Scuffles mar contest as Kerry come out on top against Donegal

Kerry 1-13 Donegal 1-8

Kerry made it back-to-back Allianz League wins against Ulster opponents as they saw off a previously unbeaten Donegal side in Tralee. In a high-tempo encounter marred by a number of melees throughout the 70 minutes, Kerry’s greater physicality and gamesmanship was the platform for a five-point win, although it was far from as comfortable as it may sound.

Kieran Donaghy, who put in a huge shift at midfield was quick to show Kerry's intent early on – getting to grips with Michael Murphy as the Donegal captain refused to give up the ball after Kerry had won a free.

It triggered a mass brawl which somehow resulted in no red cards. Yet within a matter of two minutes a follow-on incident involving Kerry full forward Alan Fitzgerald and Donegal’s Neil McGee resulted in Fitzgerald receiving his marching orders. The Kerry attacker suggested to the officials that his fingers had been interfered with by McGee although his subsequent strike to the face would leave McGee needing lengthy treatment and him awaiting a certain red card.

At this stage Kerry led 0-2 to 0-0 – and along the way to their wind-assisted interval lead of 0-7 to 0-3 only two points from play had been mustered between the sides. Bryan Sheehan was giving an exhibition of free taking, with no shortage of fouls to keep him busy.

Another thing there was no shortage of in the first half were cards, Leo McLoone would soon follow Fitzgerald in receiving a red one – again for a striking offence, this time on Kerry's Aidan O'Mahony, while both Shane Enright and Denis Daly also picked up black cards before the change-of-ends.

Man of the match Donnchadh Walsh was one of the two first-half scorers from play and post-match he put the game's off the ball antics down to the respect that exists between the two teams.

“I don’t know, I suppose maybe they beat us in 2012 and then we beat them in the championship, obviously in the final two years later, so, look, we’ve great respect for each other.

“I think that’s it, we’ve great respect for Donegal; they have great respect for us. It’s just two committed teams going out wanting to win every 50-50 ball and that’s what the crowd came for, that’s what the Donegal support came down for and why the Kerry supporters came and packed out Austin Stack Park today was to see two teams go at it.”

In an encounter which shed as many bloody noses as the night before’s UFC action in Las Vegas, Walsh added that conditions certainly played a part.

“The conditions didn’t favour refereeing a game today, very windy and it’s after getting wet as well in the second half. Conditions had to play a lot, it’s very hard to kick a ball accurately and to time your tackles with the wind gusting the way it is.

“That’s tough on the referee, they don’t have an easy job even on the sunniest day, so fair play to Eddie Kinsella, he refereed it the best he could.”

Donegal came out of the blocks strongly in the second half – quickly levelling matters at 0-7 apiece. But a five-minute spell on 44 minutes, headed by a Peter Crowley goal was followed up by two Sheehan frees and Kerry were suddenly five ahead.

From here cool heads prevailed, the likes of Colm Cooper heading Kerry’s patient build-up play which forced a chasing Donegal side into conceding scoring frees – bourne of frustration.

Donegal did come back with a late hurrah though – a high ball into Murphy on the edge of the square was fielded and the former DCU student very nearly took the net from the hinges with his close-range, old school finish. But from here they were reduced to long-distance frees, which they were unable to convert.

And so Kerry remained three ahead, before late points by Barry John Keane and a classy point by Cooper would lead to a somewhat comfortable final few minutes.

Walsh admitted the relief of pulling away from the danger end of the table ahead of next Sunday’s trip to Mayo

“We lost our first two games so we didn’t want to be caught in a relegation battle. So we’re on four points, we’re delighted we have another game out and a tough trip to Castlebar next week against Mayo. We’re going up there now with all to play for.”

KERRY: B Kelly; M Ó Sé, M Griffin, S Enright; P Crowley 1-0, A O'Mahony, F Fitzgerald; K Donaghy, B Sheehan 0-8 (7f, 1 '45); D Daly, P Murpy, D Walsh 0-3; D O'Sullivan, A Fitzgerald, S O'Brien. Subs: P O'Connor for Enright (black card, 27), C Cooper 0-1 for Daly (black card, 27), J Buckley for Donaghy (59), BJ Keane 0-1 for O'Brien (59), B O'Sullivan for Crowley (68), A Walsh for O'Sullivan (70).

DONEGAL: Peter Boyle; E Doherty, N McGee, P McGrath; E Ban Gallagher, R McHugh, A Thompson; R Kavanagh, M Murphy 1-4 (3f, 1 '45); M O'Reilly, H McFadden, E McHugh; O Mac Niallais, P McBrearty 0-3 (0-2f), L McLoone. Subs: N Gallagher 0-1 for McFadden (h/t), M McElhinney for Doherty (h/t), C Toye for Thompson (54).

Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).