Donegal stormed into Round 2A of the new-look All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with a 2-20 to 0-16 win over 14-man Kerry in Killarney.
With Kerry dominating last year’s All-Ireland final meeting between the pair and Donegal exacting revenge in March’s league final, Jim McGuinness’ side prevailed in the latest edition of the rivalry.
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The red card shown to Kerry’s Micheal Burns before the start of the second period was huge, a result of a flare-up between the teams just after the hooter to signal half-time with Donegal’s Ryan McHugh left with blood pouring from his eye.
It seemed a culmination of little tangles from before throw-in which continued throughout, with love clearly not lost between the sides.
Still, it was Donegal who were beginning to win the arm wrestle at this stage as they had limited the influence of David and Paudie Clifford, while three two-pointers in the opening half kept them ahead in a game in which they never trailed.
Indeed, their economy in front of the posts was impressive – kicking two wides to Kerry’s 10 – with all of their scores coming from play and Oisin Gallen and Michael Langan kicking five points apiece.
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The hosts could have made a dream start when Mark O’Shea briefly had a sight of goal within the opening minute, but he was crowded and instead, it was Donegal who made the most of their first attack as Ciaran Moore swapped passes with Oisin Gallen, rounded Shane Murphy and coolly slotted to the net.
With the wind at their backs, Gallen and Ryan McHugh slung over two-pointers either side of Kerry’s opening score by Micheal Burns.
However, a David Clifford point sparked the Kingdom to life as they began to put real pressure on Gavin Murlreany’s kick-outs, pressing high as Paudie Clifford lost marker Finnbarr Roarty to score and then with Mulreany punished for taking too long over the restart, David Clifford pointed the free.
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After Graham O’Sullivan added another, Paudie Clifford saw a shot at goal deflected out for a 45 as Kerry’s pace was causing real problems.
Donegal steadied with two of the next three scores, but while they were keeping tabs on the Cliffords, Dylan Geaney began to exert his influence with a pair of scores reducing the gap to one.
A two-pointer by Michael Langan saw momentum swing again with Roarty and Gallen adding further points, with a late exchange leaving Donegal 1-11 to 0-9 ahead at the hooter which led to that ugly flare-up which ultimately saw Burns dismissed.
Referee Sean Hurson spent a couple of minutes laying down the law to both managers before the start of the second half and it seemed to have the desired effect as matters settled, but with a numerical disadvantage, Kerry were now up against it.
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Donegal began to own the ball, patiently working three scores to open an eight-point gap with 20 minutes to play.
Tony Brosnan – a replacement for Paudie Clifford who been well shackled by Roarty – ended a 20-minute barren spell for the hosts with a two-pointer, but Shane O’Donnell hit back and Michael Murphy – something of a pantomime villain for the home supporters – also got in on the act.
It sucked the life out of the home crowd as Donegal kept the board ticking with three of the next four points before substitute Shea Malone – who had earlier been denied by the post – cracking home a second goal with four minutes to play.
Late two-pointers by David Clifford and Brosnan were mere consolation for Kerry who have no more room for error in the championship and move into Round 2B, while Donegal now have two bites of the cherry to reach the last eight.
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Kerry: Shane Murphy; Evan Looney, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Tadhg Morley (0-1), Mike Breen, Graham O’Sullivan (0-1); Mark O’Shea, Diarmuid O’Connor; Michael Burns (0-1), Keith Evans, Sean O’Brian; Paudie Clifford (0-1), David Clifford (0-4, 1x2p, 1f), Dylan Geaney (0-3).
Subs: Eddie Healy for T Morley (HT), Tony Brosnan (0-4, 2x2p) for P Clifford (45), Joe O’Connor for K Evans (48), Killian Spillane for D Geaney (56), Cillian Trant (0-1) for S O’Brien (59)
Temporary sub: Brian O’Beaglaoich for G O’Sullivan (45-FT)
Donegal: Gavin Mulreaney; Max Campbell, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan (0-2); Ryan McHugh (0-2, 1x2p), Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Finbarr Roarty (0-1); Caolan McGonagle, Hugh McFadden; Oisin Gallen (0-5, 1x2p), Jason McGee (0-1), Ciaran Moore (1-1); Conor O’Donnell, Michael Murphy (0-1), Michael Langan (0-5, 1x2p).
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Subs: Shea Malone (1-1) for O Gallen (56), Shane O’Donnell (0-1) for F Roarty (59), Daire O Baoill for M Murphy (60), Turlough Carr for H McFadden (63), Sean Martin for M Campbell (65).
Blood sub: Shane O’Donnell for R McHugh (HT-59)
Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)
