Allianz Football League Division One

MONAGHAN 1-13 KERRY 0-14

By Colm Shalvey at Inniskeen

Monaghan made it back-to-back wins in the Allianz Football League Division 1 when they held off a strong second-half comeback from Kerry in a nerve-wracking finish in Inniskeen.

Monaghan raced into an early lead and although they were forced to defend with all their might by a valiant Kerry effort late on, the hosts’ 14 men held on to claim a valuable two points. A Conor McManus penalty was the only goal as Monaghan, who had been six clear at half-time, held a young Kerry side at bay.

Monaghan got off to a flying start with points from Paudie McKenna, Jack McCarron (two) and Dessie Ward, before Micheál Burns and Paul Geaney halved Kerry’s deficit. Colin Walshe and Barry John Keane swapped points in a frantic start, before another McCarron brace and a fisted effort from Darren Hughes stretched Monaghan’s lead to five.

Seán O’Shea opened his account for Kerry with the 12th point of a free-flowing opening quarter, but Monaghan were soon seven clear when a clever pass from McCarron allowed Niall Kearns to win a penalty that McManus confidently fired to the net.

A McManus free was Monaghan’s sole score of the last 15 minutes of the first half, with O’Shea converting a couple of placed kicks at the other end, but the home side still led by 1-9 to 0-6 at half-time.

The introduction of David Clifford helped to inspire a much-improved showing from Kerry and the rising star wasted little time in opening his account from a free. McManus replied with a brilliant point from play, but a well-taken score from Burns and a brace of O’Shea frees saw the league champions begin to eat into the gap.

Monaghan sub Owen Duffy lifted the siege, but it proved only a brief respite until Clifford and Keane managed quick-fire points from play for Kerry. A sixth placed-kick from O’Shea reduced Monaghan’s lead to the minimum and the long-time leaders were soon facing an even bigger task when Barry Kerr was sent off.

A point from sub Neil McAdam doubled Monaghan’s lead once more, however, and although Clifford tapped over another free, Kerry’s bid for an added-time equaliser fell short. There was still time for one late score and it was Monaghan’s talisman McManus who curled over a last-gasp free to leave his side two clear.

Monaghan have a local derby against Tyrone in Castleblayney next Saturday, while Kerry host high-flying Galway in Tralee on Sunday.

**Scorers for Monaghan: **Conor McManus 1-3 (1-0 pen, 2fs), Jack McCarron 0-4 (3fs), Paudie McKenna 0-1, Neil McAdam 0-1, Darren Hughes 0-1, Dessie Ward 0-1, Colin Walshe 0-1, Owen Duffy 0-1.

**Scorers for Kerry: **Seán O’Shea 0-6 (5fs, 1 ’45), David Clifford 0-3 (2fs), Barry John Keane 0-2, Micheál Burns 0-2, Paul Geaney 0-1.

**MONAGHAN: **Rory Beggan; Colin Walshe (Capt.), Conor Boyle, Barry Kerr; Dessie Mone, Drew Wylie, Karl O’Connell; Darren Hughes, Niall Kearns; Paudie McKenna, Dermot Malone, Dessie Ward; Thomas Kerr, Jack McCarron, Conor McManus.

**Subs: **Fintan Kelly for Mone (HT), Ryan McAnespie for Malone (44), Owen Duffy for McKenna (50), Neil McAdam for T Kerr (59), Ryan Wylie for McCarron (66), Kieran Duffy for Kearns (69).

**KERRY: **Shane Murphy (Capt.); Shane Enright, Jason Foley, Ronan Shanahan; Paul Murphy, Andrew Barry, Brian Ó Beaglaíoch; Brendan O’Sullivan, Peter Crowley; Micheál Burns, Seán O’Shea, Stephen O’Brien; Jack Savage, Paul Geaney, Barry John Keane.

**Subs: **Éanna Ó Conchúir for O’Sullivan (21), David Clifford for Savage (HT), Tom O’Sullivan for Barry (HT), Daithí Casey for Crowley (52), Killian Spillane for Keane (62), Mikey Geaney for O’Brien (69).

**REFEREE: **Cormac Reilly (Meath).