Kerry attack shines as they defeat Mayo despite dismissals
KERRY finished with 13 men but gained some revenge for their All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Mayo last summer as Gavin Crowley scored the crucial goal at MacHale Park.
The Kingdom had lost four or their previous five meetings with Stephen Rochford’s side but they held a 0-10 to 2-3 lead at half-time.
Diarmuid O’Connor blasted two goals for Mayo in the first-half, including a late penalty, but they trailed by the minimum.
Crowley scored his goal on the resumption, and despite the dismissal of Ronan Shanahan and Crowley, and a black card for Brian O Beaglaoich, Kerry were victorious.
Kerry made a fast start and points from Micheal Burns and Barry John Keane pushed them into a 0-2 to 0-0 third minute lead.
But Evan Regan hit back from a free in the fifth minute and Barry Moran equalised with a great effort off of his right foot.
The Kerry attack was electric and star man David Clifford made his presence felt, but Sean O’Shea, Barry O’Sullivan and Paul Geaney were not found wanting and tagged on three points in a row.
Mayo looked dangerous too and O’Connor scored a brilliant goal in the 12th minute. Aidan O’Shea won the ball from a throw-in, he gave the pass to the Ballintubber clubman who finished low past Shane Murphy.
Mayo were level, and after Clifford kicked a point on the turn, he hobbled off injured in the 17th minute and was replaced Jack Savage, who also made a big impact.
Clifford’s exit was a big blow for Kerry but they re-grouped and their star—studded forward unit added further scores from O’Shea and Keane, before the former wasted a penalty opportunity.
Geaney was fouled by Brendan Harrison in the penalty area but David Clarke saved the resultant kick well down to his left. O’Shea also missed the 45 that followed.
It was a big moment in the firsthalf and although Keane scored his third point and Burns doubled his tally, Kerry were only one clear at the interval.
It all stemmed from a penalty decision just before the break. Neil Douglas was dragged down and O’Connor sent Murphy the wrong way in the Kerry goal, to the joy of the 11,639 in attendance. Jason Doherty’s wonderful free gave Mayo the momentum at the break, having been five points behind with just one minute of normal time left in the first-half.
Last year’s All-Ireland semi-final and the replay were two massively physical encounters and this one followed a similar vein. Rochford’s side kept Kerry waiting at the start of the second-half but within a minute Doherty popped over another free and the teams were level.
Mayo should have taken charge but they were hit for a sucker punch when Keane put Crowley through and he finished to the net past Clarke. Kerry were relentless after that and despite a Diarmuid O’Connor point, that was answered by the efforts of O’Shea and Geaney. Doherty offered a reprieve but again that was cancelled out by Paul Murphy and Barry O’Sullivan. Shanahan got a red card for a second yellow after a foul on Cillian O’Connor in the 51st minute and then three minutes later Kerry were down to 13 men when Crowley got red after a black card, following an earlier yellow.
Cillian O’Connor tapped over two frees but the rest of the Mayo shooting was erratic and they could not make their numerical advantage count. Geaney tagged on another crucial point to give Kerry a big win in Castlebar.