Kerry 2-13 Donegal 0-11:NOT EVEN the most optimistic Kerry follower could have foreseen Jack O'Connor's second coming producing such a comprehensive victory as a mediocre Donegal outfit were trounced at Austin Stack Park in Tralee .
Kerry hit the ground running and despite only fielding eight of the team that started in last year’s All-Ireland final, they carried too much fire-power for the visitors.
This game was effectively over after 20 minutes as Kerry led by 10 points and despite Donegal rallying in the second period, it was never competitive, and referee Gerry Keneavey did not issue a single yellow card.
In mitigation, Donegal coach John Joe Doherty was missing too many starters to trouble Kerry.
David Moran made a huge impact at midfield along with the experienced Séamus Scanlon and the Kerry defence looked solid.
Aidan O’Mahony and Marc Ó Sé did well in their respective new-look full back and centre back roles, but real judgment will have to be reserved until they meet stronger opponents.
Debutants Aidan O’Shea (son of Jacko) at wing back and goalkeeper Ger Reidy showed up well and will add to the headache of picking a starting 15 later on.
O’Connor was delighted with the performance: “ We had a fair idea from training that the lads were eager, and this time of the year, that’s what it is about.
“All the new players did well, Ger Reidy in goals, Aidan O’Shea and David Moran. So the name of the name of the game for us in the league is basically to try and get some new players that will come on and prove their worth.
“It was the first time I won the opening round game of a league at my fourth attempt. Traditionally, Kerry are slow starters to the league, so it was good to get a win especially after looking at the way Tyrone were going last night, as you would not want to be going up there looking for your first win. It was encouraging and it will give the lads a lift.
“Donegal were running through us a bit near the end, but the training has gone very well so we will try and put down another hard week and a half and head up to Tyrone. At least we’re now heading up there with a win, so that helps.”
The coach does not expect to have the injured Kieran Donaghy or Micheál Quirke back in time for the trip to Omagh.
“Kieran and Micheál have started back doing a bit of jogging but Omagh will come too early for them – I think we will be looking at the Derry game, which is five weeks’ time. before you have most fellows back on board.
“So for that game we would be thinking that we will have everybody on board then, that we will have for the championship.”
Inevitably the name of ex-Aussie Rules star Tadhg Kennelly came up:
“It’s like everything else, we brought in a lot of players this year to look at them. I think we brought in up to 40 players and I am sure we will be bringing Tadhg in to have a look at him.
“So until then we cant pass judgment but we will definitely bring him in and have a look at him and see what condition he is in.
“We will wait until he comes home this week and then we talk to him and we will make up our minds then.”
KERRY: G Reidy; P Reidy, A O’Mahony, K Young; T Griffin, M Ó Sé, A O’Shea, S Scanlon, D Moran (0-3, frees); P Galvin (0-3), Declan O’Sullivan (0-1), D Walsh; C Cooper (1-3, one free), T Walsh (1-2), Darren O’Sullivan (0-1). Subs: B Sheehan for Walsh, R Ó Flatharta for Griffin, A Maher for Scanlon, K O’Leary for Galvin, D Bohan for O’Shea, P O’Connor for Declan O’Sullivan
DONEGAL: P Durcan; F McGlynn, R Sweeney, P McDaid; C Byrne, B Monaghan (0-1), E McGee; N Gallagher (0-1), B Boyle; C Bonner, C Dunne, R Kavanagh; K McMenamin, S Griffin (0-3, one free), D Walsh (0-1). Subs: M Doherty (0-2, one free) for Boyle, N McGee for Byrne, E Wade for McGee, D Walsh for McGlynn, B Roper (0-3) for Dunne,: L Thompson for McMenamin
Referee: G Keneavey (Galway).
