First blood to Kerry. Again.
The All-Ireland champions laid down another marker today when they put Donegal to the sword at Austin Stack Park.
The Kingdom hosted their Sam Maguire final opponents in a hotly contested affair and the visitors suffered the same fate as Dublin did just a couple of weeks ago with Eamon Fitzmaurice’s men coming out on top.
Donegal looked to have the upper hand when Ryan McHugh scored the most Ryan McHugh of goals in the first half, arriving late after scaling the pitch and slotting coolly to raise a green flag but Kerry kept their composure to edge ahead again at the break.
And, with BJ Keane netting in the second period, the hosts stayed on top before David Moran looked to have put the result beyond doubt with this brilliantly taken penalty.
But Michael Murphy replicated it at the other end for a photo finish.
And, whilst Rory Gallagher’s side pushed for one final shot at goal, big Kieran Donaghy got up the highest in his own square to fetch one from the skies and clear the danger.
Elsewhere, Derry went down to Monaghan in Clones as their Division One status hangs by a thread.
The Oak Leafers had a second half Emmett McGuckin goal chalked off for square ball and they now sit three points adrift of Donegal and Tyrone with just two games left to avoid relegation.
They have Cork to thank for their late show in Omagh that ousted the Red Hand county and Cavan were equally as impressive in their resolve in Galway when they came from five points down at the break to win 0-12 to 0-10 and keep their Division Two promotion hopes alive.
Here are a full list of Sunday’s results.
Division One
Kerry 2-13 Donegal 2-11
Monaghan 0-15 Derry 0-10
Tyrone 2-10 Cork 0-17
Division Two
Galway 0-10 Cavan 0-12
Kildare 2-12 Roscommon 0-24
Westmeath 0-10 Down 2-17
Division Three
Louth 3-11 Tipperary 4-16
Clare 1-11 Armagh 3-11
Fermanagh 2-19 Limerick 2-10
Sligo 2-10 Wexford 1-8
Division Four
Offaly 0-14 Carlow 1-10
Wicklow 1-10 Longford 1-16
Waterford 0-13 Antrim 0-15
