Allianz Football League Division 1 – Dublin 1-11 Kerry 0-4

If anything this scoreline was kind to the Kingdom

Kerry 0-4 Dublin 1-11

The records keep on tumbling for Kerry but depressingly so.

By John Fogarty for the Irish Examiner newspaper

While last week’s defeat to Mayo had us scrambling for the history books for the last time Kerry didn’t score in a half of competitive football, yesterday’s statistics were more forthcoming. We were forewarned and forearmed. Not since a league semi-final against Cork in April 1989 had Kerry last recorded just four points in a game when they lost by six points.

Yesterday’s reverse in front of a 5,400 crowd in Fitzgerald Stadium was four points worse than that defeat all of 24 years ago and it also marked Dublin’s largest win over Kerry since their 0-18 to 1-3 league win in March 1998. Not to forget either that Patrick Curtin’s 22nd minute point, Kerry’s opening success in the game, was also the team’s first score in 65 minutes of league football. Was it worse than Castlebar? Perhaps a slight improvement but the stark fact is yesterday’s 10-point margin was probably as good as it could have got for the home team. But for Dublin’s 10 wides and Brendan Kealy denying Paddy Andrews in both halves when Bernard Brogan was better positioned, the scoreline could have been embarrassing for Kerry.

Brogan was in mean form for Dublin and had six of his seven points, four coming from play, clocked up by half-time when Kerry had the benefit of the wind. Kerry trailed 0-2 to 0-8 at the break and were relieved to see Dublin shoot six wides in the second half. The sum of Kerry’s efforts in the second half amounted to two frees, one a dubious one awarded to Tomás Ó Sé when he was swarmed by the Dublin defence. Ó Sé was one of his team’s best players on another afternoon to forget, especially for wing-forwards Michael Geaney and Michael O’Donoghue who disappointed with their passing. Kerry’s display was perhaps best summed up by Paddy Curtin in the 24th minute when he appeared to give up on a ball heading for the end-line. The crowd certainly felt he could have done better to retrieve it.

Dublin, like Mayo, weren’t spectacular but their best on the day was more than enough to see off this struggling Kerry outfit, who at least saw Declan O’Sullivan and Kieran Donaghy brought into the fray as second half substitutes. Donaghy was yellow-carded for his involvement in a 58th-minute incident, which saw Michael Darragh Macauley dismissed after referee David Coldrick consulted with his umpires.

Jim Gavin made no excuses for Macauley, who is his second midfielder to pick up a straight red card in three games following Denis Bastick’s sending off in the O’Byrne Cup final. However, he did point out his player was cut on his face. “He has got a facial wound, shall we say. He reacted, which isn’t the right thing to do, I don’t accept it but he reacted so the two guys obviously were striking. “I didn’t see it myself because that dugout is quite low. If he says he struck, he deserves to go off.”

Macauley’s sending off and Diarmuid Connolly’s first-half ankle injury were the two setbacks on an otherwise good day for Dublin, who are now top of the league along with Tyrone and Kildare. Gavin said of Connolly: “He’s on crutches. He’s icing it. He will probably get a scan in the next 24 hours. He’ll wait until the swelling goes down to see what damage is done but he’s in good spirits.” The Dublin manager admitted they could have inflicted a much more emphatic defeat on Kerry. “We have a lot of work to do on the training field on their shooting. The quality was questionable at times but I suppose from a coaching perspective at least we created those opportunities. But the Kerry defence played quite well, they were tight on their guys, every time there was a shot going off there was pressure being put on so you have to give them credit as well.”

Fitzmaurice now has three weeks to regroup and, after six weekends out on the trot, convalesce. He might lose some of his players to Munster when they face Ulster in next Sunday’s M Donnelly Interprovincial semi-final but at least he can batten down the hatches. There is a broad understanding in Kerry that he has been working with slim pickings since the start of the year but it has a limit.

Scorers for Kerry: P Curtin, T Ó Sé, J O’Donoghue (f), M O’Donoghue (f) 0-1 each.

Subs for Kerry: Declan O’Sullivan for Walsh, K Donaghy for Keane (both 42); B Sheehan for Geaney, BJ Walsh for M O’Donoghue (both 54); C Cox for Curtin (68).

Scorers for Dublin: B Brogan 0-7 (3f); P Andrews 0-3; C Dias 1-0; P Ryan 0-1 (f).

Subs for Dublin: P Ryan for Connolly (inj 28); C Dias for Reddin (h-t); D Nelson for Daly (48); D O’Mahony for Ryan (63).

Red card: MD Macauley (58, straight)

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)

Allianz Football League Division I: Kerry 0-4 Dublin 1-11

Report from the GAA.ie web site

Dublin made it two wins out of two in Division I with a convincing victory over a very poor Kerry side at Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday. Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s team showed no discernible improvement from their dismal showing against Mayo last weekend, when they failed to score in the second half, while for Jim Gavin’s Dublin, there was lots to be encouraged by in a performance full of verve and endeavour.

Dublin led 0-8 to 0-2 at the break after a first half which they completely dominated. Bernard Brogan, unsurprisingly, was the main scoring threat for Dublin throughout and he led the way in the first half, hitting 0-5 in the opening 35 minutes. Kerry failed to score for the first 20 minutes of the game, meaning that added to their non-scoring exploits from last week, they went around an hour of Allianz Football League action without scoring a single point.

Kerry brought on Kieran Donaghy and Bryan Sheehan in an attempt to stem the tide after the interval, but it made little difference. However, the dismissal of Dublin midfielder Michael Darragh Macauley briefly gave some hope to Kerry, who had edged to 0-9 to 0-4 behind by that stage.

The red card didn’t seem to have an effect on Dublin whatsoever, as they struck for the game’s only goal shortly afterwards, with around 10 minutes left on the clock. It was Craig Dias who got it, finishing smartly to the top of the Kerry net after a fine assist from Broganl. That put Dublin nine points ahead, and Kerry were a spent force for the final 10 minutes, as they laboured in vain to claw back some of the large lead Dublin had built up. Next up for Kerry in Division I are away trips to Kildare and Donegal. If they fail to win at least one of those games, they will find themselves in a relegation battle.

Team News

The Kerry Senior Football Team to play Dublin in Round 2 of the Allianz Football League in Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney on Sunday next shows 3 changes from the team that started against Mayo in Round 1 – Tomás Ó Sé starts at number 6 with Peter Crowley moving to the corner to the exclusion of Shane Enright, Bryan Sheehan takes over from the club-tied Johnny Buckley at midfield and Barry John Keane comes in for Conor Cox at corner forward. The team, captained by Anthony Maher is as follows:

1. Brendan Kealy Kilcummin

2. Marc Ó Sé An Gaeltacht

3. Aidan O’Mahony Rathmore

4. Peter Crowley Laune Rangers

5. Jonathan Lyne Killarney Legion

6. Tomás Ó Sé An Gaeltacht

7. Killian Young Renard

8. Anthony Maher Duagh (Capt)

9. Bryan Sheehan St Marys

10. Michael Geaney Dingle

11. Darran O’Sullivan Glenbeigh/Glencar

12. Michael O’Donoghue Spa

13. James O’Donoghue Killarney Legion

14. Patrick Curtin Moyvane

15. Barry John Keane Kerins O’Rahillys

16. Brian Kelly Killarney Legion

17. Shane Enright Tarbert

18. Conor Cox Listowel Emmetts

19. Brian Maguire Listowel Emmetts

20. Shane Carroll Austin Stacks

21. Andrew Garnett Spa

22. David Culhane Ballylongford

23. Barry John Walsh Kerins O’Rahillys

24. Mark Griffin St Michaels/Foilemore

25. Darragh O’Sullivan Dingle

26. James Walsh Knocknagoshel

The team features 8 of the side defeated by Donegal in the All Ireland Qtr Finals last August. Bryan Sheehan, and Barry John Keane who was originally picked to start, were both introduced as substitutes against Mayo. Shane Enright picked up a slight hamstring strain in that game. Both Jack Sherwood and Paul Geaney, both of whom were originally picked to face Mayo, but who subsequently picked up injuries in training, are recovering from injury and were not available for selection. James Walsh has been added to the panel for Sunday’s game.

The following players are unavailable for Selection:

Injuries:

Paul Geaney Hamstring Due back Rd 3 of the NFL

Jack Sherwood Groin Due back Rd 3 of the NFL

Declan O’Sullivan Wear & Tear Due Back Latter Stages of NFL

David Moran Cruciate Due back latter stages NFL

Donnacadha Walsh Hip/Groin Due back Championship

Stephen O’Brien Shoulder Due Back Latter stages NFL

Other:

Kieran Donaghy Honeymoon Due back Rd 3 NFL

Club Tied:

Colm Cooper, Eoin Brosnan, Kieran O’Leary, Brian Looney, Fionn Fitzgerald, Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes).

Paul Galvin (Finuge) Due back Rd 3 NFL

Paul O’Connor (Kenmare) Due Back Rd 3 NFL