Dublin 0-11 Kerry 1-14:Kerry took revenge on their All-Ireland final conquerors and recorded a first competitive win over Dublin in two-and-a-half years at Croke Park tonight. The Allianz Football League got underway with fireworks and abseilers delivering the ball from the top of the Hogan Stand and initially the game did its best to match the preamble.
In front of 45,836 fans, Kerry were livelier throughout and Dublin only mounted a significant challenge in the second quarter. The match was effectively killed in the second half with Darran O’Sullivan’s clinically taken goal in the 55th minute opening up a 1-11 to 0-9 gap that Dublin never looked remotely like closing.
In the first half the All-Ireland champions proved more resilient than many expected, missing as they were four of the team’s All Stars from last season – two of whom, Paul Flynn and Kevin Nolan were pressed into service before the end.
They took a while to get to the pace of the game and trailed by three after eight minutes. Paul Galvin, who directed a lot of Kerry’s attacks in the early stages, placed James O’Donoghue for a smartly taken point and Bryan Sheehan quickly added two more including one from a free.
Sheehan had a fine match and although he hit five wides (out of an impressive Kerry total of 17) he also managed to rack up eight points, including three from play.
Mistakes abounded with possession being lost and given away and it was two such turnovers that gifted Dublin their opening scores – Paul Brogan intercepting a stray pass and galloping through to set up the lively Kevin McManamon for his first point and Tomás Quinn adding free, which resulted from a miscued kick-out running over the sideline.
Diarmuid Connolly, returning to under the Croke Park lights for the first time since shooting them out against Tyrone last August, had a miserable time of it and, like Sheehan but without the balancing successes, kicked five wides before eventually hitting the target in the second half.
A strong second quarter saw Dublin overhaul the deficit to lead by two at the interval. Kevin McManamon, back at the scene of his goal triumph last September, kicked two points and Dublin led by two, 0-7 to 0-5.
Kerry raised their game considerably on the restart. Tomás Ó Sé looked as eager as ever at wing back, handling the ball on numerous occasions, and with the Kerry centrefield and forwards getting on top, Dublin couldn’t withstand the pressure.
Darran O’Sullivan’s goal was laid on by impressive substitute Patrick Curtin and although Dublin managed a couple of late attacks the match was over, as Barry John Keane finished the match well to stretch the lead to six.
Dublin replacement centerfielder Eamonn Fennell was red carded for a shoulder charge on Sheehan after the ball had gone in the 67th minute.
KERRY: B Kealy; P Crowley, M Ó Sé, S Enright; T Ó Sé, K Young, B Maguire; S Scanlon, B Sheehan (0-8, five frees); P Galvin, Darran O'Sullivan (1-0), S O'Sullivan; J O'Sullivan (0-3, two frees), K Donaghy (capt.), BJ Keane (0-3). Subs: A Maher for Scanlon (half-time), P Curtin for S O'Sullivan (50 mins), D O'Callaghan for D O'Sullivan (61 mins), A O'Mahony for Crowley (66 mins), D Bohan for Keane (71 mins).
DUBLIN: S Cluxton (0-2, 45 and free); M Fitzsimons, R O'Carroll, P McMahon; J McCarthy, G Brennan, C Dias; R McConnell, MD Macauley; B Cullen (0-1), K McManamon (0-3), P Brogan; D Connolly (0-1), E O'Gara, T Quinn (0-4, three frees). Subs: P Flynn for Brogan (44 mins), E Fennell for McConnell (51 mins), K Nolan for Fitzsimons (51 mins), D Kelly for O'Gara (63 mins), S Murray for Macauley (64 mins).
Referee: M Deegan (Laois).