The Kingdom were the better side overall for the 70 minutes
KERRY 1-18 (1-0-18) MAYO 1-12 (1-1-10)
Despite hitting a few unexpected wides, David Clifford was still the go to man for Kerry as they won their 24th Division 1 Allianz Football League title after a 1-18 to 1-12 win over Mayo in Croke Park on Sunday.
The Fossa man fired over 0-8 for his side, including 0-4 from play as they finished off the Allianz League season by claiming the first piece of National silverware of the season and with the Championship looming just around the corner, it’s a great achievement going forward.
Having both been in a position of almost being relegated last weekend and then suddenly finding themselves fighting for a title, this game brought a life of its own and showcased what could be a potential look into the future as both sides would be aiming to be back in the capital fighting for Sam Maguire glory later in the summer.
It was also a special day as it celebrated the life of one of the greatest commentators to ever live in Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, who names now is associated with the Division 1 trophy and it is a fitting tribute to a great GAA man who touched everyone’s hearts with his quick wit and excellent use of phrases over the years.
Mayo held the early advantage inside the opening 10 minutes as Joe O’Connor and Paul Geaney’s points were cancelled out by two well taken scores from Aidan O’Shea, followed up by Frank Irwin and Jack Carney’s fine score to give the Connacht side a two point lead.
Mayo then shot themselves in the foot as following a Paudie Clifford 45, Colm Reape’s short kick out was intercepted by his brother David before he laid it off to brother Paudie and he took the sensible option of squaring it to Paul Geaney and he punched it home to an empty net. David Clifford both won and converted a free moments later to leave the Kingdom three ahead after the opening quarter.
Mayo were enjoying no luck under their kick outs, and Kerry punished them for this as David Clifford and Barry Dan O’Sullivan kicked two points and left Mayo with work to do early on. They also were not helped by the fact that they had kicked double the wides of their Munster opponents after 25 minutes.
Graham O’Sullivan had a huge chance to make the gap bigger but his effort directly across the goal was just narrowly wide and let Mayo off the hook, but was certainly a sign of how easily Jack O’Connor’s side could cut an opposition team open.
Aidan O’Shea was causing trouble for the Kerry defence inside the 40 yard line and was making good use of possession as he registered a third point of the game on 27 minutes and his side’s first in 11 minutes. Kerry kept control of the pace of the game and were executing things on their own terms and in doing so managed to pull further ahead with both Clifford’s Paudie and David sending over their first scores from play, before David tapped over a free, leaving six between them approaching half time.
A slow, timid start to the second half saw both sides almost go through emotions, with Ryan O’Donoghue getting himself on the scoresheet from play, before Joe O’Connor, David Clifford and a 45 from Paudie Clifford gave Kerry a strong foothold and one hand on the trophy.
Just as Kerry were looking home and hosed, Mayo bounced with a quick fire 1-1, as Eoghan McLaughlin spotted gaps through the middle and buried his chance into the bottom corner, before Ryan O’Donoghue’s free which was the game’s first two pointer, brought it back to a three point deficit with well over 20 minutes left on the clock.
Tony Brosnan made an immediate impact with a point before David Clifford and Paul Towey exchanged scores before the game began to stall once again as both sides conjured a series of wides and the atmosphere around the stadium being a bit subdued due to the lack of excitement.
Paul Geaney’s tap over free was the game’s first score in over 10 minutes and left five between them, with Kerry still very much playing at their own speed. A series of wides in particular and uncharacteristically from usual talisman David Clifford, left the game still in the balance.
Kerry would finish the stronger though with a further score from Conor Geaney to secure the first title of the season and from their perspective hoping to see more to follow in the summer.
Scorers:
KERRY: David Clifford (0-4 f) 0-8, Paul Geaney (0-1 f) 1-2, Paudie Clifford (0-2 45) 0-3, Joe O’Connor 0-2, Barry Dan O’Sullivan, Conor Geaney and Tony Brosnan 0-1 each
MAYO: Ryan O’Donoghue (0-2 f, 1 2ptf) 0-5, Aidan O’Shea 0-3, Eoghan McLaughlin 1-0, Jack Carney, Jordan Flynn, Frank Irwin and Paul Towey 0-1 each
Wides:
KERRY: 11 (4 in first half)
MAYO: 10 (6 in first half)
Teams:
KERRY: Shane Ryan (Rathmore); Paul Murphy (Rathmore), Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue), Dylan Casey (Austin Casey); Gavin White (Dr Crokes), Mike Breen (Beaufort), Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht); Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks), Barry Dan O’Sullivan (Dingle); Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes), Paudie Clifford (Fossa), Graham O’Sullivan (Piarsaigh na Dromoda); David Clifford (Fossa), Paul Geaney (Dingle), Dylan Geaney (Dingle).
Subs: Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes) for Geaney (46m), Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes) for O’Sullivan (47m), Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle) for Ó Beaglaoich (53m), Conor Geaney (Dingle) for Burns (53m), Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for O’Sullivan (65m), Ruairi Murphy (Listry) for Geaney (69m)
MAYO: Colm Reape (Knockmore); Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis), Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels), Enda Hession (Garrymore); Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites), David McBrien (Ballaghaderren), Stephen Coen (Hollymount Carramore); Jack Carney (Kilmeena), Matthew Ruane (Breaffy); Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport), Conor Reid (Moy Davitts), Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers); Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites), Ryan O’Donoghue (Beal an Mhuirthead).
Subs: Darren McHale (Knockmore) for Reid (33m), Paul Towey (Charlestown Sarsfields) for Irwin (41m), Davitt Neary (Breaffy) for Flynn (45m), Adrian Phillips (Ballyhaunis) for Reape (53m), Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber) for Coen (62m)
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).