Dermot Crean
TEAMS AND SCORERS
Kerry Scorers: BJ Keane (0-4, 1 free); P Geaney, D Moran (1 45, 1 free) (0-2 each); K O’Leary, M Geaney (0-1 each).
Mayo Scorers: M Conroy (0-4); J A Freeman, K McLoughlin (1-0 each); J Doherty (0-3, 2 frees); E Regan, D Vaughan, S O’Shea, D O’Connor (0-1 each).
KERRY: B Kealy; M Griffin, P Kilkenny, F Fitzgerald; J Lyne, J Sherwood, P Murphy; D Moran, B Sheehan; M Geaney, K O’Leary, J Buckley; S O’Brien, P Geaney, BJ Keane.
Subs: T Walsh for B Sheehan (half-time); Philip O’Connor for K O’Leary (48); J McGuire for J Lune (blood, 54-56); C Keane for BJ Keane (57); J McGuire for P Geaney (61); D Casey for S O’Brien (65); A Fitzgerald for T Walsh (68)
MAYO: R Hennelly; S Coen, K Keane, K Higgins; L Keegan, C Barrett, P Durcan; S O’Shea, D Vaughan; K McLoughlin, A Gallagher, J Doherty; E Regan, M Ronaldson, A Freeman.
Subs for Mayo: M Conroy for E Regan (inj 11); D O’Connor for A Gallagher (44); A O’Shea for A Freeman (48); M Sweeney for M Conroy (58); C Boyle for C Barrett (58); E Varley for M Ronaldson (61); B Moran for S O’Shea (69).
