David Clifford returns with goal to put Monaghan to the sword at Clones

Allianz Football League Division 1: Monaghan: 1-12 Kerry: 3-15

Beware when David and Paudie Clifford are both mad for road. In Kerry football lingo that’s always been an old warning sign of some sort, made clear again in this early afternoon showdown at Clones.

Because the question of whether Monaghan could build on their three-goal triumph over All-Ireland champions Dublin last weekend was slowly and then suddenly answered; the Clifford brothers helped ensure it was in the negative.

Jack O’Connor brought his team north in clearly defiant mood after their opening loss to Derry, and the improvement was marked as it was occasionally startling. Seanie O’Shea helped himself to 1-7, and the youngster Cillian Burke repaid O’Connor’s faith by scoring their opening goal, which first set them on their way.

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Still it was the introduction of the Fossa pair, either side of half-time, which ultimately set Kerry nine points apart: David finished with 1-1, his goal on the hour mark complete with all his trademark skill and deft vision; Paudie scored from one of his first touches, one of Kerry’s nine different scorers which in the end Monaghan simply found too hot to handle.

“They’ve been back doing a bit of training for three weeks,” O’Connor said of Clifford introductions. “We just looked at them during the week, and they were mad for road, straining at the leash, it’s great to have them back with the group.

“Paudie is captain, he wants to be with the lads, and David is just a great calming influence around the place, so delighted to have them back.”

O’Connor’s satisfaction ran deep. Kerry were originally awarded a penalty after three minutes, when Burke appeared to be pulled down in front of goal, referee Sean Hurson initially pointing to the spot; something in conversation with his umpire made him change his mind.

So while much of the first half played out evenly balanced, Monaghan in front by a point on 27 minutes, Kerry then moved things up a level, all over the field. They were up by four at the break, and while O’Shea’s late goal was somewhat fortunate, a high ball landing in over Darren McDonnell, Burke had another first-half goal chance too.

“Look, we were very disappointed after last weekend,” added O’Connor. “While Derry played very well, we certainly felt like we left something after us, either a point, maybe two points.

“The lads reacted well during the week, we trained well, and we addressed a few of the issues that we had. And I thought particularly in the second half today we were much more controlled, had a good idea of what we were doing, both offensively and defensively. Any day you come up to Monaghan, come home with two points, that’s a good day.

The breezy but dry conditions at St Tiernach’s Park allowed for plenty of quality too, Kerry responding to Monaghan’s opener from James Irwin with five points without reply, including two gems from O’Shea. The Kenmare man was in fiery form, playing at full forward, and O’Connor noted that too.

“He [Seanie] is very sprightly this year, he seems to have a new lease of life. We’re playing him closer to goal and he’s really thriving on that, I thought he was sensational there in the second half.”

Monaghan played their best football in the first half, Ryan O’Toole forcing the first of two close-range saves from Shane Ryan, before corner back O’Toole eventually broke through on 16 minutes, latching on to a crossed ball from Killian Lavelle to palm into the net.

Stephen O’Hanlon continued with his electric runs through the middle, adding a point in the first half, before the Kerry defence started to close down that avenue. Ciarán McNulty and Michael Hamill both started this time after their impressive debuts last week, and while McNulty also broke through for another score of his own, Kerry were more alert to that danger.

Monaghan manager Vinny Corey was already looking ahead to the next big test, away to Derry: “We would be disappointed that we didn’t get a wee bit more from it,” he said. “We had at least three goal chances in the first half, when we were on top, and that would have finished the game, I’d say.

“But an awful lot of positives, some of those younger guys did very well again today, Michael Hamill and Ciaran McNulty.

“Our first four games, three of them are away, is tough. There is no soft landing in Division One, especially this year, and you are playing a lot of teams that have their full teams at the minute. But Derry next week, that gives us another chance to look at our boys.”

MONAGHAN: D McDonnell; R Wylie, K Lavelle, R O’Toole (1-0); K Sheridan, K Duffy (capt) (0-1, a mark), K Loughran; J Wilson, G Mohan (0-1); S O’Hanlon (0-1), C McNulty (0-1), M Hamill (0-1); D Garland, J McCarron (0-3, one free), J Irwin (0-1). Subs: S Mooney (0-2, a mark) for Garland (half-time), M McCarville (0-1) for Wilson (43 mins), A Woods for Irwin (52 mins), K O’Connell for Sheridan (56 mins), B Walker for Loughran (70 mins)

KERRY: S Ryan; G O’Sullivan, J Foley (0-1) D Casey (0-1), T O’Sullivan (0-2), P Murphy, G White; D O’Connor, J O’Connor; R Buckley, D Geaney, C Burke (1-0); C Geaney (0-1), S O’Shea (1-7, two frees), D Moynihan (0-1). Subs: D Clifford (1-1) for Buckley (32 mins), P Clifford (0-1) for C Geaney (half-time), T Morley for G O’Sullivan (49 mins), A Spillane for Geaney (56 mins), BD O’Sullivan for Moynihan (61 mins)

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)

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