Roscommon show true grit to beat Kerry in Killarney

Kerry 1-10 Roscommon 0-14

The first Allianz League meeting between Kerry and Roscommon in 13 years produced a historic result as the visitors recorded a first ever win in a League match between the two sides on Kerry soil (a fifth in total) after a slender one point win in Fitzgerald Stadium this afternoon.

Roscommon recovered from the disappointing nature of their defeat to Monaghan last Sunday while Kerry suffered another setback after their loss to Dublin in Croke Park as this is the third time in their four League campaigns under Eamon Fitzmaurice that the Kingdom have failed to win either of their opening two games.

So when the League resumes and with Kerry having only Donegal and Cork at home, the Kingdom are facing an uphill battle to stay in the top flight, after another lifeless display on a wet and windy day in Killarney.

Losing league games will not cause Eamonn Fitzmaurice any lost sleep, but this was another disappointing stop start display, with Kerry fading in the latter stages and allowing a very fired up Roscommon team to profit, albeit by a mere point and the Kingdom will be kicking themselves for some deplorable second litany of wides, including a close in free.

It was a day when their captain Bryan Sheehan was sorely missed, because in a game of tight margins, he might have made the difference . But full marks to Roscommon who played very well and Kevin McStay could yet work the oracle with the newcomers to the top flight.

A strange first-half saw Kerry start positively scoring the opening three points in the first eight minutes before they would go a total of 19 minutes before registering their next score. A Johnny Buckley effort from play and two Barry John Keane frees gave them the early advantage before Roscommon started to use the breeze to their advantage and registered eight consecutive points. Midfielder Enda Smith got them on the scoreboard in the 10th minute before Cathal Cregg had the visitors level in the 17th minute from a counter-attack after Donnachadh Walsh had struck the post at the other end for the hosts.

Both Cregg and his opposite corner-forward Ciaran Murtagh tormented the Kerry defence with some well taken points as a rebounded effort from Cian Connolly in the 25th minute had the visitors ahead by 0-8 to 0-3 with 10 minutes of the first-half left.

Kerry regrouped though to lead by one at the break, a third free from Keane in the 27th minute ending their scoring drought followed by a point from Tommy Walsh but Kerry drew level on the scoreboard with three minutes of the first-half left. Darran O’Sullivan fed the ball to Stephen O’Brien who went on a 35 metre run cutting in from the stand side of the pitch and even though his effort only trickled over the line it still tied the teams up. Buckley finished the first-half scoring as well as starting it in giving Kerry a 1-6 to 0-8 lead at the break.

Two further Barry John Keane points (one from a free and another from play) sandwiched in between a second point for Enda Smith had Kerry two in front after 43 minutes but bar a 49th minute point from O’Brien, the Kingdom would only score once more in the dying stages with an effective consolation free from substitute Conor Cox. A second Conor Devaney point and a brace from Cathal Cregg had the visitors level by the 53rd minute as a free from Murtagh four minutes later put them 0-13 to 1-9 ahead.

Not even a black card for Cregg derailed Roscommon as Smith’s third point in the 68th minute was an insurance score in the Connacht side’s surprise win. Kerry were wasteful overall and could have no complaints about the result as they face a tricky trip to Newry to face Down in Round Three at the end of the month.

Roscommon travel south again in the next round but this time a bit further east in taking on Cork in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Kerry: B Kelly, B Ó Beaglaoich, M Griffin, S Enright, P Murphy, A O'Mahony, K Young, D Moran, J Buckley (0-2), J Lyne, D O'Sullivan, D Walsh, BJ Keane (0-5, 4 frees), T Walsh (0-1), S O'Brien (1-1). Subs: T O'Sullivan for Lyne (12 min) A Fitzgerald for D Walsh (49 min), C Cox (0-1, 1 free) for Keane (57 min), F Fitzgerald for Enright (58 min), Barry O'Sullivan for Buckley (63 min) and Brendan O'Sullivan for T Walsh (68 min).

Roscommon: D O'Malley, S McDermott, N Collins, N McInerney, D Murray, N Daly, R Stack, E Smith (0-3), I Kilbride, F Cregg (0-2, 2 frees), C Daly, C Devanney (0-2), C Murtagh (0-2, 1 free), C Connolly (0-1), C Cregg (0-4). Subs: C Shine for Kilbride (54 min), S Purcell for C Daly (57 min), R Daly for C Cregg (Black Card, 58 min) and C McHugh for Connolly (63 min).

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).