Kerry 2-15 Fermanagh 0-4: It became apparent that this match was over at an early stage (generously speaking, the sixth minute) and that we would spend the rest of the 70 minutes or so waiting for the whistle. By compensation there was a fascinating nip-and-tuck race to see who would win the most frees. It fluctuated this way and that before Kerry came with a late burst to win that comfortably as well.
Nothing was learned by either side, which won't matter to Fermanagh whose season has come to a shell-shocked end. Kerry may well, however, have benefited from the turkey shoots of the past week (having beaten Wicklow by 23 points six days previously) simply on the grounds that their confidence will have been improved by all that scoring.
But as to whether the team has come out of the trough, which saw them lose their Munster title to Cork, remains to be seen in the matches ahead as the season moves towards endgame.
Kerry manager Páidí Ó Sé acknowledged as much afterwards. "We got two goals very, very early and tacked on a few points and it wasn't the start the Fermanagh lads wanted. That little bit of experience meant that after we got our goals, we tightened up our defence and weren't conceding scores, and boxed cleverly."
That sums up the match. Raymond Gallagher kicked a smart point to put Fermanagh in front in the second minute but seconds later the scoreboard and the match turned irrevocably against them. Michael Frank Russell split their defence with a great ball into Liam Hassett, who galloped clear and slid the ball wide of Ronan Gallagher for a goal.
Three minutes later Colm Cooper was the beneficiary when a defensive mix-up gifted him the ball and he deftly chipped the stranded goalkeeper for the second goal.
Thereafter Fermanagh plainly couldn't see themselves winning and the loss of morale led to a loss of nerve. Despite evidence that Stephen Maguire could give Seamus Moynihan a bit of a trot for it, Fermanagh never attacked with any conviction. There were painful moments of indecision when forwards aimlessly handpassed to each other until a wide was kicked, or a Kerry back nipped in and dispossessed them.
There were nine points in it at half-time, 2-5 to 0-2, and the Ulster side never threatened a resurrection. Kerry handled them competently but four points for an entire championship match is a feeble return.
Substitute Ciarán Donnelly did get in behind the Kerry defence in the 48th minute but was acrobatically blocked by the recovering Marc Ó Sé.
Afterwards Fermanagh manager Dominic Corrigan was putting a brave face on a mixed season. Two good wins against Monaghan and Westmeath have been offset by pitiless trimmings from the two big boys they met, Armagh and Kerry.
"We made no headway against a very strong, very powerful Kerry team. Those two goals knocked us back and Kerry were too strong for us to launch a comeback. But that's it.
"Certainly at half-time we felt we could come back at them but it was Kerry who got the early scores in the second half and there was no way back after that. Not a good day.
"The boys are very disappointed. They know they were outclassed on the day. Everything we tried just didn't seem to go for us. We have to get back, refocus and regroup. Kerry are very strong I still think they'll have a major say in this championship."
There were good things in it for Kerry. Darragh Ó Sé maintained his good form, winning centrefield easily from Paul Brewster. Returning to the side, Donal Daly went well as his partner and nearly got a first-half goal but Páidí Ó Sé will need to see him in more competitive company before deciding that his second centrefield problem is solved.
Dara Ó Cinnéide got in some handy place-kicking practice and landed four frees and two 45s with only one wide. Eoin Brosnan drifted around the field effectively and in a more urgent second half, kicked three points from play. Overall the manager was pleased.
"I feel there is a bounce coming back into the team certainly," said Ó Sé. "Time will tell how much Kerry are improving but we are very happy with the attitude of all the players."
It was suggested Kerry might have preferred a more searching test but after a little hesitation Ó Sé parried that one. "Look it, we're just happy getting the result. We know the next day will be tougher."
HOW THEY LINED OUT
KERRY: 1 D O'Keeffe; 2 M Ó Sé, 3 S Moynihan, 4 M McCarthy; 5 T Ó Sé, 6 E Fitzmaurice, 7 J Sheehan; 8 D Ó Sé (capt), 9 D Daly; 10 S O'Sullivan, 11 E Brosnan, 12 L Hassett; 13 MF Russell, 14 D Ó Cinnéide, 15 C Cooper. Subs: 18 T O'Sullivan for Fitzmaurice (40 mins), 17 J Crowley for Russell (47 mins), 26 R O'Connor for Cooper (55 mins), S Scanlon for S O'Sullivan (60 mins), 20 D Quill for Ó Cinnéide (67 mins).
Booked: Rory Gallagher (32 mins); P McGuinness (50).
FERMANAGH: 1 Ronan Gallagher; 2 B Owens, 3 P McGuinness, 4 M Lilley; 5 S McDermott, 6 J Gilheaney, 7 N Cox; 8 P Brewster, 9 M McGrath; 10 R Johnston, 11 Rory Gallagher, 12 L McBarron; 13 Raymond Gallagher, 14 S Maguire (capt), 15 T Brewster. Subs: 17 C Fitzpatrick for Lilley (14 mins), 22 C Bradley for McBarron (29 mins), 20 C Donnelly for Johnston (46 mins), 19 M Greene for Raymond Gallagher (57 mins).
Booked: E Fitzmaurice (32 mins); S Moynihan (43).
