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2022 Allianz Football League Division 1 – Kerry 1-13 Donegal 0-7

February 20, 2022 @ 1:45 pm - 3:30 pm

Kerry defeated Donegal by 1-13 to 0-7 in Round 3 of the Allianz Football League Division 1 on Sunday February 20th at Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney.

Match Highlights

Kerry overcome elements and tame Donegal resistance

Report by Eoghan Cormican for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Allianz League Division 1: Kerry 1-13 Donegal 0-7

Kerry overcame the weather and Donegal to move to the top of the Allianz League Division 1 table.

Kerry’s ability to maintain their unbeaten start to the spring sees them leapfrog fellow unbeaten sides Mayo and Armagh on account of their superior score difference.

The hosts, in truth, were rarely troubled by a surprisingly tame Donegal effort, the visitors making next to no use of the relentless gale that was behind them in the second period, particularly so when Kerry were still there for catching in the third quarter.

Conor O’Donnell’s point was Donegal’s sole score in the 20 minutes after half-time, Kerry then tallying 1-1 shortly after O’Donnell had narrowed the gap to six – 0-9 to 0-3 – to make certain of the two points on offer.

The score that put the hosts out of sight was a howler from Shaun Patton, the Donegal ‘keeper letting a David Clifford miskicked point attempt slip by him for the game’s only goal on 49 minutes.

Seán O’Shea’s point three minutes later shoved Kerry 10 clear and although Donegal reeled off four on the bounce thereafter, no doubt did it throw over the outcome.

A pair from O’Shea late on, sandwiching as they did a Clifford white flag, brought his tally for the day to 0-7 and his team’s winning margin to nine.

Summing up the home dominance was that they left three second-half goals behind them but still managed to win the second period, despite, as noted earlier, playing into the elements.

Storm Franklin favoured Kerry in the first-half, the home side returning drenched to the dressing-room 0-9 to 0-2 in front at half-time.

Donegal, to their credit, made light of the gale against them in the opening exchanges, Eoghan Bán Gallagher and Shane O’Donnell fisting over points to leave Donegal tied at 0-2 apiece 12 minutes in.

O’Donnell’s white flag, though, was to prove their last of the opening half as the supply of possession filtering up the field completely dried up. Indeed, such was the lack of ball arriving into the final third that starved inside forward Patrick McBrearty came so deep to get his hands on possession that he was at one stage the deepest lying Donegal player on the field.

In a first half understandably littered with misplaced passes and an amount of handling errors, a sprinkling of the Kerry points went against the weather-dictated grain for their precision and cohesive build-up.

Corner-back Dan O’Donoghue got forward to kick a fine point, while Paudie Clifford’s 32nd-minute effort emanated from an O’Donoghue steal deep in the Kerry half.

Arguably Kerry’s and the game’s outstanding first-half score was the last to arrive in the opening 35 minutes. Adrian Spillane’s persistence and work ethic forced the Donegal turnover in the corner before possession was worked through the hands of Paudie Clifford, Dara Moyniahn, and finisher Killiane Spillane.

The Kerry lead was never smaller than six upon the change of ends. The weather, rather than the opposition, was Kerry’s only real challenge on this horrible afternoon in Killarney.

Post-match interview with Kerry’s Sean O’Shea and David Clifford

Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea (0-7, 0-2 frees, 0-1 sideline); D Clifford (1-1); K Spillane (0-2); P Clifford, P Geaney, D O’Donoghue (0-1 each).

Scorers for Donegal: P McBrearty (0-1 free), S O’Donnell, C O’Donnell (0-2 each); E Bán Gallagher (0-1).

KERRY: S Ryan; D O’Donoghue, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; P Murphy, T Morley, B Ó Beaglaíoch; D O’Connor, J Barry; A Spillane, S O’Shea, D Moynihan; K Spillane, P Geaney, P Clifford.
Subs: S O’Brien for A Spillane (13-21 mins, temporary); D Clifford for K Spillane (43); S O’Brien for A Spillane (54); T Brosnan for Geaney (57); J Savage for Clifford (64); G Horgan for Barry (66).

DONEGAL: S Patton; B McCole, C Ward, O McFadden Ferry; E Bán Gallagher, P Brennan, P Mogan; J McGee, H McFadden; S O’Donnell, C Thompson, R O’Donnell; R McHugh, C O’Donnell, P McBrearty.
Subs: S McMenamin for Brennan (41); N O’Donnell for R O’Donnell (43); O Gallen for McFadden (50); D Ó Baoill for S O’Donnell (66); E O’Donnell for McFadden Ferry (70).

Referee: M Deegan (Laois).

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Details

Date:
February 20, 2022
Time:
1:45 pm - 3:30 pm

Venue

Fitzgerald Stadium

GAA Units

Clare GAA
Cork GAA
Kerry GAA
Limerick GAA
Tipperary GAA
Waterford GAA
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