NFL Division One: Tyrone 2-13 Kerry 3-13
Rested and refreshed but lethal and clinical as ever, David Clifford marked his first start of the season with a spectacular hat-trick as Kerry turned over old foes at Plunkett Park in Pomeroy.
The brilliance of the Fossa ace brought the Kingdom back from seven points down to end a losing run and condemn the Ulster men to a third straight loss and a desperate battle to avoid relegation.
The warning signals were there for Tyrone when they failed to score during a late spell when they had two players extra due to black cards, with Jack O’Connor’s men finishing strongly with an unanswered 1-5.
The dark cloud of back-to-back defeats hung over both counties as they searched for a twist in the road which would lead them away from the relegation zone.
Kerry boss O’Connor was happy to give his number one attacker all the time he needed to recharge the batteries following a hectic 2024.
“Yeah, he’d the bones of four months away from it. He needed it,” said O’Connor.
“He had a period there for two or three years where he was virtually playing all-year round. Great to see, just hope he can keep that form going.”
Kerry went after Tyrone’s kickouts in the closing stages, claiming vital possessions that they turned into scores on a blustery afternoon in the Tyrone highlands.
“Yeah, finished strong. We won four of Tyrone’s last five kickouts. I think that was critical,” the manager reflected.
“That was an awful tough game. A lot of things went against us. Conceding the penalty, Shane to save it then they put in the rebound and having two black cards, 15 against 13 at one stage.
“We weren’t even too sure what to do at that stage but Paul Geaney just stayed up and everyone else retreated. The lads showed great heart. They’ve got a lot of criticism over the last month or six weeks but they showed there is a bit left there. There is good spirit in the group and they showed that today.”
And he shifted his thoughts immediately to the next big challenge, a trip to Castlebar to face Mayo next weekend.
“On the way down now on the bus we’ll be thinking of Mayo and going to Castlebar next week, nothing soft there. It’s tough going but sure look they’re the cards we were dealt. This will give us a boost, coming up to a ground like this. Playing Tyrone, it’s never easy so delighted.”
After a brisk start which saw them go four up through the Clifford brothers, Brian O Beaglaoich and Dylan Geaney, Kerry were hauled back by two-pointers from Michael McKernan (2) and Conn Kilpatrick, before Darragh Canavan came off the bench for his first appearance of the season to hit three points, including a two-point free.
But Clifford finished a Paul Geaney assist to the net on 33 minutes to trim it back, Tyrone 0-11 to 1-5 ahead at the break.
He almost had a second early in the second half, smashing a shot against the crossbar, but it was Tyrone who found the net, Mark Bradley finishing at the second attempt after his penalty was saved by Shane Ryan.
Darren McCurry made it a seven-point game, but Clifford’s second goal, again from a Paul Geaney assist, kept Kerry very much alive.
Kerry went down to 13 men when Joe O’Connor and Clifford both picked up black cards, but with Jason Foley in imperious form at the back, they held their opponents scoreless during that spell.
And the Kingdom, with Joe O’Connor and Diarmuid O’Connor chasing the Tyrone kickout, dominated the final 10 minutes to hit 1-5, including another Clifford special to complete a hat-trick.
Tyrone: N Morgan; A Clarke, P Teague, N Devlin, M McKernan (0-2-0), R Brennan, F Burns; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick (0-1-0); M O’Neill, M Donnelly, C Daly; D McCurry (0-0-2, 2f), M Bradley (1-0-1), E McElholm.
Subs: D Canavan (1-1-2, 2f) for O’Neill (21), R Canavan for McCurry (46), S O’Donnell for Burns (51), P Harte for Donnelly (58), K McGeary for McElholm (66)
Kerry: S Ryan; D Bourke, J Foley, D Casey (0-0-1); G O’Sullivan (0-0-1), M Breen, B Ó Beaglaoich (0-0-1); D O’Connor (0-0-1), J O’Connor (0-0-1); D Lyne, P Clifford (0-0-1), R Murphy; D Clifford (3-0-3, 2f), P Geaney (0-0-3, 3f), D Geaney (0-0-1).
Subs: C Geaney for D Geaney (46), BD O’Sullivan for Murphy (56), M Burns for P Geaney (64), P Muphy for O Baglaoich (68)
Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).
