Tempers raised in Killarney as Dubin end with 14
The Allianz football league resumed this afternoon and despite a bad start with two games postponed due to the weather there was some cracking action on show.
The highlight of the day was in Killarney as the last two All-Ireland champions went toe-to-toe, with the currnet kingpins emerging victorious, 0-15 to 1-10. Kieran Donaghy was back in harness for the Kingdom on the edge of the square as, in terrible conditions, both sides played at near championship pace as Dublin led by a point at the break, 0-7 to 0-6.
The Leinster outfit recovered from losing Denis Bastick to a black card for a high challenge on the Kerry captain to put the Kingdom under massive pressure in the opening half-hour.
The second half began at a fierce tempo and with Kerry seeking out Donaghy in the full-forward line at every opportunity, they turned the screw on Dublin to lead by 0-14 to 0-8 after almost 53 minutes.
However, Bernard Brogan’s goal on the hour mark brought Dublin right back into the game and Kerry retreated into the defensive mode used so effectively in last year’s All-Ireland final to record a two-point win.
The frustration eventually boiled over as the game ended with a melée between both sides which saw Michael Fitzsimons sent off for a frontal charge on Fionn Fitzgerald, after Bernard Brogan and Anthony Maher had wrestled each other to the ground:
Elsewhere, Mayo gave Monaghan a serious trimming in their clash in Castlebar thanks in the main to Monaghan losing the rag and ending with 13 men.
Mayo led at the break by 0-9 to 0-6 after Monaghan saw Stephen Gollogly sent off for an off-the ball incident and a further dismissal for Ryan Wylie after the break gave Mayo a platform to record a comfortable 3-15 to 0-11 win.
Aidan O’Shea started the game at full forward and helped himself to 1-3 in the course of the game with the other goals from the boot of Alan Freeman and Michael Sweeney.
In the other game in Division 1, the referee was also kept busy as Donegal edged Cork by 0-12 to 1-8, despite Michael Murphy being sent off.
Murphy’s dismissal after 50 minutes came after Donegal had turned parity at half time, at 0-5 each, into a 0-10 to 0-5 lead.
Tomás Clancy then scored a goal in the 56th minute to pile the pressure on the hosts in Ballyshannon, but with Donegal showing glimpses of the form of 2013 they held on for the win as Patrick McBrearty point the game winning score.
In Division Two, Kildare’s hopes of promotion are all but over after slumping to a third loss in a row as Westmeath’s resurgence under Tom Cribben continued to record a 0-15 to 0-12 win.
Veteran goalkeeper Gary Connaughton proved the hero as he saved a number of good attempts by the Kildare attack to help his side to an 0-8 to 0-5 lead at the break.
John Heslin was the best player on show as he racked up six points in total as the home side recorded a second win from three in the Division Two campaign.
In Division Three, Armagh proved much too strong for Limerick in Kilmallock as they eased to a 2-16 to 1-6 win over their hosts.
Kieran McGeeney’s side were on top in every sector and led by 1-4 to 0-1 early on thanks to an Aiden Forker goal. Limerick did respond through a Thomas Lee goal to leave it 1-6 to 1-3 at the break. However, after the restart Armagh dominated and they ran out comfortable winners.
Elsewhere, Clare secured an impressive home win over Sligo in Cusack Park to get their ease their relegation worries with a 0-22 to 1-13 triumph.
Sligo took the aid of the elements in the first half and led by 0-11 to 0-9 at the break but the home side – led impressively by Pat Burke and Shane McGrath, who scored 0-5 each – ran out deserved winners despite a late Adrian Marren goal.
Fermanagh’s good form in Division three continued as they overcame Tipperary by 2-9 to 0-11 and Louth beat Wexford by 1-16 to 1-10, after Wexford led by 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time.
In Division Four, the promotion push for Offaly continues as they beat Wicklow by 2-18 to 2-6 in Aughrim and Antrim recorded an away win over Leitrim in Carrick-On-Shannon by 1-18 to 1-13.
