NFL DIVISION ONE Kerry 1-13 Down 1-11:KERRY GAINED some sort of revenge for last year's All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Down with this win at Fitzgerald Stadium but Cork's win over Armagh means Kerry are headed to the Algarve for a training camp in two weeks' time and not a Croke Park date with Dublin.
Veteran Kerry defender Tom O’Sullivan received a straight red in the 55th minute for a striking motion on Eoin McCartan and he will miss Kerry’s championship opener against Tipperary. Kerry also lost Paul Galvin in the 16th minute with a hamstring strain, but his replacement Bryan Sheehan had a superb second half, kicking four points, including three frees from beyond 50 metres.
Kerry eased four points clear inside the opening 10 minutes with Colm Cooper getting the opener after a clever Declan OSullivan through ball. When Aidan O’Mahony was fouled going through, Cooper added the free and Kerry looked to be in full control as Donnacha Walsh and Kieran Donaghy added points to leave extend the lead to 0-4 to 0-0 by the 10th minute.
However Down slowly began to get to the pace of the game with big Kalum King and Mark Poland working very hard and Poland opened the Down account in the 14th minute with a fine point. Down were level by the 26th minute when points from Poland (2), Conor Maginn and James Colgan left the sides on 0-5 apiece. Kerry responded with a Darran O’Sullivan point and they added two points in first-half injury-time through Declan OSullivan and a Sheehan free to lead 0-8 to 0-5 at the interval.
Three minutes after the resumption Bryan Sheehan and Colm Cooper combined for Darran O’Sullivan who flicked the ball to roof of the Down net. When Sheehan added a quick point, Kerry had jumped 1-9 to 0-6 clear.
Down kept plugging away with points from wing back Conor Garvey, Martin Clarke and a free from Poland. But points from Declan and Darran O’Sullivan and two more from Sheehan were enough to keep Kerry in control despite a late Benny Coulter goal.
KERRY: B Kealy; S Enright, M Ó Sé, T OSullivan; T Ó Sé, K Young, A OMahony; E Brosnan, A Maher (0-1); D Walsh (0-1), Darran OSullivan (1-2), P Galvin; C Cooper (0-2, one free), K Donaghy (0-1), Declan OSullivan (0-2), Subs: B Sheehan (0-4, three frees) for P Galvin ( 16), S Scanlon for A Maher ( 61), A O'Connell for A OMahony (63), K O'Leary for D Walsh ( 66) B Maguire.
DOWN: D Alder, G McCartan, D Gordon, B McArdle, C Garvey (0-1), K McKernan, D Rooney, J Colgan (0-1), K King, D Hughes, M Poland (0-5, four frees), C Maginn (0-1), P McComiskey, B Coulter (1-0), M Clarke (0-3, one free). Subs: A Carr for K King (29), D Rafferty for B McArdle (41), E McCartan for P McComiskey (47), C Laverty for C Maginn (52), R Sexton for M Poland (64). ,
Referee: Rory Hickey(Clare).
