KERRY 1-10
MAYO 0-15
MAYO fans are enjoying their night in Tralee after their side overcame a four point half time deficit to win by two at Austin Stack Park tonight.
Kerry couldn’t capitalise on their victory last week in Donegal and some good work in the first half was nullified by a poor second period performance where things didn’t click.
An official attendance of nearly 9,000 braved the cold with a good crowd of Mayo fans making their voices heard, especially in the second half.
Kerry started well enough and Jack Barry looked out to impress pointing almost from the throw-in.
They raced into 0-3 lead in five minutes with the forwards connecting well, but Mayo pulled a couple of points back soon after to keep in touch.
Kerry had a chance to go five points clear when they were awarded a 13th minute penalty, but David Clarke saved well from David Moran and the rebound went for a 45.
But Kerry added on scores from Barry John Keane, Paul Murphy and Jack Barry and Barry John goaled on 29 minutes. Kerry led 1-7 to 0-4 and looked comfortable having squandered earlier goal chances.
Mayo ended the first half the better though, adding on two points to leave it 1-7 t 0-6 at the break.
The second half was different story and Mayo got their game together. They got two early points before Barry John Keane hit back, but three more unanswered points saw the Connacht men level on 45 minutes.
Barry John Keane and Andy Moran traded scores before Conor Geaney’s 57th minute score put Kerry ahead again. It would be the Kingdom’s last score though as Mayo eventually pulled ahead by the 64th minute through Andy Moran.
When Cillian O’Connor put two between them (1-10 to 0-15) on 70 minutes the game was up.
A mass bust-up in injury time saw Tom Parsons see red leaving both teams finishing with 14 men – Jason Foley’s black card on 67 minute saw Kerry depleted as they had used all their substitutes.
Plenty for Eamonn Fitzmaurice and his team to ponder as they welcome Monaghan to Killarney in two weeks. Scroll down for photos…
Scorers for Kerry: Barry John Keane 1-3, Jack Barry 0-2, Paul Geaney 0-2 (2f), Paul Murphy, Jack Savage, Conor Geaney all 0-1.
Scorers for Mayo: Cillian O’Connor 0-9 (9f), Andy Moran 0-3, Kevin McLoughlin, Tom Parsons, Conor O’Shea all 0-1
KERRY: Brian Kelly, Ronan Shanahan, Mark Griffin, Killian Young, Jonathan Lyne, Peter Crowley, Tadhg Morley, David Moran, Jack Barry, Adrian Spillane, Paul Murphy, Donnchadh Walsh, Jack Savage, Paul Geaney, Conor Keane. Subs: Barry John Keane for P Geaney (inj, 19 mins), Tom O’Sullivan for K Young (inj, 28), Conor Geaney for C Keane (48), Michael Geaney for A Spillane (52), Jason Foley for R Shanahan (inj, 57), Barry O’Sullivan for J Lyne (B/C, 60), Jason Foley (B/C, 67 not replaced)
MAYO: David Clarke, Donie Newcombe, Keith Higgins, Paddy Durcan, Colm Boyle, Stephen Coen, David Drake, Donal Vaughan, Tom Parsons, Fergal Boland, Kevin McLoughlin, Jason Doherty, Andy Moran, Conor O’Shea, Cillian O’Connor. Subs: Eoin O’Donoghue for D Drake (24 mins), Diarmuid O’Connor for F Boland (46), Shane Nally for D Vaughan (51), Evan Regan for J Doherty (59), Michael Plunkett for E Regan (69), Danny Kirby for C O’Shea (70)
Referee: P Hughes (Armagh)